Source: www.the-afc.con
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Tag: Afghanistan
Group D top spot matters for Afghanistan and Iran
the-afc.com
It will be a battle for the purists when Afghanistan takes on Iran in the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026™ Group D decider on Sunday.
Both have been flawless thus far, qualifying for the quarter-finals with a match to spare but something will have to give in Sunday’s highly anticipated encounter.
“It was unbelievable for us to achieve a big 7-0 victory,” said Mortezaei. “The fans made the atmosphere for us like we were playing at home.
“We are happy to reach the next stage and this is what we deserved. Playing against Iran is always difficult but we will try to maintain our high level.”
“We drew with them in the last game (2-2 in the 2025 Islamic Solidarity Games) but here, we want to finish first in the group and, hopefully, to be able to keep a clean sheet going as well.”
Iran’s place in the knockout stage was sealed after they overcame a stubborn Saudi Arabia 2-0 on Friday with second half strikes from Amirhossein Gholami and Bagher Mohammadi.
The 13-time champions have an impeccable record of winning every group stage match since the format was introduced in the 2007 edition and head coach Vahid Shamsaee intends to add one more to the collection.
“We are happy to win and are already thinking about the next game,” said Shamsaee. “On the performance, there’s still a lot of things we can do better and we will try to achieve that in the next game.”
IR Iran v Afghanistan
Venue: Jakarta International Velodrome (Jakarta)
Kick-off: Sunday, 19:00 (UTC+7)
Saudi Arabia and Malaysia are hopeful of a positive end to their time in Jakarta after suffering disappointments with defeats in their first two matches.
Saudi Arabia produced a spirited display against Iran but ultimately suffered a 2-0 defeat but head coach Andreu Plaza saw enough to suggest that his players can take plenty of heart from that performance into their final fixture.
“When we looked at what we wanted to do in this game, we knew we had to be strong and to be able to press because we only had one opportunity against a very strong and technical team like Iran,” said Plaza.
“The tactics were good but we needed some luck with our finishing and that’s been our problem throughout, not only in this match but I’m happy with the performance.
“We want to go back with a win of course, we will try but Malaysia won’t be easy.”
Malaysia head coach Addie Azwan did not hide his disappointment after seeing his charges completely lose control against Afghanistan, where they conceded three goals in the space of four minutes.
“The first eight minutes were quite good, we showed good discipline but once we conceded the first goal, the players lost focus and we couldn’t cope with their counter attacks,” said Addie.
“We had to push in the second half but it didn’t work. The last game (against Saudi Arabia) is still an important one for us and we will need to find the focus for that.”
Saudi Arabia v Malaysia
Venue: Indonesia Arena (Jakarta)
Kick-off: Sunday, 19:00 (UTC+7)
AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026: Group D review
Jakarta: Just three days remain for the kick-off of the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026™ with the 16 contenders laying their final plans for the continental showpiece.
Concluding our look at the groups, the-AFC.com puts Group D under the microscope.
Previous appearances: 17
Best finish: Champions (13 times)
2024 record: Champions
How they qualified: Group G winners
Fun fact: Iran has reached the title decider in 15 of their previous 17 appearances, only missing out in 2006 and 2012.
It will require a gargantuan effort to stop Iran from advancing from Group D, with the defending champions having shown their immense quality in qualifying.
Iran were the highest scorers in the Qualifiers, notching 26 goals without conceding once, sweeping aside Malaysia, United Arab Emirates and Bangladesh.
They were unstoppable at Thailand 2024, winning all but one of their six matches by at least two goals and will be eyeing more of the same with head coach Vahid Shamsaee having a plethora of talent at his disposal.
Afghanistan
Previous appearance: 1
Best finish: Quarter-final (2024)
How they qualified: Group H winners
Fun fact: Having impressed on their debut, Afghanistan will expect to advance to the knockout stage once again at Indonesia 2026.
Afghanistan booked their Finals ticket with a relatively straight-forward qualifying campaign, finishing as Group H winners.
