Sport
FIFA expert highly praised the prospects for football development in Turkmenistan
02.08.2025Football has great prospects in Turkmenistan, said FIFA technical expert Svetlana Kashuba during her visit to Ashgabat. This was reported by the press service of the Football Federation of Turkmenistan. As previously reported, courses for Category C coaches have started in Ashgabat, after which participants will be able to work with children aged 6–12. FIFA representatives Svetlana Kashuba and Rovshen Meredov are monitoring the process. S. Kashuba noted the high level of infrastructure and the work of experienced specialists in the field of football management. She advised young players and coaches to maintain their interest in the game, be persistent and pay attention to physical training.
Turkmenistan participates in the CIS Youth Cybersport Games in Moscow
31.07.2025The final stage of the ‘CIS Youth Cyber Sports Games’ kicked off in the Russian capital on 30 July. Turkmenistan is represented by talented players who successfully passed the online selection process alongside participants from six other Commonwealth countries. This was reported by IIC. The prestigious tournament was organised by the Russian Technological University (MIREA) with the support of the Council for Youth Affairs of the CIS Countries and the Russian eSports Federation. In his welcoming address, CIS Secretary General Sergey Lebedev emphasised the importance of the event for the development of youth cooperation. He noted that e-sports develop valuable qualities such as strategic thinking, team spirit and the will to win, which are important in all areas of life. Sergey Lebedev expressed his confidence that the Games will contribute to strengthening friendly ties between the youth of the Commonwealth countries. The tournament is in line with modern trends in digitalisation and promotes the popularity of e-sports among the younger generation in Turkmenistan and other CIS countries.
Turkmen football club ‘Arkadag’ defeats ‘Gjilani’ in friendly match
31.07.2025The footballers of the Turkmen club ‘Arkadag’ defeated the Kosovar team ‘Gjilani’ in a friendly match held as part of a training camp in Bulgaria. The game ended with a narrow 1-0 victory, according to IIC. The current Turkmenistan champions are training in the Bulgarian city of Bansko until 31 July. ‘Arkadag’s next official match will be on 3 August against ‘Ashgabat’ in a rescheduled match from the 20th round of the Premier League.
Turkmenistan took part in a FIFA working meeting
31.07.2025From July 21 to 25, a working meeting organized by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) was held in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. The event was attended by 24 specialists from 12 countries, including a delegation from Turkmenistan represented by the Secretary General of the Football Federation Serdar Geldiyev and Technical Director Rovshen Meredov. This was reported by the IIC. Under the guidance of leading FIFA technical experts Jamie Houchen and Jürg Nepfer, participants discussed in detail issues related to the technical organization of football activities. Particular attention was paid to long-term planning of football projects, leadership development, and the exchange of international best practices. This event was an important step in the implementation of FIFA's global program for the development of football around the world and confirmed Turkmenistan's active participation in the international football community. The knowledge and contacts gained will contribute to the further progress of Turkmen football at the professional level.
Turkmen expert conducts training for Tajikistan futsal referees
30.07.2025From 22 to 24 July, a specialised training seminar for futsal referees and inspectors was held in Tursunzade, organised by the Football Federation of Tajikistan. The lead trainer for the event was Turkmen expert Vadim Baratov from the Asian Football Confederation. This was reported by IIC. During the three-day training, 24 Tajik specialists (20 referees and 4 inspectors) studied in detail the latest changes to the futsal rules approved by FIFA. Particular attention was paid to analysing complex game moments and controversial situations that often arise during matches. Intensive classes were held twice a day, which allowed for the most comprehensive coverage of all aspects of modern refereeing. The seminar not only helped to improve the professional level of Tajik referees, but also strengthened cooperation between football experts from Turkmenistan and Tajikistan.
The Turkmenistan national team took second place at the Central Asian Chess Championship
29.07.2025The Turkmenistan national team won second place overall at the Central Asian Classical Chess Championship for boys and girls in 12 categories up to 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 and 18 years old, which took place from 20 to 29 July in Cholpon-Ata (Kyrgyzstan). This was reported by the news agency Orient. Despite its modest line-up of only 15 participants, the Turkmen team achieved high results, winning 6 medals: 2 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze. This allowed Turkmenistan to outperform the teams from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, losing only to Uzbekistan, whose chess players won 16 awards. The President of the Turkmenistan Chess Federation, Vepa Malikgulyev, noted that this success reflects qualitative changes in the system of training young chess players and a focus on achieving high results not only in individual but also in team competitions at international tournaments.
Turkmen swimmers began their performances at the World Championships in Singapore
29.07.2025Turkmen swimmers David Akopian and Aynur Primova have begun competing at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal. In the 100-metre backstroke, A. Primova took second place in her preliminary heat, setting a new personal best (1 minute 08.05 seconds), but finished 51st out of 56 participants in the final standings. D. Akopian also came second in his 50-metre butterfly heat with a time of 25.66 seconds, finishing 69th out of 97 participants. The Turkmenistan team will continue its performances on 30 July: A. Primova will compete in the 50-metre backstroke, Akopian in the 200-metre medley. They will be joined by Musa Zhalayev, who will compete in the 100-metre freestyle. On 31 July, Anastasia Morginshtern will make her debut in the competition, entered in the 100-metre freestyle. On 1 August, M. Zhalayev will compete in the 50-metre freestyle, and on 2 August, A. Morginshtern will close the tournament for the Turkmenistan national team with a swim in the same distance.
