Preparations are in the final stages at Kabul’s Ayubi Cricket Stadium as ground staff complete the finishing touches ahead of the start of the fourth season of the Kabul Premier League (KPL) on Saturday, August 8.

Workers have been busy ensuring the venue meets the highest standards, with improvements focused on the playing surface.

Officials overseeing the preparations said this year’s tournament will be held in a venue that is in excellent condition.

“This time we will have everything good and up to standard in terms of greenery and excellence,” officials said, expressing confidence that players and fans will enjoy an improved match-day experience.

The tournament has become one of the country’s premier domestic Twenty20 competitions, providing a platform for Afghanistan’s leading cricketers and emerging young talent to compete at a high level.

Six teams will compete for this year’s title:

• Shamshad Eagles
• Pamir Stars
• Kabul Zalmi
• Speenghar Warriors
• Abaseen Defenders
• Band-e-Amir

The opening match of the tournament will be played on August 8, when Pamir Stars take on Shamshad Eagles at Ayubi Cricket Stadium.

The Kabul Premier League has become an important part of Afghanistan’s domestic cricket calendar, helping strengthen the country’s cricket structure while giving promising players an opportunity to showcase their skills before national selectors.

Cricket fans across Afghanistan will be able to follow every match live on Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN), which holds the exclusive broadcast rights for the tournament.

Fans are meanwhile encouraged to follow Ariana Television, Ariana Sport and Ariana News’ social media pages for updates on schedules, news and other exciting information.

With just days remaining before the first ball is bowled, Ayubi Cricket Stadium is ready to welcome players and supporters for what promises to be another exciting season of domestic T20 cricket.

With just two days remaining before the first ball is bowled, Afghanistan is putting the finishing touches on its preparations for a five-match One-Day International (ODI) series against Ireland, beginning on August 5.

The Afghanistan squad has been training in Birmingham, England, ahead of the tour and is expected to travel to Ireland before the opening match.

The training camp has focused on batting, bowling and fielding drills as the team adapts to conditions similar to those it will encounter during the series.

The series marks Afghanistan’s return to international action and provides another important test for a side that has continued to establish itself among the leading teams in the 50-over format.

For Ireland, the series signals a long-awaited return to ODI cricket after a 15-month break. The hosts will be captained by Paul Stirling, whose experience will be central as Ireland looks to make the most of home conditions while assessing its squad ahead of a busy international schedule.

Afghanistan will be led by Hashmatullah Shahidi, with a squad featuring experienced players including Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, Rahmat Shah, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan and Azmatullah Omarzai. The series will also provide an opportunity for several younger players to gain valuable international experience.

The opening two ODIs will be played at Bready Cricket Club Ground before the series moves to Stormont in Belfast for the remaining three matches.

Afghanistan and Ireland have built a competitive rivalry over the years, with both teams producing several memorable contests. The five-match series is expected to offer another closely fought battle as both sides seek to build momentum in the 50-over format.

The series schedule is:

August 5 – First ODI, Bready
August 7 – Second ODI, Bready
August 10 – Third ODI, Belfast
August 12 – Fourth ODI, Belfast
August 15 – Fifth ODI, Belfast

All five matches will be broadcast live and exclusively on Ariana Television.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has confirmed the participating clubs for the 2026/27 editions of its three men’s club competitions, with a record 93 teams from 38 Member Associations set to compete across Asia.

The competitions include the expanded AFC Champions League Elite (ACL Elite), the AFC Champions League Two (ACL Two) and the AFC Challenge League (ACGL).

The preliminary stage will begin on August 11 for the ACL Elite and ACGL, while ACL Two qualifying matches are scheduled for August 12.

Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) has once again secured the exclusive rights to broadcast the ACL Elite and ACL Two live across Afghanistan.

First up however is the ACL Two Group Stage Draw which will be held on Tuesday, August 18, at 10:30 am Kabul time at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The ACL Elite League Stage Draw will follow at 12:30 pm.

The 2026/27 ACL Elite will feature an expanded 32-team league stage, up from 24 clubs in each of the previous two seasons.

Eighteen clubs from seven Member Associations in both the West and East regions have qualified, with four teams from each region competing in the preliminary stage for the remaining league-stage places. The league stage begins on September 14.

The ACL Two group stage will feature 32 clubs, including teams advancing from the ACL Elite and ACL Two preliminary rounds. The competition gets underway on September 15.

Meanwhile, the AFC Challenge League will feature 20 clubs, with the group stage running from October 17 to November 24.

The AFC said the expanded competitions are designed to provide more opportunities for clubs across the continent to compete at the highest level and further strengthen Asian club football.

Fans in Afghanistan

AFC fans can once again tune in to Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) to watch the draw on Tuesday, August 18. The events will be broadcast live and exclusively across Afghanistan on Ariana Television.

For schedule updates and more news and information on this event, viewers are encouraged to follow Ariana Television and Ariana News’ social media pages.