Starting with a 10-1 win against Maldives, Afghanistan sealed a second appearance with a superb 8-0 victory against hosts Myanmar.
Despite having been drawn with Iran, Afghanistan will have no fear after having given the defending champions a tough fight when they met in the group stage of the 2024 edition.
Saudi Arabia
Previous appearances: 3
Best finish: Group stage
2024 record: Group stage
How they qualified: One of seven best runners-up
Fun fact: Saudi Arabia’s appearance at Indonesia 2026 will be their third consecutive Finals.
Saudi Arabia’s initial target will be to reach the knockout stage.
Head coach Andreu Alvarez oversaw the Qualifiers where Saudi Arabia defeated Chinese Taipei and Pakistan before being edged by Iraq in their final match.
Fahad Rudyani was the star of their campaign, finding the net four times as Saudi Arabia displayed their attacking prowess with 19 goals.
Malaysia
Previous appearances: 12
Best finish: Group stage
2024 record: Did not qualify
How they qualified: One of seven best runners-up
Fun fact: Malaysia return to the continental showpiece after missing the last two editions.
Malaysia have it all to do as they return to the competition for the first time since 2018 with Iran already a familiar sight, having lost 4-0 to the Central Asian side in the Qualifiers.
Addie Azwan Zainal has taken over as head coach duties Rakphol Sainetngam – who has returned to take charge of his native Thailand – and will have to implement his ideas in a short period of time.
Several friendly matches were played as part of their week-long final preparation as Addie looks to guide Malaysia to a respectable outing.
Team Melli to leave for AFC Futsal Asian Cup
Iran’s National Futsal team will depart Tehran to Jakarta on Friday, to participate in the 18th edition of Asian Premier Futsal Competition. The defending champions are coached by Vahid Shamsaei.
Thrilling battles await at the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026™ when it kicks off on January 27 (Tuesday) in Jakarta as 16 teams chase ultimate glory.
The 18th edition of the tournament features a host of familiar contenders, with 13 returning from the previous campaign in 2024, including the ever-present quartet of Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Thailand and Uzbekistan, who extend their record of appearing in every Finals to date.
Hosting the hard-court showpiece for the second time after 2002, Indonesia will stage the matches across two venues, with the champions to be crowned on February 7.
The first matchday opens at the Jakarta International Velodrome with a 1pm clash between Thailand (FIFA Rank: 11) and Lebanon (54) in Group B. Having thrice finished as runners-up, including in 2024, the Thais will hope to make the final breakthrough this time, while their opponents—seven-time quarter-finalists—are back for a 13th occasion, following their last appearance in 2022. At 5pm, 2016 fourth-place finishers Vietnam (20) start their eighth Finals quest against Kuwait (40), whose best placings are also fourth (2003, 2014) and are marking their 14th Finals showing.
Over at the Indonesia Arena at 3pm, Group A gets underway with Iraq (37), who placed fourth in 2018, commencing their 14th involvement against a Kyrgyz Republic (43) outfit that finished fourth twice (2006, 2007) and are contesting a 17th Finals. Indonesia (24), who registered their best finish in 2022—their most recent showing—by reaching the last eight, can expect a boisterous backing at 7pm in their 11th appearance as they face Korea Republic (57), involved for a 16th occasion and looking to better their runners-up finish from 1999.
Having enjoyed a memorable debut in 2024 by reaching the Quarter-finals to qualify for the FIFA Futsal World Cup Uzbekistan 2024, Afghanistan (28) will be hungry for more as they gear up to face Saudi Arabia (45)—notching their fourth Finals appearance—in Group D on January 28 at 1pm at the Jakarta International Velodrome. Reigning champions IR Iran (5), the only team to have never finished outside the top three, will commence their hunt for a record-extending 14th crown at 5pm against Malaysia (70), who will feature at a 13th Finals and first since 2018.
