Sport
FIFA unveils Innovative Club World Cup Trophy ahead of new tournament in 2025
The tournament will kick off from Sunday 15 June and run through to Sunday 13 July.
FIFA has unveiled the official Innovative FIFA Club World Cup Trophy that will be lifted for the first time at next year’s tournament, set to be staged across 11 host cities in the United States.
The tournament will kick off from Sunday 15 June and run through to Sunday 13 July.
The new trophy, designed by FIFA and crafted in collaboration with global luxury jeweller Tiffany & Co., will be presented to the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup winners, who will be crowned after the final at the MetLife Stadium in New York New Jersey.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said: “Innovative, inclusive, groundbreaking and truly global, the new 32-team FIFA Club World Cup deserves a trophy that represents all of this. It is both prestigious and timeless – a golden trophy that is a symbol of the future and inspired by the past.”
“The team who lift this trophy will hold the world of club football in their hands. To the players who win it, history belongs to you! Let’s take it to the world and celebrate it as we look forward to the start of a new era for football when the one and only FIFA club world champions lift the FIFA Club World Cup Trophy in New York New Jersey on 13 July 2025.”
The President and Chief Executive Officer of Tiffany & Co., Anthony Ledru, added: “With a legacy dating back 160 years, Tiffany & Co. has crafted some of the most iconic championship trophies in history, setting the standard for craft and design.
“The FIFA Club World Cup Trophy is the next chapter in our long history of creating the world’s most revered symbols of athletic achievement.”
The trophy meanwhile boasts a 24-carat gold-plated finish and features intricate laser-engraved inscriptions on both sides, showcasing text and imagery that portray football’s rich history.
The inscriptions include a world map and the names of all 211 FIFA Member Associations and the six confederations, representing the geographical and cultural diversity of the game.
The trophy’s central disc displays an array of icons that capture football’s traditions, including symbols of stadiums and equipment and a world map.
The trophy also features engravings in 13 languages and Braille.
Space is available to laser-engrave the emblems of the winning clubs for 24 editions of the tournament.
In addition, the trophy can transform from a shield into a multifaceted and orbital structure – an adaptable design that establishes a powerful visual structure.
An inspiring message to the champions is engraved on the trophy, including the following: “To those who hold this trophy, history belongs to you! You are witness to a moment in time that represents the pinnacle of club football, bestowed upon few but celebrated by many.”
These words reflect the trophy’s status as a symbol of greatness, honoring the legends of the past while inspiring clubs globally.
A trophy for champions
Meanwhile, the winning team at each edition will receive a replica of the FIFA Club World Cup Trophy featuring engravings that mark their triumph after the final.
The FIFA Club World Cup Trophy will be presented to the world in its physical form on Thursday, 5 December 2024, when FIFA hosts the tournament’s draw in Miami, USA.
Sport
Afghanistan U-15 team qualifies for FIFA U-15 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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