Sport
Stoichkov highlighted Turkmenistan’s contribution to the development of the FIFA initiative
15.04.2026Hristo Stoichkov, winner of the 1994 Ballon d’Or, visited Turkmenistan to learn about FIFA’s ‘Football for Schools’ programme. This was reported by Turkmenportal. According to him, the initiative continues to grow, expanding children’s access to football. It is also used as a tool for developing education, teamwork and life skills. Stoichkov noted the level of implementation of the project in Turkmenistan and thanked the Football Federation of Turkmenistan for their hospitality. Hristo Stoichkov is one of Bulgaria’s most decorated footballers. Over the years, he played for ‘Barcelona’ and ‘Parma’. His honours include victories in the European Cup and the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup, as well as four Spanish league titles. FIFA’s ‘Football for Schools’ programme aims to promote football among children and young people and to develop social skills through sport.
Students from Turkmenistan beat Uzbekistan to become tournament champions
15.04.2026The Turkmenistan university team has won the volleyball competition at the CAVA 2026 Men’s and Women’s Universiade Games, an international sporting event for university teams from Central Asian countries. The tournament took place from 9 to 14 April in Samarkand (Republic of Uzbekistan), according to IIC. In the final match for the gold medals, the Turkmenistan national team faced the team from the Republic of Uzbekistan. In a hard-fought match, the Turkmen volleyball players secured a 3-1 victory and won the tournament’s gold medals. At the conclusion of the competition, the Turkmenistan national university team took first place.
Turkmenistan’s sambo athletes won seven medals at the World Cup
15.04.2026The Turkmenistan national team won seven medals at the World Sambo Cup, which took place in Yerevan (Armenia). This was reported by the State Committee for Physical Culture and Sport of Turkmenistan, according to the online publication ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. More than 289 athletes from 21 countries took part in the tournament. They competed in 33 weight categories in sports and combat sambo, as well as in the blind athletes’ category. At the end of the competition, the Turkmen sambo athletes won 1 gold, 4 silver and 2 bronze medals. Sanjarbek Avazberdiyev won the gold medal in combat sambo (up to 64 kg). He defeated opponents from Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Kazakhstan to take the top spot on the podium. Last year, he twice won silver at the World Cups. Hakberdi Jumayev won the bronze medal in the same weight category. He secured several victories during the tournament and was only defeated in the semi-finals. Silver medals in combat sambo were won by Ahmet Tanryberdiyev (up to 58 kg), Kerim Kerimov (up to 71 kg), Kurbanay Kurbanova (up to 50 kg) and Ziba Orunova (up to 65 kg). Ataniyaz Amangeldiyev secured another bronze medal in sport sambo (up to 88 kg). The World Cup in Yerevan was the first official tournament of 2026 on the International Sambo Federation (FIAS) calendar. The results count towards the world rankings.
The Turkmenistan national team won three medals on the first day of the Sambo World Cup in Yerevan
14.04.2026The Sambo and Combat Sambo World Cup has kicked off in Yerevan, featuring around 300 athletes from 21 countries. The Turkmenistan national team started the tournament successfully, winning three medals on the first day of competition, according to the IIC of Turkmenistan. In combat sambo, silver medals were won by Kurbanay Kurbanova (up to 50 kg) and Zyba Orunova (up to 65 kg), both of whom confidently reached the finals in their respective categories. In sport sambo, Ataniyaz Amangeldyev, representing the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Turkmenistan, took bronze in the up to 88 kg weight class. The first day’s results—two silver and one bronze medal—marked a strong start for the team and confirmed the level of development of sambo in Turkmenistan.
