- Coldplay ticket scalping fiasco sparks backlash in India
- Droughts drive Spanish boom in pistachio farming
- Frustrated French clubs turn away players in post-Olympics sports boom
- With bulging in-tray, Ishiba becomes Japan PM
- Tokyo recovers some losses to lead Asian markets higher
- Defiant history-maker Zhang Shuai powers into Beijing last eight
- India police detain top activist after month-long climate march
- Matisse retrospective traces journey through artist's career
- Major League Eating: the sport of stuffing your face
- Sacred filth offers India's sex workers brief respect
- Bloomers and flats: Paris Fashion Week's big trends
- Rural schools empty in North Macedonia due to exodus
- Locals toil as experts toast Turkish wine renaissance
- US dockworkers launch strike after labor contract expires
- Thousands evacuated as Super Typhoon Krathon approaches Taiwan
- Indian Kashmir votes in final round of regional polls
- Kenya airport whistleblower fears for his life
- Goff perfect as Lions claw Seahawks, Titans sink Dolphins
- Champions League can put Asian women's football on map, say players
- Vinicius taking control as holders Madrid face Lille
- Bologna living the dream with Champions League clash at Liverpool
- Tokyo recovers some losses as most Asian markets rise
- 'Teflon Mark' Rutte to stick to his guns as NATO chief
- Rutte takes reins at NATO as US vote looms
- Australia look to cement dominance in women's T20 World Cup
- Aston Villa target repeat of 1982 Champions League heroics against Bayern
- Rwandan ex-doctor goes on trial in France accused of genocide
- With bulging in-tray, Ishiba to become Japan PM
- Sheinbaum to take office as Mexico's first woman president
- Scientists fear underfunded Argentina research on verge of collapse
- Long-delayed cruise leaves Belfast after four months
- Baseball great Pete Rose dead at 83: team
- Baseball great Pete Rose dead at 83: US media
- Israeli forces start 'targeted ground raids' in south Lebanon
- US port officials gird for strike despite last-minute bargaining
- Braves, Mets split double-header to seal wild card berths
- With 118 dead from Hurricane Helene, Biden defends US government response
- California enacts law to protect brain data
- Breeder who tried to create enormous trophy sheep jailed in US
- Qatar Airways seeking 25% stake in Virgin Australia
- Georgia judge overturns US state's six-week abortion ban
- US port officials gird for strike as labor talks stay stuck
- Evanilson off the mark in Bournemouth win over Southampton
- 'Rust' armorer loses bid for new trial
- China stocks soar on stimulus as US indices end Q3 at records
- LeBron James 'given life' by playing with son, Olympic gold
- As toll crosses 100, Trump puts Hurricane Helene at election center stage
- US Fed Chair sees 'further disinflation' in economy
- Israeli forces in 'limited' Lebanon ground operations against Hezbollah: US
- Guardiola promises strong City side in Slovan Champions League tie
Champions League can put Asian women's football on map, say players
Women's football in Asia can close the gap on Europe and North America with this week's launch of the AFC Women's Champions League, say players from top Japanese side Urawa Reds Ladies.
The women's game has exploded in popularity in Europe in recent years, with clubs in England, Spain and Germany enjoying record attendances and investment.
Women's football in North America is also in rude health but Asia has fallen behind since Japan became the continent's first and only World Cup winners in 2011.
Asian football chiefs are aiming to give the women's club game a shot in the arm when the Champions League kicks off on Thursday.
Urawa won an invitational continental competition that served as a test event last season, and defender Yu Endo has her sights set on this year's title.
"Compared to Europe, women's football in Asia isn't as established yet and compared to the US, there are less players," she told AFP.
"I think having a big tournament like this will mean more people coming out to watch games and helping to establish women's football.
"If Urawa Reds win the Asian title, I think people around the world will take more interest in women's football in Japan," she added.
The competition features 12 teams from across the Asian Football Confederation region, although East Asia is more heavily represented.
Organisers say the winning team "can expect at least $1.3 million in prize money".
Endo says financial incentives give "motivation" to players whose salaries are dwarfed by those of their male counterparts.
But she also wants to make history as the tournament's first champions.
"I want Urawa Reds to be the team that takes on the rest of the world representing Asia," she said.
- On-off final -
Last season's invitational competition saw Urawa beat South Korea's Incheon Hyundai Steel Red Angels 2-1 in May, in a final which almost did not take place.
The AFC informed the teams in March that the final would be scrapped, with no official reason made public.
The game eventually went ahead after a late U-turn but Urawa's Rion Ishikawa said it was a difficult experience for the players.
"We played the group stage and we were aiming to win the title, so we had nowhere to get rid of that frustration," said Ishikawa, a Japan international who has played at the World Cup and Olympics.
"Eventually we were able to host the match and we felt we really had to win it."
The AFC say the Champions League will usher in "a new dawn for the women's game in Asia".
The tournament starts with three groups of four teams playing in centralised locations, before moving to a knockout competition from the quarter-finals.
The final is set to take place in late May next year.
Ishikawa says that, for Urawa, "the goal is to become champions of Asia".
"The Champions League group stage comes when we're still in our domestic league season but we want to show what a strong team we are," she said.
"We want to become a bigger team on the world stage and winning the Asian Champions League would help that."
O.Karlsson--AMWN