The Afghanistan national under-17 football team has left for Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, to participate in the CAFA U-17 Championship 2026.
Kabul 24: This important regional tournament provides a valuable platform for young Afghan talents to showcase their skills and gain international experience.
Prior to departure, a farewell ceremony was held during which the team members met with the leadership of Afghanistan’s General Directorate of Physical Education, Olympic and Sports Affairs.
In the meeting, Ahmadullah Wathiq, President of the Olympic, Physical Education and Sports Committee of Afghanistan, addressed the players and technical staff.
He urged them to enter the competition with full effort, strong commitment, and high spirit, saying: “Compete with dedication and determination to achieve valuable results for our beloved country.” He also offered prayers for the team’s success and hoped they would return home with outstanding and proud performances.
The CAFA U-17 Championship 2026 will run from April 5 to April 14, 2026, with all matches taking place at Dustlik Stadium in Tashkent. Five teams from Central Asia are participating in the tournament, which follows a single round-robin format totaling 10 matches.
According to the official schedule, Afghanistan will play their first match on Monday, April 6, 2026, against the Kyrgyzstan national team.
The Afghan side will then face Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and the host nation Uzbekistan in subsequent games.In recent years, Afghanistan’s U-17 football has shown remarkable progress.
The team’s victory in the previous edition of the CAFA Championship (winning the title against Uzbekistan in the final) highlighted the high potential of this young generation.
Participation in such tournaments not only builds valuable international experience for the players but also significantly contributes to the overall development of youth football in Afghanistan.
Officials from the Afghanistan Football Federation and the sports administration expressed hope that the team, well-prepared and highly motivated, will deliver a worthy representation of Afghan football and once again bring pride and honor to the nation.
The trip to Tashkent has been fully supported by the relevant sports authorities, and positive results are eagerly anticipated.
