Sport
Afghanistan’s national futsal team ‘ready for’ group stage of Asian Cup
Afghanistan is preparing to participate in the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Thailand 2024™ which will be held from April 17 to 28.
Afghanistan national futsal team is in Group D and will play three matches.
Just last week, Afghanistan emerged third in the NSDF Futsal Championship 2024 after beating Malaysia 3-2 in Thailand.
Mahadir Harahap Khairuddin gave the Malaysians the lead after just four minutes before Mehram Gholami then equalized four minutes later.
Then it was Afghanistan who went ahead in the 17th minute through Akbar Kazemi as Danial Dain then replied for Malaysia in the 17th minute.
In the second half, Akbar Kazemi then delivered the winner for Afghanistan right at the half hour mark.
Thailand however, were crowned champions of the NSDF Futsal Championship 2024 after they smashed Australia 9-2 in the final at the Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organization Central Stadium.
On April 18, Afghanistan will come up against Iran, followed by Kuwait and Bahrain on April 20 and 22 respectively.
Afghanistan will need to win at least two of the three matches in order to progress to the next round.
Sixteen teams will take part in this year’s tournament.
If Afghanistan achieves two victories, it can advance to the next round of this tournament.
The Asian Futsal Nations Cup will be held from April 17th to April 28th with 16 top teams of the Asian continent.
The top four finishers at the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Thailand 2024™ will qualify for the FIFA Futsal World Cup Uzbekistan 2024™, which will take place between September 14 and October 6.
Should Uzbekistan – who have already qualified for the FIFA Futsal World Cup™ as hosts – advance to the semi-finals of the AFC Futsal Asian Cup™, the four losing quarter-finalists will playoff for the final Asian spot at the FIFA Futsal World Cup™.
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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