Sport
Afghanistan finish runners-up after 6-0 defeat to Brazil in futsal final
Afghanistan lost 6-0 to Brazil in the final of the 2026 Futsal Nations Cup on Sunday, finishing runners-up after an impressive run to the final of the six-nation tournament.
Brazil dominated the final at the Max Rosenmann Gymnasium in São José dos Pinhais, Paraná, with Fabinho scoring twice, while Leandro Lino, Cléber, Serginho and Rufino added one goal each.
Afghanistan secured their place in the final with a 4-2 victory over Cape Verde in the semi-final. Hamid Reza Hosseini scored twice, while Seyed Hossein Mousavi and Omid Qanbari also found the net.
The Afghan team had earlier drawn 0-0 with Japan and defeated Peru 3-0 in the group stage, advancing to the final after an unbeaten run in their previous matches.
Brazil, meanwhile, claimed their third Futsal Nations Cup title, having previously won the competition in 2023 and 2025.
Despite the defeat in the final, Afghanistan’s progress to the championship match marked a notable campaign for the national futsal team on the international stage.