Afghanistan national football team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Afghanistan

Nickname(s)	شيران خراسان (The Lions of Khorasan)
Association	Afghanistan Football Federation (AFF)
Confederation	AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation	CAFA (Central Asia)
Head coach	Vincenzo Annese
Captain	Nazary Zelfegar
Most caps	Haroon Amiri (71)
Top scorer	Faysal Shayesteh Balal Arezou (9)
Home stadium	Ghazi Stadium
FIFA code	AFG
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	147 (7 February 2019)
Highest	122 (April 2014)
Lowest	204 (January 2003)
Elo ranking
Current	170 2 (3 March 2019)
Highest	83 (August 1941)
Lowest	210 (November 2010)
First international
Afghanistan 0–0 Iran  (Kabul, Afghanistan; 25 August 1941)
Biggest win
Bhutan 1–8 Afghanistan  (New Delhi, India; 7 December 2011)
Biggest defeat
Turkmenistan 11–0 Afghanistan  (Ashgabat, Turkmenistan; 19 November 2003)
CAFA Nations Cup
Appearances	1 (first in 2023)
Best result	Group stage (2023)
SAFF Championship
Appearances	7 (first in 2003)
Best result	Champions (2013)
Medal record Men's football SAFF Championship Gold 2013 Nepal Team Silver 2011 India Team Silver 2015 India Team

The Afghanistan national football team plays for Afghanistan in international men's football matches. The Afghanistan Football Federation controls the team. They are often called The Lions of Khorasan.

History of Afghan Football

Early Days and Challenges

The Afghanistan national football team in the 1920s.

The Afghanistan Football Federation started in 1922. It joined FIFA in 1948 and was a founding member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in 1954.

Afghanistan played its first official international match at the 1948 Summer Olympics. They lost 6–0 to Luxembourg on July 26, 1948. After 1984, the team stopped playing international games for a long time. This was because of political problems, including war and the Taliban rule, which banned sports like football.

Returning to the Field (2001–2010)

Afghanistan playing against Turkmenistan in a FIFA World Cup qualification match in Kabul, 2003.

After the Taliban rule ended, Afghanistan's football team returned to international games in 2002.

In 2003, they played in the 2003 SAFF Gold Cup but lost all their matches. Later that year, they won a game against Kyrgyzstan in the 2004 AFC Asian Cup qualification. However, they did not move forward in the tournament. They also joined the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification for the first time. They were knocked out by Turkmenistan.

In 2006, the team had draws against Chinese Taipei and the Philippines in the first 2006 AFC Challenge Cup. They were later knocked out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification by Syria.

Big Wins and First Championship

Players celebrating after winning their 2011 SAFF Championship Semi-final against Nepal.

In the 2011 SAFF Championship, Afghanistan had a huge 8–1 win over Bhutan. This was their second-biggest win ever! Balal Arezou scored four goals in that game. They reached the semi-finals for the first time, beating Nepal 1–0. In the final, they lost 4–0 to India.

Winning the 2013 SAFF Championship

Hamidullah Karimi with the SAFF Championship trophy after their win.

Afghanistan entered the 2013 SAFF Championship as the highest-ranked team. They started with a strong 3–0 win against Bhutan. Goals were scored by Amiri, Azadzoy, and Barakzai.

They continued their great performance with a 3–1 win over Sri Lanka. In the semi-finals, they beat host nation Nepal 1–0.

The final was against India, a rematch from 2011. This time, Afghanistan won 2–0! This was their first-ever international football title, a truly historic moment for Afghan football.

Recent Years and New Challenges

The Afghan national team before a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification match.

In 2014, Afghanistan reached the semi-finals of the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup. They lost to Palestine and then lost a penalty shootout for third place. In June 2014, the Afghanistan Football Federation moved to the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA). Later that year, FIFA gave them the Fair Play Award for their efforts in promoting football.

In 2015, Slaven Skeledžić became the head coach. The team got its first-ever World Cup qualification win against Cambodia. After some changes in coaches, Peter Segrt led them to another win over Cambodia.

