Ariana Television Network (ATN) reinforced its position as Afghanistan’s premier sports broadcaster in 2025, delivering an exceptional year of live and exclusive coverage of major international and domestic sporting events across multiple disciplines.

Throughout the year, ATN brought world-class cricket, football and multi-sport competitions among others directly into Afghan homes, ensuring nationwide free-to-air access to some of the biggest events on the global sporting calendar.

Cricket at the Heart of 2025 Coverage

Cricket remained a cornerstone of ATN’s sports programming. The network held exclusive broadcast rights for the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, delivering more than two months of elite Twenty20 action featuring the world’s top players.

ATN also aired the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, continuing its long-standing partnership with the International Cricket Council and giving Afghan fans access to one of international cricket’s most prestigious tournaments.

Further strengthening its cricket portfolio, ATN exclusively broadcast The Hundred 2025 from England, as well as the DP World International League T20, expanding Afghan viewers’ access to modern franchise cricket formats.

Football and Futsal: Strong domestic and international focus

On the domestic front, ATN once again served as the exclusive broadcaster of the Afghanistan Champions League, producing and airing live matches from the country’s top football competition and supporting the growth of professional football nationwide.

The network also delivered comprehensive coverage of the Afghanistan Futsal Premier League, highlighting the rapid rise of the indoor game and showcasing local talent to a national audience.

International football fans were treated to live coverage of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, featuring champion clubs from across the world competing on the global stage.

Multi-Sport Events and Broader Coverage

In one of its most ambitious undertakings of the year, ATN broadcast the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025, providing Afghan viewers with live access to a wide range of sports including athletics, wrestling, weightlifting, taekwondo and team events.

ATN’s sports lineup was further complemented by coverage of additional competitions, including national snooker events and special sporting showcases, reflecting the network’s commitment to sporting diversity.

A year that set a new benchmark 

With coverage spanning international mega-events and national leagues alike, ATN’s 2025 sports slate set a new benchmark for free-to-air sports broadcasting in Afghanistan. 

Through its extensive terrestrial network and digital platforms, ATN continued to connect millions of viewers with the world’s biggest sporting moments — live, exclusive and accessible to all.

Alongside its live broadcasts, Ariana News and Ariana Television’s digital and social media platforms played a central role in keeping audiences informed throughout the year. 

Through real-time updates, breaking sports news, match schedules, highlights and exclusive behind-the-scenes content, ATN ensured viewers remained fully up to date with events as they unfolded and with major competitions on the horizon.

Across Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and digital streaming platforms, Ariana’s social media teams delivered timely coverage before, during and after matches — engaging millions of users and extending the reach of live sport beyond television screens. 

This integrated approach strengthened audience connection, provided instant access to key moments, and ensured Afghan sports fans never missed important developments, upcoming fixtures or major broadcast announcements.

Looking ahead to 2026, ATN has already secured major broadcast agreements that promise another landmark year for sports fans across Afghanistan. 

With exclusive coverage of the Winter Olympic Games, the return of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the highly anticipated FIFA World Cup all lined up, ATN is set to continue delivering the world’s biggest sporting events live and free to viewers nationwide — reinforcing its position as Afghanistan’s home of world-class sport.

Desert Vipers eliminated Sharjah Warriorz from playoff contention with a five-wicket victory in their final International League T20 (ILT20) group-stage match at Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

The win made the Vipers the first team in the tournament to win eight group-stage matches.

Sharjah Warriorz were sent in to bat and were restricted to 140 for seven. Naseem Shah and Qais Ahmad led a disciplined bowling effort. Naseem finished with three wickets, while early strikes from David Payne and Khuzaima Tanveer reduced the hosts to 6 for two.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore and Johnson Charles added 61 runs for the third wicket, rebuilding the innings through the powerplay. But Kohler-Cadmore was bowled by Naseem in the 10th over, and Qais struck twice soon after, dismissing Charles for 43 and captain Sikandar Raza for a golden duck.

The Warriorz were left at 79 for five. James Rew and Ryan Burl tried to stabilize the innings, but the Vipers restricted them to a below-par total.

The chase began shakily for Desert Vipers. Raza and Richard Ngarava reduced the team to 28 for two in the powerplay by dismissing Fakhar Zaman and Andries Gous.

Max Holden and Sam Curran steadied the innings with a 64-run partnership, gradually increasing the run rate.

Warriorz bowler Harmeet Singh briefly revived the attack, removing Curran, Dan Lawrence, and Jason Roy, but Holden remained composed.

His unbeaten 66 from 46 balls, supported by Hasan Nawaz’s 25 from 14 deliveries, guided the Vipers to victory with overs to spare.

The Vipers’ victory confirmed their position at the top of the table. The final playoff berth will be decided between Abu Dhabi Knight Riders and Gulf Giants in Sunday’s last league fixture.

The winner of the MI Emirates vs. Dubai Capitals clash on Saturday night will finish in the top two.

Fans across Afghanistan can watch ILT20 matches live on Ariana Television.

As FC Goa prepare to host FC Istiklol at the iconic Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in India, football fans are gearing up for an exciting AFC Champions League Two Group D clash.

In their previous encounter earlier in the tournament, Istiklol secured a 2‑0 victory over FC Goa in Tajikistan, with goals from Rustam Soirov and Reza Dehghani giving the visitors all three points.

Istiklol enter this rematch with strong momentum from their earlier win, while FC Goa are determined to claim their first points in the group. Goa will aim to turn the tables at home, leveraging the support of their fans at Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to challenge Istiklol’s attacking threat.

The two teams have faced each other only a handful of times in continental competition. So far, Istiklol hold the edge in the head-to-head record, with the previous 2‑0 victory representing their only meeting in this season’s tournament. This sets the stage for a highly anticipated rematch as both clubs vie for crucial group points.

Experts say the midfield battle will be pivotal, determining possession and the tempo of the match. Istiklol’s continental experience may give them an edge, but Goa’s speed and technical skill — especially on home turf — could prove decisive in overturning their previous defeat.

Fans can expect a high-intensity clash and can tune in to Ariana Television at 1pm tomorrow, Thursday December 25, to watch the match.