The victory of the Arkadag football club in the AFC Challenge League final allowed Turkmenistan to increase its representation in the next season of Asian club tournaments to three teams.

Arkadag received a direct ticket to the group stage of the second AFC Champions League. Ahal will begin its performance with the playoff round of the second Champions League - in case of victory, the club will advance to the group stage of the tournament, and in case of defeat, it will continue to play in the Challenge League. Altyn Asyr guaranteed itself a place in the group stage of the AFC Challenge League.

Recall that in the final match of the AFC Challenge League, Arkadag defeated the Cambodian club Svay Rieng with a score of 2:1 in extra time. The goals for the Turkmen team were scored by Mekan Saparov in the 59th minute and Altymurat Annadurdyev in the 112th minute.

Following the final match, two representatives of Arkadag were awarded individual prizes. Altymurat Annadurdyev, who scored the decisive goal, became the tournament's top scorer with five goals scored. Shanazar Tirkishov was recognized as the most valuable player of the final match.

President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov signed an order to award cash prizes to coaches and athletes of the Arkadag football club of the Arkadag city administration, TDH reports.

As stated in the document, the award was given "considering the great contribution to bringing Turkmen sports to a high level, successful performance in the Turkmenistan Premier League, and victory in the AFC Challenge League final."

Recall that in the decisive match of the tournament, Vladimir Bayramov's team defeated the Cambodian club Svay Rieng with a score of 2:1 in extra time. The goals for the Turkmen team were scored by Mekan Saparov (59th minute) and Altymurat Annadurdyev (112th minute).

The official ceremony honoring the winners took place on Monday in the city of Arkadag on the square next to the stadium.

The Balkan Velayat Equestrian Complex hosted the next competitions of the spring racing season, the Turkmenistan newspaper reports.

In the first race, where three-year-old horses competed over a distance of 1,400 meters, the bay stallion named Shasenem from the farm of Begli Shaniyazov won, covering the distance in 1 minute 45 seconds.

The second race, also among three-year-old horses over a distance of 1,400 meters, was won by the black horse Garayel with a result of 1 minute 45 seconds.

In the third race, five horses of four years and older competed. The winner was the chestnut stallion Govenek, belonging to the State Committee of Turkmenistan for Water Management, covering the distance of 1,400 meters in 1 minute 51 seconds.

In the fourth race for horses four years and older at a distance of 1800 meters, the racehorse named Makhriban from the farm of Begli Shaniyazov won with a result of 2 minutes 14 seconds.

In the fifth race, the bay stallion Dovletli, owned by Seyitguly Tyulegenov, won, covering the distance in 2 minutes 15 seconds.

Shanazar Tirkishov and Altymyrat Annadurdyev became key figures in the victory of the Turkmen club Arkadag in the AFC Challenge League final. In a tense match against the Cambodian Svay Rieng, which ended with a score of 2:1, the players demonstrated a high level of skill.

Altymyrat Annadurdyev scored the decisive goal in the 112th minute of extra time, which brought the team victory in the tournament. This goal was the forward's fifth in the competition, which allowed him to win the title of the AFC Challenge League's top scorer.

Shanazar Tirkishov, in turn, was recognized as the most valuable player of the final match. His actions on the field significantly influenced the outcome of the match in favor of the Turkmen club.

Football club Arkadag triumphantly completed its performance in the AFC Challenge League, having achieved a historic victory in the final over Cambodian Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng with a score of 2:1 in extra time. Goals by Mekan Saparov and Altymyrat Annadurdiyev brought the prestigious trophy to the Turkmen team.

On the way to the final, Arkadag, led by Vladimir Bayramov, confidently won its group, beating Maziya Sport, Abdysh-Ata and Al-Arabi. In the playoffs, they defeated Indian East Bengal and Kuwaiti Al-Arabi in a dramatic semi-final. Arkadag's opponent, Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng, had previously defeated Shan United and Madura United.

This victory of Arkadag became an important milestone in the history of Turkmen football, demonstrating the growing level of national sports thanks to the attention and support of the country's leadership.

The Football Federation of Turkmenistan (FFT) has opened enrollment for a training course to obtain a category "D" coaching license, the FFT press service reported.

To enroll in the course, you must submit an application with a package of documents in PDF format via an electronic form before May 20. The training will take place on May 24-25 in Ashgabat.

After reviewing the applications, the FFT coaching education department will interview the candidates.

The national team of Turkmenistan will continue its participation in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championship in Group A of Division III. The composition of this group was determined following the conclusion of the world tournaments in the lower divisions.

Turkmenistan's opponents will include familiar teams from previous championships: Turkey, South Africa, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as newcomers to the group: Mexico, which was promoted from Group B of Division III, and Thailand, which was relegated from Group B of Division II.

While the venue for the tournament has not yet been announced, preparations for the competitions are fully underway. The Turkmen team, consistently performing at the Division III level, will strive to improve its standing and compete for promotion to a higher division.
Meanwhile, the Uzbekistan national team, which made a successful debut in 2024 and won Division IV, will play in Group B of Division III next season. Its opponents will be the teams of North Korea, Hong Kong, Mongolia, the Philippines, and Luxembourg, which was relegated from Group A of Division III. Uzbekistan is being considered as one of the potential hosts for the tournament of this group, provided an official bid is submitted.