Afghan supporters watching their national team play.

The 2015 SAFF Championship was Afghanistan’s last time playing in this tournament before moving to CAFA. They won all their group matches and the semi-final. In the final, they lost 2–1 to India after extra time.

After this, Afghanistan tried to qualify for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. They beat Singapore 2–1. However, losses to Cambodia and Jordan meant they did not qualify. In July 2018, the team played a friendly match against Palestine in Kabul. This was their first home game since 2013.

Team Look and Rivals

Kit Suppliers

Kit Provider	Period
Adidas	2005–2008
Hummel	2009–2020
Jako	2020–2023
SIX5SIX	2024–present

Football Rivalries

Afghanistan has a sports rivalry with Pakistan in football and other sports. In the past, they played often. However, political issues stopped their games for many years until 2003.

Matches against Pakistan are very exciting for Afghan fans. This is because of the long history and cultural ties between the two countries.

Recent Matches

The Afghanistan national football team has played several matches recently. Here are some of their results from 2024 and 2025:

2024 Matches

• On June 6, 2024, Afghanistan drew 0–0 with Qatar in a World Cup qualifier.
• On June 11, 2024, they lost 1–0 to Kuwait in another World Cup qualifier.
• In November 2024, they played two friendly matches. They lost 2–0 to Nepal and 3–1 to Tajikistan.

2025 Matches

• On March 21, 2025, Afghanistan lost a friendly match 2–0 to Thailand.
• On March 25, 2025, they lost 2–1 to Myanmar in an Asian Cup qualifier.
• On June 10, 2025, they lost 1–0 to Syria in an Asian Cup qualifier.
• They have upcoming matches in the 2025 CAFA Nations Cup in August and September 2025.
• They also have more Asian Cup qualification matches scheduled for October and November 2025, and March 2026.

Coaching Staff

Current Coaches

Role	Name
Head coach	Vincenzo Alberto Annese
Assistant coach	Shabir Isoufi
Goalkeeping coaches	Glyn Thompson Hamidullah Yousufzai
Equipment manager	Mahdi Shirzad
National Team manager	Samir Homauni
Media	Mustafa Hashimi
Fitness coach	Alin Dragos Hogea

Past Managers

Players

Current Squad

The following 22 players were chosen for friendly matches in March 2025.

• Caps and goals are correct as of March 25, 2025.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Ovays Azizi	(1992-01-29) 29 January 1992 (age 33)	48	0	Ariana
22	1GK	Faisal Hamidi	(1997-03-16) 16 March 1997 (age 28)	10	0	Free agent
23	1GK	Eisa Azizi	(2002-12-26) 26 December 2002 (age 22)	0	0	Glenorchy Knights
2	2DF	Thomas Safari	(1996-05-14) 14 May 1996 (age 29)	1	0	AS Laval
3	2DF	Amanullah Sardari	(1999-06-05) 5 June 1999 (age 26)	9	0	Abu Muslim
4	2DF	Mahboob Hanifi	(1996-03-22) 22 March 1996 (age 29)	16	0	Abu Muslim
5	2DF	Suleman Zurmati	(1999-04-12) 12 April 1999 (age 26)	2	0	Karlstad Fotboll
6	2DF	Habibullah Askar	(1999-08-09) 9 August 1999 (age 26)	9	0	Bashkimi
12	2DF	Najim Haidary	(1999-12-26) 26 December 1999 (age 25)	14	0	VV Capelle
15	2DF	Mohammad Naeem Rahimi	(1994-04-04) 4 April 1994 (age 31)	8	0	Bulleen Lions
8	3MF	Abdul Raziq Ghafoori	(1996-12-19) 19 December 1996 (age 28)	0	0	Free agent
10	3MF	Rahmat Akbari	(2000-06-20) 20 June 2000 (age 25)	11	1	Gold Coast Knights
14	3MF	Zelfy Nazary (captain)	(1995-01-01) 1 January 1995 (age 30)	21	1	Bulleen Lions
16	3MF	Adam Ali Rustami	(2004-06-08) 8 June 2004 (age 21)	1	0	Vaughan Azzurri
18	3MF	Hamed Amiri	(2004-03-15) 15 March 2004 (age 21)	2	0	Abu Muslim
19	3MF	Omid Popalzay	(1996-01-25) 25 January 1996 (age 29)	43	7	Yogyakarta
7	4FW	Mosawer Ahadi	(2000-03-08) 8 March 2000 (age 25)	13	0	Bashkimi
9	4FW	Omid Musawi	(2001-01-01) 1 January 2001 (age 24)	15	0	Selangor
11	4FW	Taufee Skandari	(1999-04-02) 2 April 1999 (age 26)	12	0	Lee Man
13	4FW	Paiman Sultani	(2004-03-22) 22 March 2004 (age 21)	1	0	Scrosoppi
17	4FW	Farhad Alizada	(2005-07-12) 12 July 2005 (age 20)	3	0	Abu Muslim
20	4FW	Fareed Sadat	(1998-11-10) 10 November 1998 (age 26)	11	0	Bhayangkara

