Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) has confirmed it will broadcast the group stage matches and finals of the AFC U17 Men’s Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026, bringing coverage of the continent’s premier youth competition to viewers across Afghanistan.

The tournament is set to begin next week in Saudi Arabia and will run from May 5 to May 22, featuring 16 of Asia’s top under-17 national teams competing for continental glory and places at the FIFA U17 World Cup Qatar 2026.

The top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the quarterfinals and automatically qualify for the World Cup in Qatar.

Hosts Saudi Arabia lead Group A alongside Tajikistan, Thailand and Myanmar.

Group B features defending contenders Japan with Indonesia, China and Qatar.

In Group C, South Korea will face Yemen, Vietnam and the United Arab Emirates.

Group D includes defending champions Uzbekistan, alongside Australia, India and North Korea.

The tournament is expected to showcase some of Asia’s brightest young football talents, with scouts and fans watching closely as the next generation of stars take center stage.

ATN has confirmed coverage will include key group stage matches and the final later this month. Fans are encouraged to follow Ariana Television and Ariana News’ social media pages for updates, team information and schedules.

The unbeaten run of the Punjab Kings came to an end on Tuesday night as the Rajasthan Royals pulled off a thrilling six-wicket victory in Match 40 of Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL) at the New International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh.

Chasing a formidable target of 223, Rajasthan produced a stunning batting display to reach 228 for 4 in 19.2 overs, winning with four balls to spare.

Punjab were sent in to bat after Royals captain Riyan Parag won the toss. The hosts made a flying start through Priyansh Arya, who blasted 29 off just 11 balls before falling to Jofra Archer.

Prabhsimran Singh then anchored the innings with a composed 59 from 44 balls, while Cooper Connolly added a quickfire 30 off 14 deliveries.

Captain Shreyas Iyer scored 30 from 27 balls, but it was Marcus Stoinis who transformed the innings late on with a brutal unbeaten 62 from only 22 deliveries. His knock, featuring four fours and six sixes, powered Punjab to 222 for 4.

Rajasthan’s reply began in explosive fashion as youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashed 43 off just 16 balls, including five sixes, while Yashasvi Jaiswal struck 51 from 27 balls to keep the chase on course.

Punjab fought back through veteran spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who claimed 3 for 36 and removed Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel and other key batters to revive hopes of defending the total.

However, Donovan Ferreira held his nerve with a match-winning unbeaten 52 off 26 balls, while Shubham Dubey added a rapid 31 not out from 12 deliveries.

Ferreira sealed victory in style by launching the first ball of the final over from Marco Jansen for six over long-on.

Ferreira was named Player of the Match for guiding Rajasthan home under pressure.

Despite the defeat, Punjab remain top of the IPL standings with 13 points from eight matches. Rajasthan moved to 12 points, strengthening their playoff hopes with a major away win.

Attention now turns to today’s blockbuster IPL clash as Mumbai Indians face Sunrisers Hyderabad in a high-stakes encounter that could have major playoff implications. With star players on both sides and two powerful batting line-ups, fans can expect another thrilling contest.

The match will be broadcast live and exclusively across Afghanistan on Ariana Television Network.

Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru produced one of the most destructive bowling displays in IPL history as they thrashed Delhi Capitals by nine wickets in Match 39 of the TATA IPL 2026 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Monday.

RCB’s pace attack ripped through Delhi’s batting line-up, dismissing the hosts for just 75 before chasing down the target in only 6.3 overs to secure a massive win and significantly boost their net run rate.

After winning the toss, RCB captain Rajat Patidar elected to bowl first, a decision that paid immediate dividends.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck with the second ball of the match, removing debutant Sahil Parakh, before Josh Hazlewood produced a devastating spell to dismiss KL Rahul and Sameer Rizvi in quick succession.

Delhi’s innings quickly collapsed under relentless pressure, with Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel and Nitish Rana also falling cheaply. The Capitals slumped to 13/6 in the Powerplay — the lowest Powerplay total in IPL history.

Impact substitute Abishek Porel offered brief resistance with 30 off 33 balls, while David Miller added 19, helping Delhi crawl past the 50-run mark.

Hazlewood returned to finish off the innings with outstanding figures of 4/12, while Bhuvneshwar claimed 3/5 in a superb spell. Delhi were eventually bowled out for 75 in 16.3 overs.

Chasing a modest target of 76, Bengaluru attacked from the outset.

Jacob Bethell struck a rapid 20 off 11 balls before falling to Kyle Jamieson, but Devdutt Padikkal ensured there would be no drama. The left-hander blasted an unbeaten 34 from just 13 deliveries, including three fours and three sixes.

At the other end, Virat Kohli remained unbeaten on 23 from 15 balls and reached another historic milestone by becoming the first batter to score 9,000 runs in IPL history.

RCB raced to 77/1 in just 6.3 overs, sealing one of the fastest wins ever recorded in the tournament.

Player of the Match: Josh Hazlewood for his brilliant figures of 4/12.

Punjab Kings vs Rajasthan Royals

Attention now turns to today’s clash as Punjab Kings take on Rajasthan Royals in another key contest in the race for the playoffs.

Punjab Kings have impressed with their aggressive batting this season, led by Shreyas Iyer, Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya, while Rajasthan Royals boast dangerous match-winners such as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag and Jofra Archer.

With valuable points at stake, both teams will be eager to strengthen their playoff hopes in what promises to be an exciting encounter.

The match will be broadcast live across Afghanistan on Ariana Television.