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.
Sport
IPL double-header delivers drama: GT seal dominant win, KKR win Super Over
The Indian Premier League (IPL) served up a thrilling Sunday double-header, with Gujarat Titans producing a dominant victory over Chennai Super Kings before Kolkata Knight Riders edged Lucknow Super Giants in a dramatic Super Over finish.
In the opening match of the day, Gujarat Titans produced a clinical all-round performance to defeat Chennai Super Kings by eight wickets at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
After winning the toss, Gujarat captain Shubman Gill elected to field first, and the decision paid immediate dividends as the Titans bowlers kept the hosts under pressure throughout the innings.
Chennai found stability through skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, who anchored the innings with an unbeaten 74 off 60 balls. Late hitting from Jamie Overton, who struck 18 from just six deliveries, helped lift CSK to 158/7 from their 20 overs.
The innings also featured a major milestone for Sanju Samson, who became the fastest Indian batter to reach 5,000 IPL runs.
However, Gujarat pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada starred with the ball, claiming 3/25 in a superb spell.
In reply, Gujarat’s openers made an aggressive start, racing to 55 without loss in the Powerplay. Gill scored 33 before being stumped off Noor Ahmad, but Chennai’s brief hope quickly disappeared.
Sai Sudharsan then took complete control with a magnificent 87 off just 46 balls, striking boundaries all around the ground. He shared a decisive 97-run stand with Jos Buttler, who remained unbeaten on 39, as Gujarat reached 162/2 in 16.4 overs.
Player of the Match: Kagiso Rabada for his figures of 3/25.
Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders
The evening contest in Lucknow delivered one of the most dramatic finishes of the season as Kolkata Knight Riders defeated Lucknow Super Giants in a Super Over.
Lucknow captain Rishabh Pant chose to bowl first and saw paceman Mohsin Khan produce a sensational spell.
The left-armer ripped through Kolkata’s top order, dismissing Tim Seifert, Ajinkya Rahane and Rovman Powell before later removing Cameron Green and Anukul Roy.
His superb figures of 5/23 left KKR struggling at 93/7 in the 15th over.
But Rinku Singh then produced a remarkable rescue act. Calm under pressure before exploding at the death, Rinku smashed four sixes in the final over and finished unbeaten on a stunning 83 from 51 balls, lifting Kolkata to 155/7.
Lucknow’s reply was led by Pant’s 42, with Aiden Markram contributing 31 and Ayush Badoni adding 24. Kolkata’s bowlers kept striking at vital moments, with Vaibhav Arora taking 2/24 and Varun Chakaravarthy claiming 2/33.
The drama peaked on the final ball when Lucknow needed seven runs to win. Mohammed Shami launched a sensational six over long-off to tie the scores at 155/8 and force a Super Over.
Kolkata dominated the tie-breaker.
Sunil Narine bowled a superb Super Over, dismissing Nicholas Pooran with the first ball before Markram also fell. Lucknow managed just one run.
Needing only two to win, Rinku Singh smashed the first delivery of the chase to the boundary to seal a memorable victory.
Player of the Match: Rinku Singh for his unbeaten 83 and outstanding fielding display.
Attention now turns to today’s clash as Delhi Capitals take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru in another crucial contest in the race for the playoffs.
The match will be broadcast live across Afghanistan on Ariana Television.
Sport
Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan secure top spots at Kabul wrestling festival
An international traditional wrestling festival hosted by Afghanistan has concluded in Kabul after three days of competition involving athletes from seven countries.
The event brought together 160 athletes from Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey, along with Afghan competitors, competing across multiple weight categories.
The tournament featured three disciplines: Kurash, Rustami wrestling, and Kushtingiri, showcasing a mix of regional traditional combat sports.
In the Kurash category, Uzbekistan secured first place, Tajikistan came second, and Afghanistan finished third.
In Rustami wrestling, Afghanistan achieved first place, followed by Uzbekistan in second and Tajikistan in third.
In Kushtingiri, Tajikistan took first place, Uzbekistan placed second, and Afghanistan finished third.
Officials said the results highlight strong regional competition and growing cooperation among participating countries through traditional sports, as Afghanistan continues efforts to promote cultural and athletic exchange in the region.
Sport
Kohli, Padikkal fire Bengaluru into IPL top two with win over Gujarat
A blistering knock from Virat Kohli and a rapid half-century by Devdutt Padikkal powered Royal Challengers Bengaluru into the top two of the Indian Premier League standings after a five-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans on Friday.
Chasing a formidable 206, Bengaluru rode on Kohli’s fluent 81 off 44 balls — an innings that began with a reprieve off the very first delivery — and Padikkal’s explosive 55 to reach 206-5 in 18.5 overs. The duo stitched together a decisive 115-run partnership for the second wicket, putting Gujarat’s bowling attack under sustained pressure.
Earlier, Gujarat posted 205-3, anchored by a superb century from Sai Sudharsan, who struck an even 100 off 58 balls — his third IPL hundred. The left-hander also etched his name in the record books, becoming the fastest player to reach 2,000 IPL runs, surpassing the previous mark held by Chris Gayle.
Kohli capitalized on an early dropped chance by Washington Sundar and went on to hit eight fours and four sixes. Padikkal, the more aggressive of the pair, raced to his half-century in just 20 balls, hammering six sixes and two boundaries. Together, they took on Gujarat’s key bowlers, including Kagiso Rabada and Rashid Khan.
Despite a brief wobble that saw Bengaluru lose four wickets in quick succession — including Padikkal to a Rashid googly and Kohli to a slower ball from Jason Holder — the hosts regained control. Krunal Pandya and Tim David calmly guided the chase home.
Earlier in the innings, Sudharsan dominated proceedings, sharing a 128-run opening stand with captain Shubman Gill, who contributed 32. Sudharsan’s innings featured 11 fours and five sixes before he was dismissed by Josh Hazlewood.
Late fireworks from Holder helped Gujarat cross the 200-run mark after a change in bowling plans saw Pandya deliver the final over.
With the win, Bengaluru climbed to second in the table, marking their fourth home victory, while Gujarat slipped to seventh on net run rate.
-
Sport4 days agoKabul hosts international wrestling tournament, highlighting regional ties and unity
-
Latest News1 day agoBayat Power extends gas supply deal with Afghan Gas
-
Latest News3 days agoAlbanian PM criticizes NATO’s Afghanistan withdrawal
-
Latest News2 days agoUK considers talks with IEA over deporting Afghan asylum seekers
-
Sport2 days agoAfghanistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan secure top spots at Kabul wrestling festival
-
World4 days agoUS seizes tanker, Trump orders navy to use force as Hormuz tensions escalate
-
Latest News3 days agoAfghanistan-Pakistan talks in Urumqi were positive: Muttaqi
-
Latest News4 days agoPoland deports three Afghan asylum seekers despite European court order
