Sport
Afghanistan Champions League kicks off with grand opening ceremony
The third edition of the exciting Afghanistan Champions League (ACL) football tournament got underway in Kabul on Saturday, with an impressive opening ceremony that was attended by officials, players and fans.
Attending the opening ceremony at the Afghanistan Football Federation stadium, officials, wearing traditional Chapan coats, praised players, including foreign players.
“Athletes represent the will of a nation. Today, it is our athletes who have been able to win great honors for their country on international grounds,” said Mohammad Yusuf Kargar, President of the Afghanistan Football Federation.
Kargar also raised the issue of security, stating players in the past had been drawn from a small pool, while today, with improved security, foreign players are also now able to play in the league.
“We have a different league today than the previous leagues, as there was no nationwide security in Afghanistan during the last 40 years,” Kakar said.
“Fortunately, with this nationwide security, today foreign players are present in the squads of football teams in Afghanistan. Players from Africa, Iran and Pakistan are included in the football squads in Afghanistan.”
Officials said that Afghanistan has great achievements in sports, and that the Islamic Emirate will continue to develop it.
“The victory of the Afghanistan national football team against India was an important achievement in the field of sports. Allah willing, we will try to take more steps in the field of sports to develop sports. We will expand sports from the center to the provinces and districts and make sports widespread,” said Ahmadullah Wasiq, the general director of physical education and sports.
The league is produced and broadcast by Ariana Television Network (ATN).
“Our goal is for football to grow in Afghanistan and for our national champions to achieve more and represent Afghanistan well,” said Lutfullah Stanikzai, Deputy MD, and Director of Sales and Acquisitions at Ariana Television Network
Shortly after the opening ceremony, the first match of ACL started, with Abu Muslim facing Sarsabz Yashlar.
Abu Muslim clinched a 2-0 victory.
In the 27th match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Sorkh Poshan Khafi edged out Arman FC 1-0 in a tightly contested clash.
On Saturday, Sarafan Herat secured a 1-0 victory over Ettifaq Khanzadah, keeping the league race intense and unpredictable.
Looking ahead to Monday, Sarsabz Yashlar will face Sorkh Poshan Khafi at 2:00 p.m., promising another thrilling showdown for fans.
All matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television, allowing football enthusiasts across Afghanistan to follow the action and enjoy the excitement of the Champions League season.
The groups and match-ups for the FIFA World Cup 2026, set to be the biggest sporting event in history, were unveiled on Friday during a high-profile Final Draw ceremony held in the United States capital, Washington DC.
In front of nearly 2,000 international guests and millions of viewers worldwide, FIFA revealed the 12 groups of four teams for the expanded 23rd edition of the tournament. The draw marks a major milestone as excitement continues to build across the three host nations — the United States, Canada, and Mexico — and the 16 host cities preparing for the event.
FIFA announced that the full schedule, including match venues and kick-off times for the tournament’s 104 games, will be released during a live global broadcast on Saturday, 6 December.
With nearly two million tickets already sold, FIFA says anticipation for the 2026 World Cup is rapidly rising.
There are 48 teams in next year’s World Cup — an expansion from the 32 teams of previous tournaments.
In the 25th match of the fifth season of the Afghanistan Champions League, Abu Muslim Farah secured a dominant 6-0 victory over Jawanan Perozi.
On Friday, in the 26th match, Istiqlal Kabul defeated Sarsabz Yashlar 3-1.
Tomorrow, in the 27th match, Arman FC will take on Sorkh Poshan Khafi at 10:00 AM, followed by the 28th match, where Sarafan Herat will face Ettifaq Khanzadah at 1:30 PM.
All matches are broadcast live on Ariana Television, giving football fans across the country the chance to experience the excitement and intensity of the Afghanistan Champions League throughout the season.
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