President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa has congratulated Arkadag Football Club on winning the first round of the AFC Challenge League. The Turkmen team won the final match against Cambodian club Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng 2-1. The game was played on Saturday at a packed Morodok Techo Stadium in Phnom Penh. This was reported by the IIC.

The win was a landmark for Arkadag in its debut season and continued the Turkmen clubs' success at the continental level. Earlier titles in the defunct AFC President's Cup were won by HTTU FC in 2014 and Balkan FC in 2013.

Sheikh Salman highlighted the significance of the tournament, emphasising that the competition plays a key role in the development of football. He added that the establishment of the AFC Challenge League as part of the reforms aims to increase opportunities for clubs from developing associations, allowing them to participate in top-class tournaments and improve through competition.

On behalf of the Asian football community, the AFC President congratulated Arkadag on the historic achievement and thanked the Football Federations of Turkmenistan and Cambodia for creating a vibrant competitive atmosphere.