Afghanistan national football team

Afghanistan
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)The Lions of Khurasan[1]
AssociationAfghanistan Football Federation
ConfederationAFC (Asia)
Sub-confederationCAFA (Central Asia)
CaptainZohib Islam Amiri
Most capsZohib Islam Amiri (69)
Top scorerFaysal Shayesteh (9)
Balal Arezou (9)
Home stadiumGhazi Stadium
FIFA codeAFG
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 151 Steady (20 June 2024)[2]
Highest122 (April 2014)
Lowest204 (January 2003)
First international
 Afghanistan 0–0 Iran 
(Kabul, Afghanistan; 25 August 1941)[3]
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
Appearances1 (first in 2023)
Best resultGroup stage (2023)
SAFF Championship
Appearances7 (first in 2003)
Best resultChampions (2013)
AFC Challenge Cup
Appearances3 (first in 2006)
Best resultFourth place (2014)
Medal record

The Afghanistan national football team (Persian: تیم ملی فوتبال افغانستان Tīm-e Millī-e Fūtbāl-e Afghānestān) is the national football team of Afghanistan and is controlled by the Afghanistan Football Federation. Founded in 1922, they played their first international game against Iran in Kabul, 1941. Afghanistan then joined FIFA in 1948 and the AFC in 1954, as one of the founding members. They play their home games at the Ghazi National Olympic Stadium in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. In 2013, Afghanistan won the 2013 SAFF Championship and earned the "FIFA Fair Play Award". Afghanistan has never qualified for the AFC Asian Cup.[5]

Afghanistan has also achieved notable results beyond its sub-confederation. In the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification, Afghanistan played against the 2023 AFC Asian Cup champions Qatar where they famously fight for a 0–0 draw.

  1. ^ The Lions of Afghanistan: Afghanistan national football team Live Mint. Retrieved 17 April 2021
  2. ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 20 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  3. ^ "Afghanistan - Historical results".
  4. ^ Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 7 July 2024. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  5. ^ "FIFA Member Association Afghanistan". fifa.com. 14 March 2017. Archived from the original on 9 June 2007. Retrieved 14 March 2017.

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