The Kyrgyzstan national team, which won Group A of Division III, will be promoted to Group B of Division II next season. Its opponents have already been determined as Bulgaria, Chinese Taipei, Iceland, and New Zealand. The final composition of the group will be known after the completion of the matches in Group A of Division II.

At the highest level of the World Championship, the Kazakhstan national team will compete. In the top division, starting on May 9th, its group opponents will be the United States, Czechia, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, and Hungary. The top four teams will advance to the playoffs, while the bottom team will be relegated from the elite division.

The twelfth sports and tourism camp "Turiada" will open on May 20th in the city of Khvalynsk, Saratov Oblast. Among the foreign countries whose delegations will participate in the event, Turkmenistan has been announced. This was reported by the press service of Igor Komarov, the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of Russia in the Volga Federal District.

The traditional "Turiada" is held on the territory of the "Khvalynsky" ski resort and gathers approximately 800 participants from various countries and regions of Russia. The main body of participants consists of winners of regional competitions, tourism university students, coaches, experts, and volunteers.

This year, in addition to 14 teams from the Volga Federal District, international teams from Turkmenistan, Belarus, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Mongolia will also attend the "Turiada".

Over four days, participants will compete in sports tourism events involving cycling, water, and pedestrian distances. Particular attention will be paid to a project competition focused on developing interregional tourist routes. The winner will receive a grant of 400,000 rubles for the implementation of their route.

The program also includes an intellectual marathon, an original song contest titled "Music of Hearts," a sports and tourism relay race, and competitions among juniors. All participants will traditionally be accommodated in a tent camp.
The official closing ceremony of the "Turiada" will take place on May 23rd, with the participation of Igor Komarov, the Plenipotentiary Representative of the President in the Volga Federal District. The camp will conclude with a team relay race for the "Friendship Cup" in which mixed international teams, including representatives from Turkmenistan, will participate.

Turkmen judoka Oguljan Ruslanova won a bronze medal at the Quba Millennium Team Cadet European Cup 2025, which ended in Azerbaijan and brought together 354 athletes from 12 countries. She achieved this success in the 70 kg weight category, in which 18 athletes from 8 countries competed for the awards, the publication “Turkmenistan: Golden Age” reports.

In the first fight, Oguljan defeated Rena Ahmadova (Azerbaijan), and in the second, she defeated Russian Sofia Yarmantovich.

In the final match, Ruslanova lost to Nini Dzagania (Georgia) in a tough fight, and in the fight for 3rd place, she beat Russian Alina Chekmareva and won bronze. Together with Ruslanova, Georgia's Maya Gvaladze climbed to the third step of the podium. The silver medalist was Georgian Nini Dzagania, and the winner of the tournament in the weight category up to 70 kg was Lucie Roullier (France).

This is the 16-year-old judoka's second medal at an international competition. Last week, Oguljan won bronze at the European Cadet Cup in Germany.

Anamjan Rustamova, a representative of Turkmenistan, won the Junior World Weightlifting Championships. The tournament is being held in Peru.

Rustamova won the competition in the 87 kg weight category, lifting a total of 249 kg (108 kg snatch + 141 kg clean and jerk). Mexican Vanessa Lizarraga won silver – 244 kg (109 + 135), and Russian Maria Gruzdova won bronze – 242 kg (108 + 134).

A large-scale race under the motto "Sport is the key to peace and trust" was held in the Turkmen capital. The event was organized by the National Committee of Turkmenistan for UNESCO together with the State Committee for Physical Culture and Sports, the Central Council of the Youth Organization named after Makhtumkuli and the Ashgabat Khyakimlik.

Over 550 people took part in the sporting event, including students of higher educational institutions, students of sports schools and representatives of the capital's public of various age categories.

The 3.42 km long race route was laid along Bagtyyarlyk Street from the Arkadag monument bypassing the Ashgabat stadium and the Bagt Koshgi Wedding Palace with the finish line at the Arkadag monument.

Based on the results of the competition, winners were determined in several categories. Among students, the best were E. Esedova (Institute of Telecommunications and Informatics of Turkmenistan) and P. Babaniyazov (International University of Oil and Gas). In the category of adult residents of Ashgabat, V. Bayova and S. Saparov won. Among schoolchildren, the winners were A. Seydullaeva (Secondary School No. 76) and O. Orazmyradov (Secondary School No. 74).

All winners and prize-winners of the race were presented with valuable memorable gifts.

As Turkmenportal was informed by the press service of the National Committee of Turkmenistan for UNESCO, the event was timed to coincide with Turkmenistan's membership in the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for Physical Culture and Sport for 2023-2027 and is aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle and popularizing mass sports.

The International Junior Chess Tournament will be held from June 15 to 19 in Ashgabat. The competition will be organized at the Specialized Chess and Checkers School of the Main Department of Physical Culture and Sports of the Turkmen capital, the “Neutral Turkmenistan” newspaper reported.

The tournament will involve boys and girls in the age categories of up to 8, 10 and 12 years. The competition is being held as part of a program of events dedicated to Ashgabat's status as the "City of New Sports Opportunities of the Commonwealth".

Currently, young Turkmen chess players are intensively preparing for the upcoming international tournament.

Earlier, at the West Asian Junior Chess Championship, which was held in the capital of Tajikistan, the Turkmenistan team won five medals.