Sport
Turkmenistan is hosting the Taekwondo Championship for the Korean Ambassador's Cup
16.08.2025On 16-17 August this year, the Olympic Village in the Turkmen capital will host the traditional taekwondo competition for the Cup of the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea. This will be the 13th tournament since the competition was founded in 2010. This was reported by the IIC. According to representatives of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Turkmenistan, the annual taekwondo competitions in Ashgabat have become an important part of the development of cooperation between the two countries in the field of sport. Currently, taekwondo is developing rapidly in Turkmenistan, with about 500 athletes practising this martial art in the country.
The opponents of Turkmen football clubs in the AFC Champions League have been determined
16.08.2025The draw for the AFC Champions League has determined the opponents of Turkmen clubs on the international arena. This was reported by the IIC of Turkmenistan. The national champion ‘Arkadag’ will play in Group B against teams from Qatar, Uzbekistan and Bahrain. ‘Ahal’ has been drawn in Group C, where it will face teams from Iran, Jordan and India. Thus, both Turkmen teams begin a new stage in the struggle on Asian football fields.
Turkmen tennis players won four medals at a tournament in Thailand
16.08.2025Turkmen tennis players won four medals – three gold and one bronze – at an international tournament for players under 14 in Nonthaburi Province, Thailand. This was reported by the news agency ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. The competition, organised by the Asian Tennis Federation (ATF), brought together athletes from 12 countries. Ali Geldiyev won two gold medals, winning in the singles and doubles with Kerimgeldi Guldurdyev. In the singles tournament, A. Geldiyev defeated opponents from Thailand, China, Saudi Arabia and Hong Kong. In the doubles, the Turkmen duo defeated teams from Sri Lanka, Saudi Arabia and Thailand. Another gold medal was won by Aylar Kakabayeva in the singles, while Anna Ponyatova won the bronze medal, defeating a representative from Hong Kong. Earlier, Turkmen juniors had already shown high results at regional competitions, including silver at the Central Asian U12 Championships and gold at Asian tournaments among 14-year-olds. The successes of the athletes have been noted by ATF President Yuri Polsky, and recently, 10th grader Ilima Guseynova reached the semi-finals of the Roland Garros qualifying tournament for tennis players under 16.
Ashgabat will host taekwondo tournament for the Cup of the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea
15.08.2025From 16 to 17 August, Ashgabat will host the 13th Taekwondo Championship for the Cup of the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea in Turkmenistan. The competition will be held at the Martial Arts Arena in the Olympic Village, according to the news website Turkmenportal. The first tournament for the Ambassador’s Cup was held in 2010. Since then, these competitions have become an annual tradition and contribute to strengthening sports ties between the two countries. In 2017, the national teams of Turkmenistan and South Korea participated in the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games held in Turkmenistan. Today, about 500 athletes practise taekwondo in the country.
Turkmenistan will be represented by two clubs in the AFC Champions League-2
15.08.2025The ‘Ahal’ football club scored an important victory over Tajikistan's ‘Regar-TadAZ’ (2:1) in the AFC Champions League qualifying match. This was reported by the online publication Terra News. The match at the TALKO Arena in Tursunzoda was tense: Bagtiyar Gurgenov scored the first goal in the 62nd minute, but the hosts quickly equalised. The decisive goal in the 82nd minute was scored by Suleyman Mirzoyev, securing ‘Ahal’s place in the group stage. Due to this success, Turkmenistan will be represented by two clubs in the AFC Champions League for the first time in history: ‘Ahal’ and FC ‘Arkadag’, which moved from the AFC Challenge League. The draw will take place on 15 August.
The Embassy of Turkmenistan took part in a chess tournament at MGIMO
14.08.2025On 4 August, the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) hosted the opening ceremony of the ‘UN Friendship Games – 80’ sports project and a friendly chess tournament. The competition was organised by the Embassy of Turkmenistan in the Russian Federation, the UN Association of Russia, the United Nations Information Centre and the UN Public Committee – 80. This was reported by the press service of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Turkmenistan. The tournament was timed to coincide with the International Year of Peace and Trust. The ceremony was attended by Russian Foreign Affairs Minister Sergey Lavrov, Rector of MGIMO, Chairman of the Russian Association for the United Nations Anatoliy Torkunov, Director of the UN Information Centre Vladimir Kuznetsov, Turkmenistan's Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Russia Esen Aydogdyev, and UN Goodwill Ambassador and hockey player Vyacheslav Fetisov. In his speech, E. Aydogdyev emphasised that sports diplomacy is one of the key areas of Turkmenistan's foreign policy. He recalled the 30th anniversary of the country's permanent neutrality, the 80th anniversary of Victory Day and the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, and announced an international conference to be held in Ashgabat in December. More than 30 participants gathered for the tournament, including diplomats, students and pupils from sports schools. The winner received the Friendship Games Cup, while the other participants received commemorative diplomas. The ‘UN Friendship Games – 80’ series will continue in September with football, tennis and chess competitions.
Referee from Turkmenistan will work at World Wrestling Championships in Bulgaria
13.08.2025Magtymguly Zamanmyradov, representative of Turkmenistan, has been included in the panel of judges for the World Junior Wrestling Championships for athletes under 20, which will take place from 15 to 26 August in Samokov (Bulgaria). This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal. M. Zamanmyradov has international referee status and will work throughout the competition. The Turkmen referee has been assigned to officiate both Greco-Roman and freestyle wrestling matches.
