India awarded Asian Champions League slot

India have been awarded an Asian Champions League Play-off slot after a gap of two years.

Pune FC, who hold the AFC and Indian Club Licence, will be representing India in the Play-offs for a berth in the prestigious AFC Champions League.

Two AFC Cup slots have also been allocated to India with a caveat that should Pune FC fail to qualify for the Main Round of the AFC Champions League via the Playoffs they take up the one AFC Cup slot with Airtel I-League Champions Churchill Brothers being the other.

However, if Pune FC make it to the 2014 AFC Champions League, the door will be open for AFC Cup semi-finalists Kingfisher East Bengal who finished third in the Airtel I-League last season to try and better their performance in the International arena.

Dempo SC were the last Indian Club to play in the Play-offs of the AFC Champions League in 2011 where they lost to Qatar Stars League heavyweights Al Sadd.