Japan (13) go in search of a fifth title after falling well short in 2024 when they suffered their first-ever Group Stage exit and start with a Group C opener at 3pm at the Indonesia Arena against Australia (51), who are appearing at their ninth Finals and count fourth place in 2012 as their best result. A maiden success will be on the minds of four-time finalists Uzbekistan (22) ahead of their 7pm showdown against Tajikistan (47), who registered a best-ever fourth-place finish in 2024—an achievement they will aim to surpass at their 13th Finals.
Group D
Wednesday, January 28, 2026 GROUP STAGE – GROUP D
AFGHANISTAN – SAUDI ARABIA
IRAN – MALAYSIA
Friday, January 30, 2026 GROUP STAGE – GROUP D
SAUDI ARABIA – IRAN
MALAYSIA – AFGHANISTAN
Sunday, February 1, 2026 – GROUP STAGE – GROUP D
SAUDI ARABIA – MALAYSIA
IRAN – AFGHANISTAN
Iran Announces Preliminary Squad for AFC Futsal Asian Cup
I
In accordance with AFC regulations, the Iranian national futsal team has submitted its preliminary 25-player list for the upcoming AFC Futsal Asian Cup, hosted by Indonesia.
The submitted squad is as follows:
Saeed Momeni, Bagher Mohammadi, Mehdi Rostamiha, Behzad Rasouli, Mohammad Mehdi Esmailpour, Mohammad Hossein Derakhshani, Amir Hossein Gholami, Hossein Sabzi, Soran Balkaneh, Mehdi Asadshir, Mehdi Yousef, Mehdi Karimi, Muslim Olaghabad, Sajjad Yousefkhah, Amir Hossein Dehghani, Salar Aghapour, Ali Khalilvand, Ali Akrami, Mehdi Mehdikhani, Mohammad Hossein Baziar, Hossein Tayyibi, Saeed Ahmad Abbasi, Amir Hossein Abtahi, Behrouz Azimi, and Amir Hamzeh Sedighzadeh.
Following the conclusion of the 21st week of the domestic league, the technical staff, led by Vahid Shamsaei, will narrow this list down to 20 players for a national team training camp. Tournament rules ultimately permit only 14 players to be registered for the final competition squad.
Iran finds itself in Group D alongside Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, and Malaysia.
The 18th edition of the AFC Futsal Asian Cup will take place in Indonesia from January 27 to February 7. The tournament will feature 16 teams competing across two venues within a single host city.
Iran enters as the most successful nation in the competition’s history, having claimed the championship title 13 times.
Tournament Details:
- Dates: 27 January – 7 February
- Host Country: Indonesia
- Host City: 1
- Venues: 2
- Teams: 16
Dates: 27 January – 7 February
Venue: 2 (in 1 host city)
Host country: Indonesia
Teams 16
Uzbekistan and Iran meet in the final of CAFA Nations Cup 2025
The national football teams of Iran and Uzbekistan will face each other in the final of the CAFA Nations Cup on Monday, September 7, at 6:00 PM local time at the Olympic Stadium in Tashkent. Both Iran and Uzbekistan entered the final with 7 points, finishing as the top teams in their respective groups and setting the stage for a highly anticipated clash.
Iran, the highest-ranked team in the region, will be looking to defend its title after winning the previous edition of the tournament. Uzbekistan, playing with the immense support of a home crowd, will be determined to claim the championship on their own soil and secure a historic victory against a regional powerhouse.
The match has garnered significant international attention, notably with the confirmed attendance of FIFA President Gianni Infantino. The Uzbekistan Football Federation announced that President Infantino will travel to Uzbekistan to review projects related to the further development of football in the country, visit the state-of-the-art National Football Center, and personally watch the final match of the CAFA Nations Cup 2025. His presence as a special guest underscores the growing importance of Central Asian football on the global stage.
This final is not just about regional supremacy but also serves as crucial preparation for both teams ahead of the upcoming joint FIFA World Cup 2026 qualification campaigns, adding an extra layer of significance to the encounter.
Iran defeated Afghanistan 3-1, India 3-0, and drew with Tajikistan 2-2 to reach the final.
Uzbekistan drew with Oman 1-1, defeated Turkmenistan 2-1, and Kyrgyzstan 4-0 to reach the final.
