The Afghanistan national futsal team was eliminated from the 2026 AFC Futsal Asian Cup in Indonesia after suffering a 6–0 defeat to Japan in their fourth match of the tournament.

This encounter marked Afghanistan’s quarter-final clash in the competition.

Despite strong effort and determination, the Lions of Khurasan were unable to find the back of the net in the first half, which ended 1–0 in Japan’s favor.

In the second half, Afghanistan controlled possession for long periods and showed improved rhythm, but they still could not break through Japan’s solid defense.

Japan ultimately dominated the match, scoring six goals in succession against Afghanistan.

Earlier in the tournament, Afghanistan had been defeated by Iran 5–2 in their third match.

However, the team had started the competition strongly, winning their first two games, 3–0 against Saudi Arabia and 7–0 against Malaysia.

All remaining matches of the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026 are being broadcast live on Ariana Television across Afghanistan.

Sadin Ayyıldız, the new head of Turkey’s diplomatic mission in Kabul, met in an introductory visit with Amir Khan Muttaqi, the Foreign Minister of the Islamic Emirate, to discuss the development of bilateral relations between the two countries.

During the meeting, Ayyıldız described relations between Afghanistan and Turkey as positive and emphasized the expansion of cooperation in economic and health fields, the Afghan Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

Muttaqi also wished Ayyildiz success, described Turkey as a close friend of Afghanistan, and assessed bilateral relations as being on a path of progress.

Ahmadullah Wasiq, head of Afghanistan’s National Olympic and Physical Education Committee, met Indonesia’s Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Taufiq Hidayat, during an official visit to Indonesia held alongside the Asian Cup competitions.

The talks focused on strengthening sports cooperation, including improving access for Afghan athletes living in Indonesia to local leagues and training camps.

Hidayat described the meeting as a positive step toward closer sporting ties and stressed the need for continued engagement.

Afghanistan’s ambassador to Indonesia, Saadullah Baloch, also attended the meeting, highlighting the role of sports diplomacy in bilateral relations. Indonesian officials said the deputy minister plans to visit Afghanistan in the future to further advance cooperation.