Sport
Afghanistan U-17s fall to Uzbekistan as CAFA campaign nears conclusion
Fans across Afghanistan can tune in to Ariana Television on Saturday to watch the team’s last match. Viewers are encouraged to follow Ariana News and Ariana Television’s social media pages for updated match times.
Afghanistan’s national under-17 football team suffered a 3-0 defeat to Uzbekistan on Thursday in their third match of the CAFA U-17 Championship 2026, as their challenging campaign continued.
Uzbekistan took control early in the match, scoring twice in the opening stages before adding a late third goal to seal a comfortable victory.
The result leaves Afghanistan still searching for their first win of the tournament, following a mixed start earlier in the week. The young Afghan side opened their campaign with a narrow 2-1 defeat to Kyrgyzstan before holding Turkmenistan to a goalless draw in their second match.
Despite flashes of promise, including a disciplined defensive display against Turkmenistan, Afghanistan have struggled to convert chances into goals—an issue that has been evident throughout their three matches so far.
The CAFA U-17 Championship, which brings together six Central Asian nations, is seen as a key development platform for emerging football talent in the region. Afghanistan has previously enjoyed success in the competition, notably winning the 2024 edition, highlighting the potential within the country’s youth ranks.
This year’s tournament, however, has proven more competitive, with traditional regional rivals such as Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan showing strong form in the round-robin format.
Afghanistan will now look to end their campaign on a positive note when they face last year’s champions Tajikistan in their final match on April 11. A strong performance in that fixture could provide a much-needed boost for the team and valuable experience for a squad still in development.
In recent days, fans following the tournament on Ariana News platforms have shown growing support for the young side, with many expressing hope that the team can build on its experience and continue progressing in regional competitions.
Fans across Afghanistan can tune in to Ariana Television on Saturday to watch the team’s last match. Viewers are encouraged to follow Ariana News and Ariana Television’s social media pages for updated match times.
The Afghanistan Football Federation announced on Tuesday that Afghanistan’s under-15 national football team has qualified for the FIFA U-15 World Cup, marking a significant achievement for the country’s youth football development.
According to the federation, the qualification comes as a result of sustained efforts and strategic planning aimed at strengthening grassroots football across Afghanistan.
The federation said the successful organization of under-14 competitions in different zones of the country helped pave the way for the U-15 national team to secure a place in the global tournament.
In a statement, the federation said the achievement also follows efforts by its leadership, particularly Mohammad Yousuf Kargar, who held discussions with officials of FIFA while emphasizing the development of youth football in Afghanistan.
The tournament, part of FIFA’s global talent development program, aims to nurture young players, improve technical ability, provide international exposure, and prepare the next generation of footballers.
The competition will take place in Azerbaijan from October 22 to 31, 2026, with under-15 teams from FIFA member nations set to participate.
Players born in 2011 and 2012 will be eligible for the tournament.
Matches will be played in an 8-versus-8 format designed to maximize ball involvement, develop individual skills, improve decision-making, and provide young players with valuable international competition experience.
Afghanistan’s participation is being seen as a major opportunity for the country’s emerging football talent to compete on the world stage and further elevate the profile of Afghan youth football.
Sport
Afghanistan, Uzbekistan set for friendly cricket clash in Khost
The match will be played during a cricket league, and is part of the Cricket Development Support Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the ACB and the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan in December last year.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has announced that it will host Uzbekistan’s national cricket team for a one-off T20 international on July 10 at the Rahmat Wali Masroori Cricket Ground in Khost province.
According to the ACB, the match will be played during a cricket league, and is part of the Cricket Development Support Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the ACB and the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan in December last year.
The friendly match is scheduled to begin at 9:00 AM, with an Afghan XI taking on the visiting Uzbek side. The game will be broadcast live across Afghanistan and internationally through various linear and digital platforms.
Quoted by the ACB, Chief Executive Officer Naseeb Khan said the board remains committed to supporting emerging cricket nations such as Uzbekistan and is ready to extend similar assistance to other countries seeking to develop the sport.
He noted that the ACB has already organized capacity-building programs and training workshops for members of the Cricket Federation of Uzbekistan, while several Uzbek fast bowlers also participated in the ACB’s specialized Fast Bowling Camp last year.
Khan added that Uzbekistan has consistently maintained a friendly policy toward Afghanistan and that the two countries have strengthened cooperation in healthcare, politics, and trade in recent years. He said closer collaboration in cricket development would further deepen relations between the two neighboring nations.
Sport
Serbian Dejan Dedovic appointed head coach of Afghanistan national futsal team
Dedovic will lead Afghanistan’s preparations for upcoming regional and international competitions, overseeing the team’s technical development and training programs.
The Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF) has appointed Serbian coach Dejan Dedovic as the new head coach of the national futsal team on a two-year contract.
The agreement was signed during a ceremony attended by AFF officials, futsal committee members, technical staff, and sports journalists.
Dedovic will lead Afghanistan’s preparations for upcoming regional and international competitions, overseeing the team’s technical development and training programs.
The federation also announced several additions to the national team’s coaching staff. Iran’s Javad Asghari Moqaddam has been appointed technical director, while Morteza Mansour Samaei will serve as goalkeeping coach. Spain’s Uriel Masana has joined as assistant coach, Iran’s Sadeq Amani as fitness coach, and Brazil’s Joao Lira as team analyst.
In addition, the AFF renewed the contract of Mohammad Nasir Sedaqat as manager of the national futsal team.
The federation said it expects the newly assembled coaching staff to contribute to the continued development of Afghan futsal and strengthen the team’s competitiveness at the regional and international levels.
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