Turkmenistan's national team for the World Freestyle and Greco-Roman Wrestling Championships has been determined
13.08.2025The Turkmenistan Wrestling Federation has approved the composition of the national freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling teams to participate in the World Youth Championships (under 20 years old), which will be held from 15 to 26 August in Samokov (Bulgaria). This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal. The freestyle wrestling team consists of five athletes: Azatberdi Ashyrgulyev (61 kg), Vatan Annaorazov (74 kg), Alp Arslan Begenjov (79 kg), Dovletgeldi Myradov (86 kg) and Orazmuhammet Hojalyev (92 kg). The Turkmen wrestlers will compete from 15 to 22 August. The Greco-Roman wrestling team, which includes Nuryagdy Dovranov (55 kg) and Husniddin Ulugbekov (60 kg), will compete from 19 to 26 August. The team is coached by Shageldi Annayev and Magtymguly Zamanmyradov. Reserve members include Kabe Matjanov (57 kg) and Kemal Kakabayev (63 kg). The athletes will be accompanied by coaches Mekan Orazov and Batyr Orazgylyjov, as well as federation representative Maksatmyrat Ilyasov. The delegation will be led by federation president Maksat Bayramov.
Turkmen karate fighters won 16 medals at the Central Asian Championships in Uzbekistan
12.08.2025From 3 to 13 August, Samarkand (Uzbekistan) is hosting the Central Asian Traditional Karate Championship. The Turkmenistan team performed well, winning nine gold, three silver and four bronze medals. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal. Young athletes performed particularly successfully in the kata and kumite disciplines. Shamyrat Hojageldiyev (6-7 years old) won two gold medals, Aylar Azadova and Damir Allaberdiyev (10-11 years old), Medine Kazakova (12-13 years old), Adylsha Atayev (14-15 years old), Ibragim Shagulyev (16-17 years old), Nurgeldi Annagurbanov (18-21 years old) and Hemra Begjanov (18-20 years old) won one each. Silver medals went to Aylar Ilhanova (two medals, 10–11 years old) and Selim Myratdurdyev (21–25 years old). Bronze medalists were Myahri Sahatova, Suleyman Rovshenov (both 12–13 years old), Soltansha Ataniyazov and Serdar Bayryev (both aged 16–17). About 500 athletes from five countries in the region took part in the tournament, with the Turkmen team represented by schoolchildren and students from Ashgabat, Ahal and Dashoguz velayats.
Turkmenistan's U-17 national team learns its opponents for the Asian Cup qualifiers
10.08.2025The Turkmenistan national youth football team (players under 17) has learned who its opponents will be in the qualifying round of the 2026 Asian Cup. This was reported by the IIC. According to the results of the draw, the team was placed in Group F, where it will face Thailand, Kuwait, Mongolia and the Maldives. The group stage matches will take place from 22 to 30 November 2025 in the Thai city of Chonburi. A total of 38 teams are participating in the qualifying tournament, divided into seven groups. Only the group winners will advance to the Asian Cup final, which will be held in May 2026 in Saudi Arabia. The 16 strongest youth teams in Asia will compete in the main tournament.
The Turkmenistan women's chess team has entered the FIDE TOP 50 ranking
09.08.2025The women's national team of Turkmenistan has entered the TOP 50 of the world ranking of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) for the first time. The ranking is based on the average rating of the country's 10 best female chess players. This was reported by the news agency ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. In December 2022, the team was only in 105th place with a rating of 1528, and previously the team had been in the top 70. The new record was made possible due to a change in the coaching staff, stricter selection, systematic training and psychological support. Under the guidance of head coach Shahruh Turayev, young talents have emerged. A particular success was the gold medal in category C at the 45th World Chess Olympiad in Budapest in September 2024, where the team finished 32nd in the overall standings. The training included training camps in Antalya with international coaches, including Grandmaster Vasily Ivanchuk. The Turkmenistan Chess Federation sees these achievements as a foundation for further development. Plans include participation in international tournaments and preparation for the 2026 Olympiad in Samarkand with the aim of entering the top 40 teams in the world.
Turkmen wrestlers won 16 medals at Asian Kurash Championships
04.08.2025From 30 July to 4 August 2025, the Turkmenistan national kurash team successfully represented the country at the 14th Asian Championships in the South Korean city of Geosan, where approximately 600 athletes from more than 25 countries participated. At the end of the competition, Turkmen athletes won 16 medals: 1 gold (Sabina Kadyrova in the weight category up to 78 kg), 6 silver and 9 bronze. This was reported by the IIC. This success confirmed the high level of training of the national team and strengthened Turkmenistan's position in the world sports arena. The opening ceremony of the tournament took place on 2 August with the participation of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Turkmenistan to the Republic of Korea, Begench Durdyev. In his speech, he noted that the development of sports and physical culture is a key area of state policy implemented under the leadership of President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and National Leader of the Turkmen people Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. The Ambassador emphasised that belt wrestling embodies the centuries-old traditions, fighting spirit and cultural heritage of the Turkmen people. He also drew attention to the symbolic nature of the championship being held in the year proclaimed by the UN, on the initiative of Turkmenistan, as the International Year of Peace and Trust, as well as in honour of the 30th anniversary of the country's permanent neutrality.
Read also
Advertising
Read us in Zen
