Review of Afghanistan developments
Following two significant victories against the Maldives (10–1) and Myanmar (8–0), the Afghan national futsal team has not only progressed to the final stage of the 2026 AFC Futsal Championship, but has also demonstrated that Afghanistan should no longer be regarded merely as a participant in the tournament; rather, it deserves recognition as one of the rising forces in futsal on the Asian continent.
This promotion represents not only a sporting achievement but also an indication of the increasing popularity of this team. With 18 goals scored and only one conceded, along with the variety of goal scorers across two matches, it reflects a united team that possesses both a strategy and a distinctive style.
The triumph against the home team, Myanmar, in a context where the audience in the stadium also commended Afghanistan’s performance, enhances the psychological significance of this achievement.
The creativity and dedication of the players, combined with the influence of Majid Mortezai, the Iranian head coach of the Afghan national team, are crucial to this achievement. He has enhanced the team’s technical skills and successfully transformed the players’ mindset. Mortezai accurately points out that while the previous promotion was considered “exciting” for Afghanistan, the current situation appears to be “normal”; this statement aptly captures the elevated expectations and standards of the Afghan futsal team.
Nevertheless, the path forward is challenging. The concluding phase in Indonesia, where the leading 16 teams from the continent will convene, will present a more significant challenge. If the Afghan futsal team aspires to stay competitive, it will require meticulous planning, thorough preparations, practice matches against formidable opponents, and effective management of its personnel.
The inclusion of young players together with seasoned futsal players creates a synergy that can ensure the team’s future, as long as the preparation process is not compromised by financial and structural issues.
Afghanistan’s achievement in qualifying for the Asian Cup has instilled fresh optimism in a society long affected by social and political turmoil. Such victories in sports inspire hope and vitality within Afghan society, particularly among the nation’s sports community.
Today, Afghanistan futsal, similar to cricket, has evolved into more than merely a sport; it has become a representation of national pride. If this social capital is maintained and enhanced, this team can significantly impact not only in Asia but also on a global scale.
This assertion is substantiated by the performance of the Afghan national futsal team in recent years, which demonstrates the extent of this potential and indicates that investing in it will produce favorable outcomes. During the tournament in Brazil, despite not advancing to the final, the Afghan national futsal team showcased its capabilities by engaging in skillful and aesthetically pleasing matches against formidable opponents like Brazil, Iran, and Greenland, thereby proving that it is not an average team and can pose challenges to renowned teams.
The exceptional performance of the Afghan national futsal team during the 2024 AFC Asian Cup and subsequently in the World Cup established a foundation for other nations to acknowledge the talents of the Afghan players, thereby creating opportunities for these athletes to join club teams across various countries. Following these tournaments, a total of 13 Afghan players secured positions with clubs in Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Eight players were signed by Iranian teams, namely Hossein Mohammadi, Alireza Jafari, Mohammad Javad Safari, Akbar Kazemi, Hamidreza Hosseini, Seyed Mojtaba Hosseini, Mehdi Norouzi, and Hossein Hosseinzadeh. Additionally, three players—Reza Hosseinpour, Hamidreza Karimi, and Omid Ghanbari—joined clubs in Iraq, while two players, Seyed Hossein Mousavi and Morteza Mohammadi, moved to Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, one player, Mehran Gholami, was recruited to a club in Europe.
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Afghanistan Under-17 Futsal Team
In the meantime, on the previous day, the Futsal Committee of the Afghanistan Football Federation declared that the Afghan U-17 team has departed for Iran to participate in a training and selection camp. This training camp is set to commence on Friday, October 26, 2025, in Tehran. The Afghan U-17 futsal team is gearing up for the Asian Youth Games.
The Asian Youth Games are scheduled to take place in Bahrain from October 22 to November 31, 2025. Behrouz Jafari’s students are competing in the first group alongside teams from Bahrain, Uzbekistan, and China.
The Asian Youth Games, referred to as the AYG, is a multi-sport competition that takes place every four years for young athletes from Asia, organized under the authority of the Olympic Council of Asia. Participants engage in 24 different sports. This event ranks as the second largest sporting occasion on the continent, following the Asian Olympics.
Iran is a supportive ally of Afghan futsal. The training camp of the Afghan national futsal team in Mashhad, the proficient head coach based in Mashhad, and the ongoing camp for the Afghan U-17 national futsal team in Tehran serve as evidence of this assertion.
Wishing for Afghan futsal players to excel in the 2026 AFC Asian Cup.
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