The stage is set for a thrilling return to action in the AFC Women’s Champions League™ 2024/25 with the commencement of the Knockout Stage on Saturday, March 22.
 
Eight teams have kept their quest for glory alive after advancing from the Group Stage to seal their places in the last eight of Asia’s premier women’s club tournament, which has involved 13 other sides in its inaugural edition.
 
The Quarter-finals, to be played as single-leg ties, features four contenders that are making their maiden foray into Continental action: Abu Dhabi Country Club, Ho Chi Minh City Women’s FC, Melbourne City FC and Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC.
 
With two appearances each in the AFC Women’s Club Championship™, Korea Republic’s Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC and Bam Khatoon FC of the Islamic Republic of Iran possess the most Continental experience among the last-eight cast and they will go head to head in the first match of this round.
 
The Red Angels, who topped Group A, clinched a 11th WK League title in 2023 but were thwarted in their bid for a record 12th triumph after finishing fourth in 2024. Having kicked off the new season earlier this month with victory in their opening match, they will look to keep the momentum going at the Namdong Asiad Rugby Stadium in Incheon at 7pm.
 
The visitors, who finished second in Group B, are in fine form themselves as they celebrated a record 11th domestic league crown and fourth in a row last month. Founded in 1980, Bam Khatoon are the most established of the 21 sides that entered this season’s competition.
 
Reigning Vietnam Women’s National League champions and Group C runners-up Ho Chi Minh City Women’s FC will host the second Quarter-final of the evening at the Thong Nhat Stadium, with kick-off at 7pm. The home side, who picked up their sixth consecutive and record 13th title in 2024, welcome Group A runners-up Abu Dhabi Country Club.
 
The United Arab Emirates’ first professional women’s team are one of two clubs to have progressed to the last eight from the Preliminary Stage along with Bam Khatoon and are currently gunning for an 11th UAE Women's Football League crown. With a perfect record from 10 league matches in the 2024/25 season and no goals conceded, they look poised to maintain their record of winning every title since the league’s establishment in 2012.
 
Undefeated in the league this season through all 19 games so far – a new record – and having advanced from Group B by winning all three matches, Melbourne City FC will go into their last-eight tie on Sunday, March 23 with plenty of optimism. The 2023/24 A-League Women Premier title was City’s third overall and first since 2020; they are currently top of the standings with four matches left to play.
 
Their opponents at the Melbourne Rectangular Stadium are Taichung Blue Whale Women’s Football Team of Chinese Taipei, who lifted their record fifth Mulan Football League trophy in 2023 and finished second in the 2024/25 campaign. Progressing as the second-best third-placed side, this is their second Continental foray following their AFC Women’s Club Championship adventure in 2022, with kick-off slated for 3pm.
 
The last Quarter-final battle takes place at the Kumagaya Athletic Stadium on the same day, where Japan’s Urawa Red Diamonds Ladies will play host. The only side not to concede in the Group Stage, the Red Diamonds also scored a tournament-leading 21 goals enroute to topping Group C. Two-time WE League champions in 2022/23 and 2023/24, they will seek to put the disappointment of finishing third in the recent campaign by adding another Asian title to their AFC Women’s Club Championship 2023 crown.
 
The visitors for the 3pm kick-off are China PR’s Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC, advancing as the best third-placed team, who clinched a record fifth consecutive Chinese Women’s Super League triumph in 2024 with victory in their final match to underline their domestic dominance.