Recent Call-ups

These players were called up in the last 12 months and can still be chosen.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
GK	Keyvan Mottaghian	(2002-11-16) 16 November 2002 (age 22)	1	0	APOP Polis	v.  Tajikistan; 19 November 2024
DF	Zohib Islam Amiri RET	(1990-02-15) 15 February 1990 (age 35)	71	6	Retired	v.  Tajikistan; 19 November 2024
DF	Sharif Mukhammad	(1990-03-21) 21 March 1990 (age 35)	29	2	Abu Muslim FC	v.  Tajikistan; 19 November 2024
DF	Siar Sadat	(2003-08-21) 21 August 2003 (age 21)	4	0	Abu Muslim FC	v.  Tajikistan; 19 November 2024
DF	Yahyie Shirzai	(2005-05-22) 22 May 2005 (age 20)	0	0	Ishøj IF	v.  Tajikistan; 19 November 2024
MF	Jamshed Asekzai	(1997-10-09) 9 October 1997 (age 27)	7	1	IFK Trelleborg	v.  Tajikistan; 19 November 2024
MF	Yama Sherzad	(2001-01-01) 1 January 2001 (age 24)	4	0	FC Prishtina Bern	v.  Tajikistan; 19 November 2024
MF	Hakim Khan Niazi	(2006-08-14) 14 August 2006 (age 18)	2	0	Free agent	v.  Tajikistan; 19 November 2024
MF	Said Aref	(2003-08-04) 4 August 2003 (age 22)	0	0	Free agent	v.  Tajikistan; 19 November 2024
FW	Mohammad Arezou	(1988-12-28) 28 December 1988 (age 36)	28	9	Grane Arendal	v.  Tajikistan; 19 November 2024
FW	Maziar Kouhyar	(1997-09-30) 30 September 1997 (age 27)	10	0	Kidderminster Harriers	v.  Tajikistan; 19 November 2024
FW	Hossein Zamani	(2002-11-23) 23 November 2002 (age 22)	5	1	Free agent	v.  Tajikistan; 19 November 2024
FW	Moshtaq Ahmadi	(1996-04-21) 21 April 1996 (age 29)	3	0	Free agent	v.  Tajikistan; 19 November 2024
Notes INJ = Withdrew due to injury PRE = Preliminary squad RET = Retired from the national team SUS = Serving suspension WD = Withdrew due to non-injury related reasons

Player Records

Players in bold are still active with Afghanistan.

Most Games Played

Zohib Islam Amiri has played the most games for Afghanistan.

Top Goal Scorers

Faysal Shayesteh is Afghanistan's top scorer with 10 goals.