A Turkmen wrestler has won a medal at the Asian Championships
13.04.2026Turkmen wrestler Alp Arslan Begenjov has won a bronze medal at the Senior Asian Wrestling Championships. The tournament took place from 6 to 12 April in Bishkek. The athlete competed in the under-86kg weight category. This was reported by Turkmenportal. In the qualifying round, Begenjov defeated Mongolia’s Byambadorj Bat Erdene with a score of 10–0. In the quarter-finals, he also secured an early victory over Bakhodur Kodirov of Tajikistan — 10–0. In the semi-finals, the Turkmen wrestler lost to Iran’s Kamran Ghorban Ghasempour 0–11 and went on to compete for the bronze medal. In the match for third place, Begenjov defeated Japan’s Yudai Takahashi 10–5 to secure a podium finish. The gold medal was won by Kamran Ghorban Ghasempour, who defeated India’s Mukul Dahiya 7–0 in the final.
A Turkmen boxer topped the podium at the Asian Championships in Ulaanbaatar
10.04.2026Turkmen boxer Dovlet Islamov has won a bronze medal at the 2026 Asian Championships in Ulaanbaatar, organised under the auspices of World Boxing. This was reported by IIC. The athlete reached the semi-finals, where he lost to Kazakhstan’s Aybek Oralbay. After the bout, his opponent praised the Turkmen boxer’s level of preparation and his progress, emphasising that he had been in top form throughout the tournament. Around 200 athletes from Asian countries took part in the competition. Islamov’s bronze medal was the result of the Turkmenistan national team’s performance and a testament to its competitiveness on the international stage.
Turkmen karate athletes won two gold medals at the World Championships
10.04.2026The Turkmenistan national team won 14 medals at the Ashihara Karate World Championships. The team secured 2 gold, 4 silver and 8 bronze medals. This was reported by IIC. Gold medals were won by Rejepmyrat Akmyradov (up to 85 kg) and Gulnabat Yazylova in the women’s kiwami kumite discipline. Silver medallists were Joshgun Tachmyradov, Jemshit Orazov, Serhet Haytekov, and Umyt Artykov in kiwami kumite. Bronze medals were awarded to Allamyrat Kurbanov, Merdan Akyabov, Farhat Jumayev and Yhlas Charyev, who stood on the podium twice. Gulnabat Yazylova and Umyt Artykov also won their second medals of the tournament. In the 13–14 age group, Begench Gurbangeldiyev won bronze. The result confirmed the competitiveness of the Turkmen Ashihara Karate school on the international stage.
The Embassy of Turkmenistan organised a football tournament in Ankara
07.04.2026On 5 April, a football tournament organised by the Embassy of Turkmenistan in the Republic of Turkey took place in Ankara. The event was timed to coincide with the 2026 motto ‘Independent Neutral Turkmenistan − the Homeland of Purposeful Winged Horses’ and World Health Day, reports the news agency Orient. Members of the ‘Arkadag’ football club’s fan club took part in the competition, as well as students studying in Turkey. The tournament marked another step towards strengthening cultural and sporting ties between Turkmenistan and Turkey, and also helped to promote a healthy lifestyle among the younger generation. During the matches, the participants demonstrated not only a high level of sporting skill but also team spirit. The final match proved particularly spectacular and left a lasting impression on the spectators. At the end of the tournament, all participants received commemorative gifts from the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Turkey.
Athletes from Turkmenistan won 123 medals in the first quarter
05.04.2026In Turkmenistan, between January and March 2026, athletes won 123 medals at international competitions. This was announced by B. Mammedov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, at a government meeting. This was reported by TDH. According to him, measures to develop physical culture, sport and international cooperation in this field were implemented during the reporting period. Summing up, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov emphasised the need for further work in the fields of science, education, healthcare and sport. The Deputy Prime Minister has been tasked with promoting a healthy lifestyle among young people on an ongoing basis. The Head of State also noted that World Health Day will be celebrated in the country on 7 April. He congratulated the meeting participants and citizens on this occasion. World Health Day was established to mark the founding of the World Health Organisation in 1948 and is observed annually on 7 April. The organisation comprises 194 member states, including Turkmenistan. The holiday aims to promote a healthy lifestyle, including a balanced diet, avoiding harmful habits and regular physical activity.
