The AFC Futsal Cup 2026 is approaching its decisive stage: following the quarter-final matches, the semi-final participants have been determined.
Uzbekistan has exited the tournament, while Iran has confirmed its ambitions for the title.
In a match that became the central event for Central Asia, Iran, the reigning champion and 13-time titleholder, defeated Uzbekistan with a score of 7:4.
The game was intense: the Uzbekistan national team quickly seized the initiative, but by the end of the match, they were only trailing by one goal - 4:5. A key moment in the match was the red card shown to goalkeeper Elmurodov, after which Azimiematabadi converted a penalty, increasing the score gap. The match concluded with a goal from Hossein Sabzi.
Thus, Uzbekistan became the last representative of Central Asia to finish its participation in the tournament — Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan were unable to advance from the group stage.
Results of the other quarter-finals:
Iraq - Thailand 4:2
The Iraqi team confidently secured victory and reached the semi-finals for the first time in many years.
Japan - Afghanistan 6:0
One of the tournament favorites, Japan, decisively crushed the playoff debutant.
Indonesia - Vietnam 3:2
The host team achieved significant success — reaching the semi-finals for the first time in 11 years of participation in the AFC Cup.
Semi-final lineup (February 5):
14:00 - Iran vs Iraq
18:00 - Japan vs Indonesia
The final match of the tournament will take place on February 7 at 18:00.
About the tournament:
The AFC Futsal Cup 2026 is being held in Indonesia from January 27 to February 7, featuring 16 teams divided into four groups. The top two teams from each group advanced to the playoffs, where the champion of the continent will be determined.
Live broadcasts of the matches can be seen on the UTRK Sport and Kyrgyz Sport TV channels.
