AIPS ASIA News:

As the inaugural revamped Continental club season drew to a close, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa has congratulated Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC on clinching the first-ever AFC Women’s Champions League™ crown with the Chinese side defeating Melbourne City FC 5-4 on penalties after the final ended 1-1 at the Wuhan Sports Centre Stadium on Saturday.

Youngster Shelby McMahon netted the opener for Melbourne, but a Wang Shuang stoppage time penalty sent the match into extra time and eventually a shootout with goalkeeper Chen Chen emerging the hero with two saves.

The 2024 Chinese Women’s Super League champions will represent the AFC at the maiden FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, where they are poised to face OFC title-holders Auckland United FC in the Preliminary Stage Round 1, with the winners set to visit the CAF champions in Round 2.

Shaikh Salman said: “On behalf of the Asian football family, I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC on emerging as the first-ever champions of the groundbreaking AFC Women’s Champions League™.

“We must also acknowledge both Football Australia and the Chinese Football Association – two exemplary Member Associations that have set the benchmark for the development of women’s football not only in Asia, but all across the globe.”

“The advancement of women’s football has been a significant priority for the AFC in recent years, and the successful conclusion of the inaugural AFC Women’s Champions League™ season signifies a monumental leap forward in our commitment to raise the bar of the women’s game for all our Member Associations.”

With Bhutan, Jordan, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia hosting the Preliminary Stage, and China PR, Thailand and Vietnam staging the Group Stage, Shaikh Salman also outlined his appreciation to all the centralised hosts and 22 participating clubs.

The AFC President added: “We extend our deepest gratitude to the centralised hosts throughout the various stages of the competition and to all our participating clubs for their dedication and willingness to foster a competitive environment for women’s club football in Asia to thrive.

“We must also praise the Chinese Football Association for hosting both the Group Stage and decisive rounds in a year that has witnessed the CFA organise no less than three centralised AFC tournaments in the first half of 2025.

“We thank the CFA for their firm belief in the AFC’s Vision and Mission, and we look forward to creating a more vibrant and robust ecosystem for our women’s footballers and officials to scale even greater heights, through top-level competitions, in the years to come.”

Courtesy AFC