Tournament History

Global Competitions

FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup Record											Qualification Record
Year	Round	Position	Games	Wins	Draws	Losses	Goals For	Goals Against	Squad		Games	Wins	Draws	Losses	Goals For	Goals Against
1930	Not a FIFA member										Not a FIFA member
1934
1938
1950	Did not enter										Did not enter
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006	Did not qualify										2	0	0	2	0	13
2010											2	0	0	2	1	5
2014											2	0	1	1	1	3
2018											8	3	0	5	8	24
2022											8	1	3	4	5	15
2026											8	3	2	3	5	14
2030	To be determined										To be determined
2034
Total	—	0/23	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		30	7	6	17	20	74

Summer Olympics

Summer Olympics Record
Year	Round	Position	Games	Wins	Draws	Losses	Goals For	Goals Against	Squad
1908	Did not enter
1912
1920
1924
1928
1936
1948	Preliminary round	18th	1	0	0	1	0	6	Squad
1952	Did not enter
1956	Withdrew
1960
1964	Did not enter
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992 to present	See Afghanistan national under-23 football team
Total	Preliminary round	1/17	0	0	0	0	0	0	—

Continental Competitions

AFC Asian Cup

AFC Asian Cup Record											Qualification Record
Year	Round	Position	Games	Wins	Draws	Losses	Goals For	Goals Against	Squad		Games	Wins	Draws	Losses	Goals For	Goals Against
1956	Withdrew										Withdrew
1960	Did not enter										Did not enter
1964	Withdrew										Withdrew
1968	Did not enter										Did not enter
1972
1976	Did not qualify										6	0	1	5	3	18
1980											4	0	1	3	4	11
1984											4	0	1	3	1	20
1988	Did not enter										Did not enter
1992
1996
2000
2004	Did not qualify										2	1	0	1	2	5
2007	Did not enter										Did not enter
2011
2015	Did not qualify										AFC Challenge Cup
2019											14	4	3	7	15	34
2023											11	1	4	6	9	21
2027	To be determined										To be determined
Total	—	0/18	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		41	6	10	25	34	109

Asian Games

Asian Games Record
Year	Round	Position	Games	Wins	Draws	Losses	Goals For	Goals Against	Squad
1951	Fourth place	4th	2	0	0	2	0	5	Squad
1954	Group stage	12th	2	0	0	2	4	12	Squad
1958	Did not enter
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002 to present	See Afghanistan national under-23 football team
Total	Fourth place	2/13	4	0	0	4	4	17	—

CAFA Nations Cup

CAFA Nations Cup Record
Year	Round	Position	Games	Wins	Draws	Losses	Goals For	Goals Against	Squad
2023	Group stage	7th	2	0	0	2	1	9	Squad
Total	Group stage	1/1	2	0	0	2	1	9	—

SAFF Championship (2003–2015)

SAFF Championship Records
Year	Round	Position	Games	Wins	Draws	Losses	Goals For	Goals Against	Squad
2003	Group stage	8th	3	0	0	3	0	6	Squad
2005	Group stage	6th	3	1	0	2	3	11	Squad
2008	Group stage	7th	3	0	2	1	5	7
2009	Group stage	7th	3	0	0	3	1	7	Squad
2011	Runners-up	2nd	5	3	1	1	13	7
2013	Champions	1st	5	4	1	0	9	1	Squad
2015	Runners-up	2nd	5	4	0	1	17	3	Squad
Total	1 Title	7/7	27	12	4	11	48	42	—

Afghanistan was part of the South Asian Football Federation from 2005 to 2015. They have not entered this competition since 2015.

Honours

Regional Awards

• SAFF Championship
  • Champions (1): 2013
  • Runners-up (2): 2011, 2015
• South Asian Games
  • Silver Medal (1): 2010

More About Afghan Football

• Afghanistan women's national football team
• Afghanistan national under-23 football team
• Afghanistan national under-20 football team
• Afghanistan national under-17 football team
• Afghanistan national beach soccer team
• Afghanistan national futsal team
• Afghanistan Football Federation
• Roshan Premier League
• Football in Afghanistan
• Sport in Afghanistan
• Cricket in Afghanistan

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Afganistán para niños