Sport
Fans thrilled to hear FIFA Club World Cup will be broadcast live by ATN
One fan said it “will feel like the world’s biggest stage is right in my living room — pure joy, pure passion, pure football!”
Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) is excited to announce that it has secured the rights to broadcast yet another international sporting event in Afghanistan – this time the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
Matches will be broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana Television for football fans across Afghanistan.
This electrifying tournament is definitely not one to miss and with just 30 days to go before it kicks off excitement is growing around the world.
ATN has a long-standing partnership with FIFA, among other key sports bodies. Securing the rights to broadcast the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup is in line with ATN’s commitment to bringing international sporting events into the homes of all Afghans across the country.
Launched in 2005, ATN is a private television network based in Kabul, Afghanistan and offers coverage in all 34 provinces of Afghanistan.
Football fans in Afghanistan meanwhile welcomed the news on Thursday that they will be able to watch matches live on Ariana Television.
One football fan from Kabul, Sayed, thanked ATN for its action-packed sporting schedule on Ariana Television.
He said, “This is great news. We enjoy these international sporting events so much and now, after the IPL, we have the Club World Cup to look forward to.”
Another football fan from Kabul, Saboor, also welcomed the news. “The day I can watch the FIFA Club World Cup on Ariana TV in Afghanistan will be unforgettable. The cheers, the flags, the pride of seeing the world’s best clubs right from my home. “It will feel like the whole world of football has come closer, and for a moment, everything will be about joy, unity, and the love of the game!”
Ahmad, another fan from Kabul, was just as excited about getting the news. He said being able to watch the FIFA Club World Cup on Ariana Television “will feel like the world’s biggest stage is right in my living room — pure joy, pure passion, pure football.”
This global tournament, which will see 32 of the world’s best football clubs battle it out for top place, kicks off on Saturday, June 14, in Miami, in the United States.
A total of 12 venues will be used to host the 63 matches, which will be played across the United States. The final will be at the MetLife Stadium in New York, New Jersey on July 13.
The club sides are from each of the six international confederations: AFC, CAF, Concacaf, CONMEBOL, OFC and UEFA.
List of qualified teams for 2025 Club World Cup
Europe
Manchester City
Real Madrid
Chelsea
Bayern Munich
Paris Saint-Germain
Inter Milan
Porto
Benfica
Borussia Dortmund
Juventus
Red Ball Salzburg
Atletico Madrid
Oceania
Auckland City
South America
Palmeiras
Flamengo
Fluminense
River Plate
Boca Juniors
Botafogo (Copa Libertadores winner)
North America
Monterrey
Seattle Sounders
Pachuca
Inter Miami (host nation slot)
A replacement to be announced in due course after Club Leon were removed from the tournament after failing to meet criteria on multi-club ownership.
Africa
Al Ahly
Wydad
Esperance de Tunis
Mamelodi Sundowns
Asia
Al Hilal
Urawa Red Diamonds
Al Ain
Ulsan HD
When is the Club World Cup draw?
The draw for the 2025 Club World Cup took place on December 5, 2024.
Club World Cup draw in full
Group A: Palmeiras (Brz), Porto (Por), Al Ahly (Egy), Inter Miami (USA)
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain (Fra), Atletico Madrid (Esp), Botafogo (Brz), Seattle Sounders (USA)
Group C: Bayern Munich (Ger), Benfica (Por), Boca Juniors (Arg), Auckland City (Nzl)
Group D: Flamengo (Brz), Chelsea (Eng), Esperance Sportive de Tunis (Tun), Club Leon removed from competition, replacement TBC
Group E: River Plate (Arg), Inter Milan (Ita), CF Monterrey (Mex), Urawa Red Diamonds (Jpn)
Group F: Fluminense (Brz), Borussia Dortmund (Ger), Ulsan HD (Kor), Mamelodi Sundowns (Rsa)
Group G: Man City (Eng), Juventus (Ita), Wydad AC (Mor), Al Ain (UAE)
Group H: Real Madrid (Esp), FC Salzburg (Aut), Al Hilal (Rsa), CF Pachuca (Mex)
Afghan Fan Zone
Fans across Afghanistan can stay up-to-date on news, information and schedules by following Ariana News and Ariana Television’s websites and social media pages.
Sport
Toofan Herat beat Khurasan Faryab 2–1 in Afghanistan Champions League
Toofan Herat secured a 2–1 victory over Khurasan Faryab in the Afghanistan Champions League on Thursday, earning three points in the sixth season of the competition.