The Turkmen community in Herat organised a futsal tournament
05.04.2026A futsal tournament for ethnic Turkmen was held in Herat. The competition was organised to mark the 35th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s independence, according to IIC. The matches were held at the ‘Modern’ cultural and sports complex. The event was organised by the Consulate General of Turkmenistan. Eight teams from the Turkmen diaspora in the western region of Afghanistan took part in the tournament. More than a hundred spectators were present in the stands. Among the guests were representatives of relevant departments and the Herat Futsal Federation. The winners were awarded medals and trophies. Participants were presented with commemorative gifts. The event concluded with a joint sadaqah.
The Turkmenistan Badminton Federation has been awarded a prestigious international prize
31.03.2026The Turkmenistan Badminton Federation has received international recognition: at a ceremony held on 28 March in Bali under the auspices of the Badminton Asia Confederation, the organisation was awarded a special certificate in recognition of its contribution to the development of sport and humanitarian values. This was reported by the IIC of Turkmenistan. The document highlights the federation’s role in nurturing future champions and strengthening community spirit. The award was presented by the Confederation’s President, Kim Jong Soo. Among all Asian federations, only 13 organisations have received such recognition. Experts emphasised Turkmenistan’s systematic approach to sports infrastructure and the involvement of young people in an active lifestyle. Founded in November 2024, the federation has, in a short space of time, established training programmes and strengthened the country’s position as a promising participant in the international Olympic movement in Asia.
Turkmenistan's U16 tennis players have reached the semi-finals of the Davis Cup
30.03.2026Turkmenistan’s junior tennis team finished fourth out of 15 teams at the preliminary qualifying tournament for the U16 Davis Cup in the Asia-Oceania zone, which concluded in Colombo (Sri Lanka). This was reported by the publication ‘Turkmenistan: Golden age’. The team, seeded sixth, was represented by 9th grade students: Suleyman Hudayberdiyev (Specialised Secondary School No. 86, Ashgabat), Ali Geldiyev (School for the Training of Young Olympians) and Kerimgeldi Guldurdyev (A.S. Pushkin Joint Turkmen-Russian School). In the group stage, the Turkmenistan team finished top of Group ‘B’, beating the Oman team 3–0 and defeating the teams from Myanmar and Singapore 2–1 in hard-fought matches. In the quarter-finals, the Turkmen tennis players secured a confident 2-0 victory over the Philippines. In the semi-finals, the Turkmenistan team lost 0–2 to the third-seeded Vietnamese side, showing resilience and fighting spirit in two lengthy singles matches. In the third-place play-off, the Turkmen juniors lost to Sri Lanka, conceding only in the doubles match – 1–2. The team thus finished the tournament in fourth place, achieving their best result in all their years of participation in the regional Davis Cup qualifiers. Ali Geldiyev made a significant contribution to this success, securing five victories in six singles matches at tournaments in Qatar and Thailand. Kerimgeldi Guldurdyev and Suleyman Hudayberdiyev, who have experience of competing in international tournaments, also played an active part in the team’s victories. The juniors’ preparation for the tournament was overseen by their personal coaches and the captain of the Turkmenistan national team, Gurbanberdi Gurbanberdiyev. Ali Geldiyev honed his skills under Gurbanberdi Gurbanberdiyev and Meylis Orazmuhammedov, Suleyman Hudayberdiyev trained under the guidance of Yuri Rogussky, and Kerimgeldi Guldurdyev under Hajymyrat Charyev. In the final of the preliminary tournament, the teams from Malaysia and Vietnam competed for a place in the final qualifying round, where the Malaysian tennis players secured a 2-0 victory. The Davis Cup Junior was established by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) in 1985 as the World Cup for boys under 16 and has been held under its current name since 2002. The winners of the regional qualifiers advance to the final stage, where they compete for the title of champion.
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