Sport
Afghanistan climbs FIFA rankings ahead of AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026
Afghanistan’s participation in the Asian Cup is being hailed as another milestone for national sport, particularly for futsal, which has emerged as one of the country’s most successful disciplines in recent years.
Afghanistan’s national futsal team continues its remarkable rise on the international stage, climbing the FIFA futsal rankings and earning a place among Asia’s elite ahead of the AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026, set to take place in Indonesia from January 27 to February 7 2026.
In the latest FIFA futsal rankings released this month, Afghanistan moved further up the global ladder, reflecting the team’s steady progress, improved performances and growing reputation in international competitions.
The ranking surge highlights years of development and investment in futsal, a sport that has rapidly gained popularity across the country.
The team’s ascent follows a historic breakthrough in 2024, when Afghanistan qualified for the FIFA Futsal World Cup for the first time.
That milestone achievement marked a turning point for Afghan futsal, exposing the squad to top-level international competition and significantly boosting confidence and experience among players and coaching staff.
Building on that momentum, Afghanistan delivered an impressive campaign in the AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026 qualifiers, held from 20 to 24 September 2025.
Drawn into a competitive group, the Afghan side produced commanding performances, including a 10–1 victory in their opening match and an emphatic 8–0 win in their final group fixture on September 24, 2025, securing top spot and automatic qualification for the main tournament.
The dominant displays underlined Afghanistan’s attacking strength, tactical discipline and growing maturity on the futsal court. Observers noted that the team showed composure, speed and cohesion, traits that have become hallmarks of Afghanistan’s recent success.
The official draw for the AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026 has now been confirmed, with anticipation building ahead of the tournament in Indonesia. Scheduled to run from January 27 to February 7, 2026, the competition will bring together Asia’s strongest futsal nations, offering Afghanistan a major platform to test itself against the continent’s best.
Afghanistan’s participation in the Asian Cup is being hailed as another milestone for national sport, particularly for futsal, which has emerged as one of the country’s most successful disciplines in recent years.
Football officials and fans alike see the tournament as an opportunity not only to compete, but also to further elevate Afghanistan’s standing in Asian and global futsal.
ATN to broadcast AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026 live and exclusively
Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) has confirmed it will broadcast the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026 live and exclusively on Ariana Television across Afghanistan, ensuring fans nationwide can follow every moment of the tournament.
The exclusive coverage reinforces Ariana Television’s role as the country’s premier destination for major international sporting events.
Fans can stay fully up to date by following Ariana News and Ariana Television across official social media platforms, where match schedules, kick-off times, broadcast dates and the latest updates will be shared regularly.
Viewers are encouraged to follow these pages to ensure they don’t miss a moment of the world-class futsal action being brought to screens across Afghanistan.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has reaffirmed his confidence in Mexico’s readiness to host matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, despite recent security concerns linked to cartel violence.
Infantino said FIFA is closely monitoring the situation but remains “very reassured” about Mexico’s preparations. He emphasized that safety planning is being coordinated with national and local authorities and expressed confidence that the tournament will be “spectacular.”
Mexico is set to host matches in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey as part of the first-ever tri-nation World Cup, co-hosted with the United States and Canada. The 2026 tournament will feature an expanded 48-team format and 104 matches.
Recent violence in parts of Mexico, including Jalisco state, raised international concern after clashes followed a major security operation targeting cartel leadership.
However, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has said there is “no risk” to World Cup fans and that comprehensive security guarantees are in place.
BBC has noted that while security challenges remain in certain regions, federal authorities have stepped up operations and coordination ahead of major international events. FIFA officials have indicated there are no plans to remove any Mexican host venues from the schedule.
Mexico previously hosted the World Cup in 1970 and 1986 and will become the first nation to host the men’s tournament three times. Organizers say preparations remain on track as the global football community counts down to kickoff in June 2026.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has appointed Richard Pybus as the new head coach of the Afghanistan national cricket team.
Pybus is set to join the AfghanAtalan squad ahead of their upcoming white-ball series against the Sri Lanka national cricket team in March.
A globally respected cricket leader and performance director, Pybus brings decades of international coaching experience.
He previously served as head coach, director of cricket and head of high performance for the West Indies cricket team from 2013 to 2019. During his tenure, he designed and implemented a high-performance structure that culminated in a historic treble in 2016, when the West
Indies men’s, women’s and U19 teams all claimed ICC World Cup titles in the same calendar year — a first in international cricket.
Pybus also coached the Pakistan national cricket team, guiding them to the final of the 1999 ICC Cricket World Cup, where they finished runners-up to Australia.
He later held a senior leadership role with the Bangladesh national cricket team in 2013.
At domestic level, Pybus has enjoyed notable success in South African cricket, leading teams to nine championship titles — a national record — and earning South African Cricket Coach of the Year honors twice.
He has also contributed to the development of several leading international players, including Pakistan’s Mohammad Rizwan, South Africa’s Faf du Plessis, and fast bowler Dale Steyn, widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in cricket history.
Beyond coaching, Pybus is recognized for his academic work in performance strategy.
In 2022, he earned a Doctorate in Professional Practice from Middlesex University in London for his research on the “Optimal Performance System,” a framework aimed at delivering consistent results across diverse high-performance environments.
He also holds a postgraduate degree from the University of Greenwich and a BA (Hons) degree from the University of Portsmouth.
Pybus is a Level Four CSA-certified coach and holds an executive coaching certificate from the NeuroLeadership Institute, in addition to being a certified performance coach and master-level NLP practitioner.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board welcomed Pybus to his new role and expressed confidence in his ability to lead the national side forward.
The Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) announced on Saturday that José Antonio Nogueira of Brazil has officially been appointed as the new head coach of Afghanistan’s national football team.
According to an AFF statement, Nogueira’s introduction ceremony was held on Saturday in Kabul.
The statement added that Nogueira has taken charge of the national team after signing a one-year contract.
Previously, Italy’s Vincenzo Alberto Annese served as head coach of the Afghanistan national football team.
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