Afghanistan climbs FIFA rankings ahead of AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026 

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.