Team Melli Faces Tajikistan in Pivotal CAFA Group Stage Clash
Iran’s national football team, Team Melli, is set to take on Tajikistan today, Thursday, September 4, at 7:00 PM local time in Dushanbe. This third and final Group B match of the 2025 CAFA Championship presents a fascinating clash that, while framed within a regional tournament, offers a serious test for Amir Ghalenoei’s rejuvenated squad and a clear measure of the footballing divergence between the two nations.
A Common Language, A Different Footballing Reality
A unique subplot to this encounter is the shared Persian language, which could facilitate on-pitch communication and create intriguing interpersonal moments. However, football is ultimately decided by quality and pedigree. Here, Iran holds a significant advantage, boasting a rich history of World Cup appearances and decades of dominance in Asian football—a stark contrast to Tajikistan’s emerging status.
Iran: Seeking Refinement Amidst Results
Fresh from convincing 3-1 and 3-0 victories over Afghanistan and India, a renewed sense of discipline and confidence surrounds Team Melli. While the results have been perfect, placing Iran atop the group, the performances revealed that a new superstar has yet to emerge and consistently attractive football remains a work in progress. A draw or win against the hosts will see Iran advance to the final in Uzbekistan as group winners.
Coach Ghalenoei has been candid, admitting that preparations for the tournament were less than ideal and that player fatigue is a concern. Consequently, this match serves as a critical benchmark for assessing how his young team adapts to the pressures of an international away game.
Tajikistan: Fueled by Passion and Home Support
For Tajikistan, motivation will far exceed the pressure of the result. Playing in front of a passionate home crowd in Dushanbe, they are well aware that defeating Iran is a tall order. However, a cohesive, energetic, and tactically disciplined performance would itself be a monumental achievement for their football. They will likely employ a compact defense and look to disrupt Iran’s rhythm through aggressive pressing and rapid counter-attacks.
Keys to the Match
For Iran, the path to victory hinges on controlling possession, exploiting the width of the pitch to stretch the Tajik defense, and relying on the sharpness of strikers like Aliyari and Alipour to convert chances. The midfield battle will be crucial; they must play intelligently to neutralize Tajikistan’s emotional intensity and establish their own tempo.
Tajikistan’s hope lies in a spirited, organized defensive effort and capitalizing on any lapse in Iranian concentration to create a moment of surprise that could electrify the home crowd.
Conclusion: An Opportunity to Assert Dominance
While football is always capable of producing surprises, the gulf in technical quality and experience makes Iran the clear favorite. For Amir Ghalenoei, this is more than a group stage fixture—it is an opportunity to demonstrate that his young Team Melli can not only win but also display the discipline and fighting spirit that wins the hearts of fans.
Tonight’s match is a meeting of neighbors, but on the pitch, the divide is as wide as their histories in Asian football. With one win and one loss, Tajikistan dreams of a historic upset to reach the final, ensuring the seats of Dushanbe’s Hesar Stadium will be packed and roaring long before the referee’s first whistle.
Head2Head
Match List
| # | Match Date | Match Type | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1993-06-13 | Others | Tajikistan | 1-0 | W |
| 2 | 1998-12-10 | Asian Games | Tajikistan | 5-0 | W |
| 3 | 2000-11-28 | World Cup Qualifier | Tajikistan | 2-0 | W |
| 4 | 2012-11-06 | Friendly | Tajikistan | 6-1 | W |
| 5 | 2025-09-04 | CAFA Nations Cup | Tajikistan | NA |
Match Summary
| MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 13 |
Goal Scorers
| Player | Total Goals |
|---|---|
| Ali DAEI | 3 |
| Abolghasim DEHNAVI | 2 |
| Yaghoub KARIMI | 2 |
| Mehdi HASHIMINASAB | 1 |
| Karim BAGHERI | 1 |
| Mohammad KHAKPOUR | 1 |
| Ali MOUSAVI | 1 |
| Ali Asghar MODIR ROUSTA | 1 |
| Ahmad HASSANZADEH | 1 |
| Alireza ABBASFARD | 1 |
Team Melli Regroups with Focus on India After Opening WinTeam Melli News in CAFA 2025
Following a positive start to their campaign, Team Melli resumed training on Saturday with light recovery exercises and warm-up maneuvers. The session’s focal point was an extensive tactical briefing led by head coach Amir Ghalenoei and his staff, meticulously preparing the squad for their crucial September 1st encounter against India.
