Sport
Afghanistan U-17s open their CAFA campaign against Kyrgyzstan
The match is scheduled to begin at 1:25 p.m. Kabul time, with all of Afghanistan’s matches set to be broadcast live across the country on Ariana Television.
Afghanistan’s under-17 national football team will kick off their CAFA U-17 Championship 2026 campaign against Kyrgyzstan on Monday, as the regional competition gets underway in Tashkent.
The opening fixture represents a key early test for the young Afghan side, which is aiming to make a strong impression in a tournament widely regarded as an important platform for emerging football talent in Central Asia.
The match is scheduled to begin at 1:25 p.m. Kabul time, with all of Afghanistan’s matches set to be broadcast live across the country on Ariana Television.
Afghanistan head into the tournament with a squad of promising young players, and coaching staff will be looking for a confident start against a competitive Kyrgyz side. In short-format regional competitions, opening matches often carry added significance, with momentum and goal difference playing a decisive role in shaping standings.
Five teams — Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan — are competing in this year’s edition, which follows a round-robin format. Each team faces the others once, leaving little margin for error in a tightly packed schedule.
Afghanistan U-17 Match Schedule (Live on Ariana Television)
Monday, 6 April: Afghanistan vs Kyrgyzstan — 1:25 PM
Tuesday, 7 April: Afghanistan vs Turkmenistan — 4:25 PM
Thursday, 9 April: Afghanistan vs Uzbekistan — 4:25 PM
Saturday, 11 April: Afghanistan vs Tajikistan — 1:25 PM
Semifinals: TBC (if qualified)
Final: TBC (if qualified)
The tournament runs from April 6 to April 13 and serves as a development stage for youth football in the region, offering players valuable international exposure while allowing national federations to assess rising talent.
Afghanistan’s youth teams are increasingly seen as central to the country’s long-term football ambitions. For many of the players, the CAFA U-17 Championship represents not only a chance to compete for silverware, but also an opportunity to showcase their abilities on a regional stage.
A strong result in the opening match could provide Afghanistan with an early boost in confidence and set the tone for the rest of their campaign, as they look to establish themselves among Central Asia’s next generation of football talent.
Afghanistan’s cricket stars Rashid Khan and Azmatullah Omarzai have maintained their positions at the top of the latest ICC Men’s ODI rankings.
Rashid Khan remains the No. 1 ODI bowler in the world with 714 rating points.
Pakistan’s Abrar Ahmed is second with 675 points, while South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj has moved up to third with 667 points.
New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner is fourth with 644 points, followed by India’s Kuldeep Yadav on 623.
Meanwhile, Azmatullah Omarzai continues to hold the top position in the ICC ODI all-rounder rankings with 337 points, giving Afghanistan two players at No. 1 in different ODI categories. Sikandar Raza of Zimbabwe and Mehidy Hasan Miraz of Bangladesh follow him in the list.
Abu Muslim Farah beat Omar Zawak Herat 4-0 in the 30th match of the sixth season of the Roshan Afghanistan Champions League, delivering an impressive performance.
The match was played today (Wednesday) at the Afghanistan Football Federation Stadium.
Samiullah Naderi scored Abu Muslim Farah’s opening goal in the final minutes of the first half.
Abu Muslim Farah continued their attacking play in the second half, with Aman Sardari scoring the team’s second goal in the 69th minute with a spectacular header.
Omid Rajabi and Mirois Ghafouri then added two more goals to complete a 4-0 victory for Abu Muslim Farah.
Amanullah Sardari, captain of Abu Muslim Farah, was named Player of the Match against Omar Zawak Herat.
Abu Muslim Farah will face Ariana Khost in their next match on October 2, while Omar Zawak Herat will take on Istiqlal Kabul on the same day.
The sixth season of the Roshan Afghanistan Champions League is being broadcast live on Ariana Television.
The Afghanistan Cricket Board’s High Performance Center is set to launch a nationwide fast-bowling talent identification program, titled “Afghan Thunder,” across several provinces throughout October.
According to the ACB, the program will begin in Kunduz on October 4, with assessments continuing in Herat, Kandahar, Kabul, Khost, Paktia and Kunar before concluding in Nangarhar on October 27.
The board says eligible participants must be between 19 and 26 years old, at least 180 centimeters tall, hold a valid electronic National ID (e-Tazkira) and be capable of bowling at speeds of at least 140 kilometers per hour.
The assessment schedule is as follows: Kunduz on October 4–5, Herat on October 9–10, Kandahar on October 12, Kabul on October 14–15, Khost on October 19, Paktia on October 21, Kunar on October 25 and Nangarhar on October 27.
The ACB has encouraged eligible players who believe they have the potential to develop into high-level fast bowlers to take part in the Afghan Thunder Fast-Bowling Talent Hunt Program on the designated dates.
The board says the initiative aims to identify promising fast-bowling talent from across Afghanistan and provide talented players with a pathway into the country’s high-performance cricket system.
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