Enayatullah Kohi was named Man of the Match in Thursday’s game.
The result gives Toofan a second win of the campaign after the Herat side opened the season with a 3–1 victory over Istiqlal Kabul.
Toofan subsequently lost 2–0 to Ariana Khost and 3–1 to Sorkh Poshan Khafi before returning to winning ways against Khurasan.
The sixth season of the Afghanistan Champions League features 10 teams and is being played in a two-stage, home-and-away format, with the competition scheduled to run until November 21.
Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) is broadcasting all Afghanistan Champions League matches live and exclusively in Afghanistan. Fans can follow ATN’s social media platforms for schedules, results, updates and highlights.
Sport
Afghanistan Champions League: Ariana Khost beat Sarsabz Yashlar 2–1
Ariana Khost defeated Sarsabz Yashlar Faryab 2–1 in the 20th match of the sixth season of Afghanistan Champions League Roshan on Thursday in Kabul.
Neither side managed to find the net in the first half despite several attempts, with the opening 45 minutes ending goalless.
In the second half, Sarsabz Yashlar defender Feroz Rahmani accidentally headed the ball into his own net while attempting to clear it in the 74th minute, giving Ariana Khost the lead.
Three minutes later, Waris Shirzai doubled Ariana Khost’s advantage in the 77th minute.
Sarsabz Yashlar pulled one back in the 87th minute when Farid Ahmad Hussainzada scored a spectacular long-range goal, but Ariana Khost held on to secure a 2–1 victory.
Ariana Khost’s Alireza Rahimi was named Player of the Match after an impressive performance.
Ariana Khost will face Sorkh Poshan Khafi on September 28, while Sarsabz Yashlar will take on Arman FC on the same day.
The sixth season of the Roshan Afghanistan Champions League is being broadcast live on Ariana Television.
Sport
Afghanistan open Asian Games cricket campaign with win over Japan
The reigning Asian Games silver medalists posted 129 runs before bowling Japan out for 81 at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin.
Afghanistan began their men’s cricket campaign at the 2026 Asian Games with a 48-run victory over hosts Japan in Nagoya on Thursday.
The reigning Asian Games silver medalists posted 129 runs before bowling Japan out for 81 at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin.
Arab Gul was Afghanistan’s leading bowler with four wickets for eight runs, while Nangeyalia Kharote claimed three for 19 as Afghanistan took control of the match after Japan reached 53 for three in the eighth over.
Japan lost their final eight wickets for just 28 runs.
Reo Sakurano-Thomas top-scored for Japan with 23, while Benjamin Ito-Davis made a quick 17 from eight balls.
Earlier, Afghanistan opener Mohammad Akram scored 34 from 29 balls, while captain Darwish Rasooli made 29 and Karim Janat contributed 21.
Mohammad Ishaq finished unbeaten on 25 from 17 deliveries to help Afghanistan set Japan a target of 130.
The match also marked the international debut of Hassan Eisakhil, son of veteran Afghanistan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi. Eisakhil was dismissed leg before wicket for three.
Afghanistan will face Nepal in their second Group A match on Friday, September 25, also at Korogi Sports Park.
Tournament format
The men’s cricket competition features 10 teams and is being played in the T20 format.
Six teams are competing in the preliminary group stage, with Afghanistan, Japan and Nepal in Group A, while Hong Kong, China, Malaysia and Oman form Group B.
Each team in the preliminary stage plays the other teams in its group once. The top two teams from each group advance to the quarter-finals, where they will meet India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, who received direct entry to the knockout stage.
The quarter-finals are scheduled for September 28 and 29, followed by the semi-finals on October 1.
The bronze-medal match and gold-medal final will both be played on October 3.
All men’s cricket matches are being played at Korogi Sports Park in Nisshin, Aichi.
Afghanistan entered the tournament as the silver medallists from the previous Asian Games, where India won gold and Bangladesh took bronze.
The Afghanistan squad is captained by Darwish Rasooli and includes experienced players such as Karim Janat and Najibullah Zadran, alongside several young players. Mohammad Akram earned his place after impressive domestic league campaigns, while Ismat Alam also joined the squad after being named best player following a domestic league.
Other notable players competing at the Asian Games include India’s Shreyas Iyer and Abhishek Sharma, Nepal’s Dipendra Singh Airee, Pakistan’s Sahibzada Farhan and Bangladesh’s Litton Das.
Afghanistan will be looking to build on Thursday’s victory when they take on Nepal on Friday, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake
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