Sport
IPL 2026 Playoffs Confirmed: RCB, GT, SRH and RR reach top four
Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals secured the four playoff spots after a dramatic finish to the group phase.
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru finished top of the standings as the four-team playoff line-up for the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) was confirmed at the end of the league stage on Sunday.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals secured the four playoff spots after a dramatic finish to the group phase.
RCB became the first team to book their place in the playoffs after defeating Punjab Kings on May 17. They ended the league stage on 18 points from 14 matches, edging Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad to top spot on superior net run rate.
The final playoff berth went to Rajasthan Royals, who sealed qualification with a commanding win over Mumbai Indians on the last day of the league phase. The victory took RR to 16 points and eliminated both Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders from contention.
Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad also finished on 18 points, but were separated from RCB by net run rate. GT secured second place with a net run rate of 0.695, while SRH ended third with 0.524.
The playoff schedule will see RCB face Gujarat Titans in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday, with the winner advancing directly to the IPL final. Sunrisers Hyderabad will meet Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday, where the losing side will be knocked out. The loser of Qualifier 1 will then play the winner of the Eliminator, Wednesday’s match, in Qualifier 2 for the remaining spot in the final.
Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings were among the teams to miss out after a disappointing campaign, while Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants were the first sides eliminated from playoff contention earlier in the month.
Delhi Capitals also failed to advance despite finishing with 14 points, while Punjab Kings narrowly missed out after ending fifth on 15 points.
Final IPL 2026 standings:
1. Royal Challengers Bengaluru – 18 points
2. Gujarat Titans – 18 points
3. Sunrisers Hyderabad – 18 points
4. Rajasthan Royals – 16 points
5. Punjab Kings – 15 points
6. Delhi Capitals – 14 points
7. Kolkata Knight Riders – 13 points
8. Chennai Super Kings – 12 points
9. Mumbai Indians – 8 points
10. Lucknow Super Giants – 8 points
The 2026 season continues a recent trend in which 16 points proved enough to secure a playoff berth, as has been the case in several IPL seasons since the tournament expanded to a 70-match league format in 2022.
Both high-stakes knockout matches will be broadcast live and exclusively in Afghanistan on Ariana TV, giving fans access to all the action as the race for the title intensifies.
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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