New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS): 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 will take up the one AFC Cup slot with 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 East Bengal who finished third in the 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.