An absorbent article extending in a longitudinal direction parallel to a longitudinal axis and a transversal direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, wherein the absorbent article comprises: - a fluid permeable topsheet on the wearer-facing side; - an absorbent core comprising an absorbent material, in particular a superabsorbent polymer material; - a fluid-impermeable backsheet on the garment-facing side; - a distribution layer between the topsheet and the absorbent core, wherein the distribution layer comprises a fibrous material, the distribution layer comprising: - a first and second longitudinally-extending channels (86a,b) substantially free of fibrous material; wherein the first channel is on one side of the longitudinal axis and the second channel is on the other side of the longitudinal axis; - a central area comprising fibrous material disposed between the first and second longitudinally-extending channels at an average central area basis weight; - a first and second lateral areas comprising fibrous material disposed transversally outwardly of the first channel and the second channel respectively, wherein the first and second lateral areas have an average lateral areas basis weight; characterized in that the average central area basis weight differs from the average lateral areas basis weight by at least 50 g/m 2 , and/or wherein the distribution layer comprises a first region having a first basis weight (bwl) and a second region having a second basis weight (bw2), wherein the first basis weight and the second basis weight differ by at least 20 g/m 2 , preferably by at least 50 g/m 2 , and the first region of first basis weight and the second region of second basis weight are present in different areas of the distribution layer but are at least partially in the same longitudinally-extending transversal section of the distribution layer where the channels are present, and the length of this transversal section ranges from about 30% to about 100% of the length of the channels (L'). - a fluid permeable topsheet on the wearer-facing side; - an absorbent core comprising an absorbent material, in particular a superabsorbent polymer material; - a fluid-impermeable backsheet on the garment-facing side; - a distribution layer between the topsheet and the absorbent core, wherein the distribution layer comprises a fibrous material, the distribution layer comprising: - a first and second longitudinally-extending channels (86a,b) substantially free of fibrous material; wherein the first channel is on one side of the longitudinal axis and the second channel is on the other side of the longitudinal axis; - a central area comprising fibrous material disposed between the first and second longitudinally-extending channels at an average central area basis weight; - a first and second lateral areas comprising fibrous material disposed transversally outwardly of the first channel and the second channel respectively, wherein the first and second lateral areas have an average lateral areas basis weight; - a first and second longitudinally-extending channels (86a,b) substantially free of fibrous material; wherein the first channel is on one side of the longitudinal axis and the second channel is on the other side of the longitudinal axis; - a central area comprising fibrous material disposed between the first and second longitudinally-extending channels at an average central area basis weight; - a first and second lateral areas comprising fibrous material disposed transversally outwardly of the first channel and the second channel respectively, wherein the first and second lateral areas have an average lateral areas basis weight; <EOS>