Despite fielding a new-look lineup in the 3-1 win over Afghanistan—a match where the team was well-organized and displayed neat, passing football—Coach Ghalenoei was quick to highlight lingering gaps in their performance. The solitary goal conceded came against the run of play but once again exposed a concerning lack of concentration in defense and Team Melli’s continued vulnerability to counterattacks.
The upcoming opponent signaled their strong intentions in Group B by securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory over hosts Tajikistan. This result firmly establishes India as a formidable contender and likely presents Iran’s most significant challenge in the group stage.
In squad news, Mehdi Taremi, who made a brief cameo appearance against Afghanistan, has been granted permission to travel to Athens to finalize his transfer to Greek club Olympiacos. He is scheduled to return to Dushanbe via private jet in time to rejoin the team following the signing ceremony.
Meanwhile, defender Mohammad Khodabandehloo, who was substituted during the Afghanistan match, has suffered an injury and will depart the camp for Tehran to undergo further assessment. His replacement, Abolfazl Jalali, has been called up and is en route directly from Tehran to bolster the defensive line.
Indian Head to Head results
| H / A / N | Matches | W | D | L | Goals | + / – |
| H | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 – 0 | +7 |
| A | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 12 – 6 | +6 |
| N | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 – 1 | +5 |
| Total | 11 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 25 – 7 | +18 |
| Date | Competition | H / A / N | Final score | Stadium | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24.03.2016 | World Cup Qualifier | H | 4 – 0 | Azadi Stadium – Tehran | 29,900 |
| 08.09.2015 | World Cup Qualifier / Round 2 – GROUP D | A | 3 – 0 | Sree Kanteerawa, Bangalore | 14,500 |
| 13.05.1992 | Asian Cup Qualifier / | A | 3 – 0 | Calcutta | 2,0000 |
| 07.12.1984 | Asian Cup / Group B | N | 0 – 0 | National Stadium, Singapore | 10,000 |
| 07.03.1980 | Olympics Qualifier / | N | 2 – 0 | National Stadium, Singapore | 11,000 |
| 13.12.1966 | Asian Games | N | 4 – 1 | Chulalongkorn University Stadium, Bangkok | 10,000 |
| 19.06.1964 | Olympics Qualifier | A | 3 – 1 | Rapindra Soria , Calcutta | 25,000 |
| 06.06.1964 | Olympics Qualifier | H | 3 – 0 | Amjadiah , Tehran | 30,000 |
| 18.12.1959 | Asian Cup Qualifier | A | 2 – 1 | Maharaja’s College : Ernakulam, India | |
| 08.12.1959 | Asian Cup Qualifier | A | 1 – 3 | Ernakulam, Kerela, India | 20,000 |
| 10.03.1951 | Asian Games / Final | A | 0 – 1 | Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium, New Delhi | 40,000 |
Iran’s much changed Squad Beats Afghanistan 3-1 in CAFA Nations Cup Opener
Team Melli, began their CAFA Nations Cup 2025 campaign with a 3-1 victory over Afghanistan. The match was held today at 15:30 local time at the Hesar Stadium in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. Goals for Iran were scored by Majid Aliyari, who bagged a brace, and Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh.
As anticipated, Iran’s head coach, Amir Ghalenoei, opted for a major change in the lineup for the opening match, resting several key senior players. The new-look squad was tasked with overcoming an opponent not widely known on the Asian stage.
The star of the game was debutante Majid Aliyari who scored two goals to register his name in the elite of scoring twice in their debut.
