Vietnam and Saudi Arabia both opened their AFC U23 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 campaigns with victories on Tuesday, securing early momentum in the race for the quarter-finals.

Vietnam enjoyed a confident start as first-half goals guided Kim Sang-sik’s side to a 2-0 win over Jordan. The Southeast Asian team asserted themselves early, testing Jordan goalkeeper Abdelrahman Suleiman through long-range efforts from Khuat Van Khang and Pham Minh Phuc.

Their pressure paid dividends in the 15th minute when Nguyen Dinh Bac calmly converted a penalty following a VAR review that penalized Mohammad Taha for handball. Vietnam continued to capitalize on set-pieces and doubled their advantage in the 42nd minute, with Nguyen Hieu Minh left unmarked at the back post to steer home Van Khang’s inswinging corner.

Jordan pushed harder after the break but were unable to break down a disciplined Vietnamese defense, with Vietnam comfortably seeing out the match to take all three points.

In the other encounter, hosts Saudi Arabia edged debutants Kyrgyz Republic 1-0 thanks to a dramatic late goal from Rakan Al Ghamdi. Despite dominating possession and enjoying a numerical advantage after Arsen Sharshenbekov was sent off in the 34th minute, the 2022 champions were repeatedly denied by an inspired performance from Kyrgyz goalkeeper Kurmanbek Nurlanbekov, who even saved Musab Al Juwayr’s penalty in the second half.

With time running out, Saudi Arabia finally found a breakthrough in the 88th minute when Al Juwayr slipped a clever pass to Al Ghamdi, who rifled his shot past Nurlanbekov to seal the victory.

The results leave Vietnam and Saudi Arabia well placed early in the tournament. Saudi Arabia will face Jordan on Friday, while Kyrgyz Republic will look to bounce back against Vietnam in their next fixture.

Fans can stay fully up to date with all live sporting coverage, including the U23 tournament, by following Ariana News and Ariana Television’s official social media platforms, where match schedules, kick-off times, broadcast dates and the latest updates will be shared regularly.

Viewers are encouraged to follow these pages to ensure they don’t miss a moment of the world-class sporting action being brought to screens across Afghanistan.

Ariana Television Network (ATN) has secured an exceptional lineup of international sports broadcasting rights, bringing some of the world’s biggest sporting events to viewers across Afghanistan in 2026 and beyond. The acquisitions further strengthen ATN’s position as the country’s leading destination for world-class sports coverage.

FIFA World Cup 2026

Headlining ATN’s global sports portfolio is the FIFA World Cup 2026, set to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. The expanded tournament will feature 48 national teams competing across North America, marking the largest World Cup in history. ATN’s coverage will give Afghan fans live access to football’s most prestigious event, uniting millions of viewers around the world’s biggest sporting spectacle.

Asian Football and Futsal: AFC Competitions

ATN has also secured exclusive rights in Afghanistan to broadcast four major Asian Football Confederation (AFC) tournaments. These include the AFC Champions League Elite 2025–26, Asia’s premier club competition featuring the continent’s top teams, as well as the AFC Champions League Two, which showcases emerging clubs and rising talent.

The network further covers the AFC U23 Asian Cup, that started on January 6, 2026, highlighting Asia’s next generation of football stars, and the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026, scheduled from January 27 to February 7. Afghanistan has qualified for the futsal tournament as Group H winners, joining leading teams such as Iran, Japan, and host Indonesia.

Winter Olympic Games

ATN will broadcast the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano–Cortina, Italy (February 6–22, 2026). For the first time, viewers will experience winter sports including alpine skiing, ice hockey, skating, and snowboarding.

Cricket: IPL

Cricket fans in Afghanistan will also enjoy exclusive coverage of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) on ATN. The IPL, one of the world’s most-watched cricket tournaments, features top international stars and high-octane T20 action. Afghan players such as Rashid Khan, Azmatullah Omarzai, Noor Ahmad and Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar will be part of the tournament, inspiring a new generation of cricketers while giving fans a chance to follow every match live, free-to-air. The matches will be held from 26 March to 31 May.

A Commitment to Afghan Viewers

Through these acquisitions, ATN has solidified its position as Afghanistan’s premier sports broadcaster, offering a diverse portfolio that spans football, futsal, cricket, and the Olympics. Fans are encouraged to follow Ariana News and Ariana Television’s official websites and social media channels for updates on match schedules, broadcast times, and coverage details.

From World Cup stadiums in North America to Olympic venues in Europe and elite competitions across Asia, ATN is set to connect Afghanistan with the world’s greatest sporting moments in 2026.

England all-rounder Sam Curran struck an unbeaten 74 as Desert Vipers claimed their first International League T20 title, defeating MI Emirates by 46 runs.

Sent in to bat, the Vipers were reduced to 36-2 inside four overs before Curran steadied the innings with an 89-run stand for the third wicket alongside Max Holden, who scored 41 from 32 balls. Curran later added 57 with Dan Lawrence (23 off 15), who was run out on the final delivery. Curran’s 51-ball innings featured eight fours and two sixes.

Chasing the target, defending champions MI Emirates faltered early, slipping to 54-4. Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah claimed two of those wickets, including that of England’s Tom Banton, the hero of Qualifier 2 with a match-winning half-century.

MI Emirates never recovered and were eventually dismissed for 136 in 18.3 overs.

Curran ended the tournament as the leading run-scorer with 397 runs, while Afghanistan’s Waqar Salamkheil and UAE’s Ajay Kumar finished as joint top wicket-takers with 18 each.