Afghan athletes recorded several standout results across different sports in 2025, a year that also exposed persistent weaknesses in football and cricket.
Kabul | By Sayer Zaland
Throughout 2025, sport in Afghanistan reflected the broader conditions of the country, moving forward in some areas while struggling in others. Despite structural limitations, Afghan athletes managed to secure important results in regional and international competitions, giving the year a mixed but eventful character.
The clearest breakthrough came in futsal, where Afghanistan’s Under-17 team delivered one of the country’s most memorable sporting moments by winning the gold medal at the third Asian Youth Games in Bahrain. The team defeated Uzbekistan, Bahrain, China, Thailand, and Iran to secure one of the country’s most important international titles.
The futsal team also represented Afghanistan at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Saudi Arabia, opening with a win over Tajikistan and a 2–2 draw against Iran before losing to Morocco and exiting the competition without a medal.
At the domestic level, the fourth Afghanistan Futsal Premier League was staged in Kabul, with Sadaqat finishing as champions.
In football, Afghanistan’s national team failed to qualify for the AFC Asian Cup after recording two draws against Pakistan and defeats to Myanmar and Syria. The results drew criticism from fans and analysts. In the domestic Champions League, Abu Muslim Farah won the title after collecting the highest points total.
Cricket brought mixed results. Afghanistan made its first appearance at the ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan, losing to South Africa, defeating England, and seeing its match against Australia abandoned due to rain.
At the Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan exited at the group stage following defeats to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, despite a victory over the host nation. In a separate tri-nation series in the UAE, Afghanistan defeated Pakistan and the UAE before losing the final to Pakistan.
On tour in Zimbabwe, Afghan cricketers won all three Twenty20 matches but were defeated in the Test match. Domestically, the 10th edition of the Shpageeza Cricket League was held, with Amo defeating Mis Ainak to claim the championship.
The year also included a tragic moment when several Afghan cricketers were killed following airstrikes by Pakistan’s military in Paktika province. In response, the Afghanistan Cricket Board cancelled all bilateral cricket engagements with Pakistan.
Beyond football and cricket, Afghan athletes competed in more than ten sports at the ninth Islamic Solidarity Games in Saudi Arabia, winning medals in muay thai, taekwondo and wushu.
In volleyball, Afghanistan’s national team finished runners-up at the Central Asian Zone Championship in Bangladesh. The fourth Afghanistan Volleyball Premier League was also held in Kabul, where Saremeyasht claimed the title.
Afghanistan hosted international badminton competitions during the year, with Uzbekistan’s national team emerging as champions. In traditional sport, the seventh Buzkashi Premier League was held with the participation of foreign riders, ending with Sar-e Pol crowned champions and Badakhshan runners-up.
Throughout 2025, Afghan athletes competed internationally both individually and in teams, winning dozens of medals across various sports.
The year concluded with the return of Ali Bilal, silver medallist at the Masters Olympia, whose visit to Afghanistan in the final days of 2025 was met with a strong public reception.