Sport
Afghanistan raring to go ahead of Futsal World Cup match against Angola
Twenty-four teams will take part in the tournament, with Afghanistan, Tajikistan, New Zealand and France making their debut
Afghanistan will meet Angola later Sunday, September 15, in their first FIFA Futsal World Cup match in Uzbekistan.
The match will kick off at 4.30pm and will be broadcast live on Ariana Television.
Players have spent the past week in practise, preparing for their matches, and said Saturday they are well prepared for their debut at this year’s Futsal World Cup.
The World Cup got underway on Saturday, September 14, in Uzbekistan.
Twenty-four teams will take part in the tournament, with Afghanistan, Tajikistan, New Zealand and France making their debut and Portugal defending the title they won three years ago in Lithuania.
The first-ever FIFA tournament in Central Asia kicked off on 14 September in Bukhara and the capital, Tashkent. The eastern city of Andijan will complete the trio of venues for the 24-team competition.
The 2024 edition will be the tenth in the history of the FIFA Futsal World Cup and will run until October 6.
Uzbekistan will be joined in the competition by four former champions – Argentina, Brazil, Portugal and Spain – and four debutantes: Afghanistan, France, New Zealand and Tajikistan.
Angola, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Guatemala, Iran, Kazakhstan, Libya, Morocco, Netherlands, Panama, Paraguay, Thailand, Ukraine and Venezuela complete the line-up after successfully completing the 121-team qualifying process.
The Morocco national futsal team defeated Afghanistan 4–0 in the ongoing Islamic Solidarity Games held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday.
This was Afghanistan’s third match in the tournament. Earlier, the Afghan team defeated Tajikistan and held Iran to a draw, showing strong form before facing Morocco.
Despite the loss, Afghanistan remains a competitive side in the regional futsal championship, demonstrating growing potential in the sport.
The Islamic Solidarity Games features more than 3,000 athletes from 57 Islamic countries competing across 19 sporting disciplines.
Ariana Television Network (ATN) holds the exclusive broadcasting rights in Afghanistan for the Riyadh 2025 Games.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed on Friday that it will host West Indies for a three-match T20I series in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from January 19 to 22.
The series will begin on January 19, with the second and third T20Is scheduled for January 21 and 22. It is expected to provide both teams with valuable match practice and will play a key role in their preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, scheduled less than a month after the series.
ACB CEO Naseeb Khan said: “Competing against West Indies on the brink of a global event presents an excellent opportunity for our team to finalize their lineup and enhance preparations for the upcoming tournament in India and Sri Lanka. We have been closely monitoring the team’s preparation process, and facing a quality West Indies side offers an ideal platform for their buildup.”
CWI Director of Cricket Miles Bascombe added: “This series provides an ideal platform for our preparations. Facing strong opposition in subcontinental conditions will help us sharpen our combinations and approach, while also giving our players a chance to build confidence on surfaces similar to those we’ll encounter in India and Sri Lanka.”
Series Schedule:
Afghanistan’s national cricket team continued their dominant form in the Hong Kong Sixes tournament on Friday, recording back-to-back victories over Nepal and South Africa.
Against South Africa, Afghanistan posted 148 runs in six overs. Captain Gulbadin Naib starred with 50 runs off just 12 balls, while Karim Janat added 46 from 11 deliveries. South Africa could muster only 99 runs in response, giving Afghanistan a commanding 49-run win.
Earlier on Friday, Afghanistan had defeated Nepal by 17 runs, marking a perfect start to the tournament.
The Hong Kong Sixes features twelve teams, each with six players, competing in a fast-paced, six-over format.
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