Turkmen taekwondo athlete won silver at Asian Championships
29.07.2025At the Asian Taekwondo Championships for Cadets held in Kuching, Malaysia, from 25 to 28 July, Turkmenistan achieved a significant success. Young athlete Alihan Maksadov stepped onto the podium of the prestigious continental championship, winning a silver medal. This was reported by IIC. This success was the result of the hard work of both the Turkmen athlete himself and the entire coaching staff of the national team. Alihan Maksadov's achievement marks a new stage in the development of taekwondo in the country, demonstrating the competitiveness of local athletes on the international stage. Maksadov's victory inspires the younger generation of Turkmen fighters and confirms the effectiveness of the chosen training methods.
The Turkmenistan youth football team is preparing for the qualifying stage of the 2026 Asian Cup
27.07.2025From 3 to 9 September, Jordan will host the crucial stage of the 2026 Asian Cup qualifying tournament for national teams under 23 years of age. The Turkmen team is in Group A, where it will face teams from Chinese Taipei, Bhutan and Jordan. This was reported by the IIC. The Turkmen footballers will begin their campaign on 3 September with a match against Chinese Taipei, then play Bhutan on 6 September and conclude the group stage on 9 September with a match against the tournament hosts, Jordan. A total of 44 teams are participating in the qualifiers, divided into 11 groups. The winners of each group, the four best teams among those finishing second, and the Saudi Arabian national team as the host country will advance to the final stage of the tournament, which will be held in January 2026 in Saudi Arabia. For the Turkmenistan youth team, these matches represent an important stage in their development and an opportunity to demonstrate their growing skills on the international stage. A successful performance could open up new prospects for Turkmen football.
Freestyle wrestlers from Turkmenistan won silver and two bronze medals at the Asian Championships
23.07.2025The prestigious Asian Junior Wrestling Championship for athletes under 20 years of age has concluded in the capital of Kyrgyzstan. The Turkmenistan team returned from the competition with three awards of various merits, highlighting the growing authority of the national freestyle wrestling school. This was reported by the online publication ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. Nineteen-year-old Dovletgeldi Myradov, a student at the Turkmen State Institute of Architecture and Construction, performed particularly well. In the weight category up to 86 kg, he consistently defeated strong opponents from South Korea and India, losing only to an experienced Iranian wrestler in the final and winning the silver medal. No less impressive were the performances of Vatan Annaorazov and Alp Arslan Begenjov, who brought bronze medals to the team. Annaorazov, also representing the Architecture and Construction Institute, showed character in difficult matches against wrestlers from Mongolia, Tajikistan and China. Begenjov, despite an unexpected defeat in the semi-finals, managed to pull himself together and confidently won the consolation match, adding another bronze medal to the team's tally. These achievements were part of the overall success of the Turkmen team, which won five medals in the tournament (including the cadet competition). The participation of athletes from 15 countries in the region made the competition particularly representative, and the awards won confirmed the competitiveness of the Turkmen wrestling school.
Turkmen racers won the International Silk Way Rally
23.07.2025Turkmen racers Merdan and Shokhrat Toylyev became the overall winners in the T2 production off-road vehicle class at the 2025 International Silk Way Rally, which finished on 22 July in the capital of the Altai Republic. This was reported by the Orient news agency. The finish ceremony took place in the centre of Gorno-Altaysk on Lenin Square, attracting thousands of spectators. The crew from Turkmenistan confidently completed the entire distance and won gold trophies in the prestigious rally for the second time in their career. The marathon started on 12 July in Irkutsk and covered a distance of 4,811 kilometres. Over 11 days, the participants traversed the harsh landscapes of Russia and Mongolia, from the shores of Lake Baikal to the sands of the Gobi Desert and the Altai Mountains. The success of the Turkmen crew was an important achievement not only for the drivers themselves, but also for the entire motorsport industry in Turkmenistan, confirming the high level of training of its athletes. A total of 101 teams from 15 countries took part in this year's Silk Way Rally. The organisers have already announced that the project will continue in 2026, promising an even more challenging and spectacular route.
The AFC Women's Asian Cup qualifying tournament will be held in Turkmenistan
23.07.2025From 13 to 19 October, Turkmenistan will host the qualifying round of the Asian Cup for girls under 17. The tournament is organised under the auspices of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). This was reported by the news agency Orient. The draw for the qualifying round is scheduled for 7 August. Twenty-seven teams will compete for a place in the final tournament, divided into eight groups. The winners of each group will qualify for the Asian Cup (U-17) final, which will be held in China in 2026. The Turkmenistan national team will be in the third pot for the draw. Other teams in this category include Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Guam, Mongolia, the Northern Mariana Islands and Tajikistan. Hosting the qualifying stage in Turkmenistan will be a significant event for the development of women's football in the country and will provide young female footballers with the opportunity to compete at the international level on home soil.
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