Team Melli quickly asserted control with a possession-based style. However, in a surprising turn of events, Afghanistan capitalized on a rare counter-attack, with Omid Mousavi scoring in the 22nd minute to give his team a shock lead. The goal sparked Iran’s attack, and just four minutes later, Majid Aliyari equalized with a header from a corner kick. Iran continued its momentum, and in the 36th minute, Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh extended the lead. Despite a late push by the Afghans, the first half ended with a 2-1 lead for Iran.
Iran began the second half with a more cautious approach, prioritizing defensive solidity to avoid another early scare. Ghalenoei used his bench, making multiple substitutions to introduce fresh legs and a new dynamic. The changes paid off in the 64th minute when Majid Aliyari scored his second goal of the match, completing a brace and extending Iran’s lead to 3-1. Although Team Melli continued to dominate possession and seek more goals, they were unable to find the back of the net.
In the final moments of the game, with seven minutes of added time, Ghalenoei brought on star player Mehdi Taremi in a final attempt to score. The current outcast showed very little to appease the worries of his fans for being sidelinesd in Inter Milan with no appearne in the league this season. Taremi’s efforts were modest in these remaining minutes.
The match ended with a 3-1 victory for Iran over their determined opponent.
Match Lineups
Iran National Team:
- Starting XI: Seyed Payam Niazam, Aref Aghasi, Ali Nemati, Aria Yousefi, Omid Norafkan, Roozbeh Cheshmi, Mehran Ahmadi, Mehdi Hashemnejad, Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh, Majid Aliyari, Ali Alipour.
- Substitutes: Ramin Rezaian (for Aria Yousefi, 62′), Mohammad Naderi (for Omid Norafkan, 62′), Alireza Koushki (for Ali Alipour, 62′), Mohammad Khodabandehlu (for Mehran Ahmadi, 77′), Mehdi Tekdari (for Mehdi Hashemnejad, 77′), Mehdi Taremi (for Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh, 90′).
Afghanistan National Team:
- Starting XI: Faisal Hamidi, Sharif Mohammad, Musawar Ahadi, Elias Mansoor, Amid Arezo, Rahmat Akbari, Naeem Rahimi, Zulfiqar Nazari, Omid Mousavi, Maziar Kohyar, Tofi Sekandari.
- Substitutes: Thomas Safari (for Musawar Ahadi, 46′), Alireza Panahi (for Rahmat Akbari, 39′), Yama Shirzad (for Thomas Safari, 66′), Sayed Morteza Fatemi (for Tofi Sekandari, 66′), Hossein Zamani (for Omid Mousavi, 82′).
CAFA Nations Cup to be held in August to September 2025
The second bi-annual CAFA Nations Cup 2025 will be hosted by Uzbekistan and Tajikistan starting from August 29th until September 8th.
According to the official statement of the CAFA press service, in 2025 football fans will witness another continental tournament – the “CAFA Nations Cup-2025”. Not only Central Asian countries, but also new guest national teams will participate in this prestigious tournament. It has been officially confirmed that the national teams of Uzbekistan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Turkmenistan, as well as invited teams Malaysia and Oman, will take part.
Such a wide format of the tournament is being held for the first time, making it even more interesting. The participation of invited Malaysia and Oman, who are serious opponents in their regions, will undoubtedly increase the level of competition. There will be special attention paid to how these teams perform on the CAFA field.
The draw ceremony will be held on July 3 in the capital of Tajikistan – Dushanbe. According to the unique format of the tournament, participants will be divided into two groups: all matches of Group “A” will take place in Uzbekistan, and Group “B” matches will be held in Tajikistan. This will give football fans in both countries the opportunity to experience the live tournament atmosphere.
The tournament is set to start on August 29. Exciting matches will continue until September 8, and the continent’s best team will be determined in the final. Through this tournament, the potential and development of Central Asian football will once again be showcased.
Every match in the CAFA Nations Cup-2025 is a new intrigue, new talent, and a new dream of the championship. Fans are ready to witness history. From the very first matches, all eyes will be on these stadiums!