Nickname(s) | The Lions of Khurasan[1] | |||||||||||||||||
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Association | Afghanistan Football Federation | |||||||||||||||||
Confederation | AFC (Asia) | |||||||||||||||||
Sub-confederation | CAFA (Central Asia) | |||||||||||||||||
Head coach | Ashley Westwood | |||||||||||||||||
Captain | Zohib Islam Amiri | |||||||||||||||||
Most caps | Zohib Islam Amiri (69) | |||||||||||||||||
Top scorer | Faysal Shayesteh (9) Balal Arezou (9) | |||||||||||||||||
Home stadium | Ghazi Stadium | |||||||||||||||||
FIFA code | AFG | |||||||||||||||||
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FIFA ranking | ||||||||||||||||||
Current | 151 (18 July 2024)[2] | |||||||||||||||||
Highest | 122 (April 2014) | |||||||||||||||||
Lowest | 204 (January 2003) | |||||||||||||||||
First international | ||||||||||||||||||
Biggest win | ||||||||||||||||||
Bhutan 1–8 Afghanistan (New Delhi, India; 7 December 2011) | ||||||||||||||||||
Biggest defeat | ||||||||||||||||||
Turkmenistan 11–0 Afghanistan (Ashgabat, Turkmenistan; 19 November 2003) | ||||||||||||||||||
CAFA Nations Cup | ||||||||||||||||||
Appearances | 1 (first in 2023) | |||||||||||||||||
Best result | Group stage (2023) | |||||||||||||||||
SAFF Championship | ||||||||||||||||||
Appearances | 7 (first in 2003) | |||||||||||||||||
Best result | Champions (2013) | |||||||||||||||||
AFC Challenge Cup | ||||||||||||||||||
Appearances | 3 (first in 2006) | |||||||||||||||||
Best result | Fourth place (2014) | |||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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The Afghanistan national football team (Persian: تیم ملی فوتبال افغانستان Tīm-e Millī-e Fūtbāl-e Afghānestān) is the national football team of Afghanistan and is controlled by the Afghanistan Football Federation. Founded in 1922, they played their first international game against Iran in Kabul, 1941. Afghanistan then joined FIFA in 1948 and the AFC in 1954, as one of the founding members. They play their home games at the Ghazi National Olympic Stadium in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. In 2013, Afghanistan won the 2013 SAFF Championship and earned the "FIFA Fair Play Award". Afghanistan has never qualified for the AFC Asian Cup.[5]
Afghanistan has also achieved notable results beyond its sub-confederation. In the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification, Afghanistan played against the 2023 AFC Asian Cup champions Qatar where they famously fight for a 0–0 draw.