The men's team of Turkmenistan in its second victory in a row and the fifth in the tournament at the 45th World Chess Olympiad, which is ongoing in Budapest. In the 8th round, it won with a score of 2.5:1.5 against the 46th seed team of Iceland (average rating - 2483), for which international grandmasters play on the first three boards, and an international master on the 4th.

The decisive contribution to the success of our team, seeded 73rd, was made by International Master Saparmyrat Atabayev and Grandmaster Meylis Annaberdiyev, who won on the first and second boards, respectively, over Vignir Vatner Stefansson and Gudmundur Kjartonsson, as well as Allayar Shirliyev, who tied on the fourth board with Hilmir Freyr Heimisson.

After this victory, the Turkmen chess players climbed another 20 steps in the tournament table, occupying 55th place among 188 men's teams with 10 points out of a possible 16, and 4 points behind the teams of Uzbekistan and Hungary, who share 2nd and 3rd place.

But the Turkmen chess players (73rd seed; average rating – 1956) after a series of successful games «slowed down». In the 8th round they lost to their opponents from Switzerland (21st seed; average rating – 2282) – 1:3 and with 10 points out of 16 possible dropped from 25th place in the table to 37th among 169 women's teams.

Vice-champion of Turkmenistan Lala Shohradova (personal rating – 2030) played a draw on the first board with the nominated for the title of the best chess player in the history of chess, former world champion, international grandmaster Alexandra Kostenyuk (personal rating – 2483), although during the game she had an advantage and a good chance to inflict her first defeat in the tournament on her famous opponent. According to the coach of the Turkmenistan national team Mergen Kakabayev, «at the decisive moments of the game Lala played too cautiously and lost the advantage». In fairness, it should be noted that in this game, 18-year-old Lala demonstrated an accuracy level of 95.9%, which corresponds to the grandmaster level.

Meryem Agajanova (2nd board; rating – 2007) also drew her game against FIDE Master Lena Georgescu (2266). But Leyla Shohradova and Jahan Rejepova, who played on the 3rd and 4th boards, unfortunately lost to Sofia Gryzlova and the European Champion under 16 Maria Manko, respectively. Jahan made a gross mistake already in the opening, and Leyla, having an advantage, miscalculated when approaching time trouble.

In the next, 9th round, the men's team of Turkmenistan will play against the Canadian team (seeded number 50; average rating - 2468), which is in 42nd place and has made several surprises at the 2024 Olympics, having won against the New Zealand team the day before - 3:1. And our women's team will meet with opponents from Montenegro (seeded number 42; average rating - 2142), who in the previous round won against the chess players of Algeria - 2.5:1.5 and currently occupy the 34th place in the tournament table.

The Indian team continues to hold the lead in the men's overall standings, not knowing defeats yet. And in the women's category, the Indian chess players suffered their first defeat from Poland - 1.5:2.5, and now there is a triumvirate here. India, Poland and Kazakhstan have 14 points out of 16.

Turkmenistan national team and Ashgabat “Altyn Asyr” striker Murat Annayev made history by scoring the first goal for Central Asian teams in the group stage of the 2024/2025 AFC Champions League 2. This achievement was significant not only for “Altyn Asyr”, but also for the entire region, represented in the two most important AFC club tournaments – the AFC Elite Champions League and the AFC Champions League 2.

The historic moment came in the 70th minute of the away match against Iraqi Air Force in Baghdad. Annayev equalized the score after converting an assist from Hoshgeldy Hojovov. Despite the heroic efforts of the 31 years old forward, the match ended with a 2-1 victory for the home team when Hiran Ahmed scored the decisive goal two minutes before the end of regulation time.

Annayev's goal was the only bright spot for the Central Asian teams participating in the group stage of both the AFC Elite Champions League and the AFC Champions League 2.

Other representatives of the region were unable to distinguish themselves: Tashkent's “Pakhtakor” lost to “Al-Wasl” from the UAE (0:1), Dushanbe's “Istiklol” lost to “Al-Sharjah” from the UAE (0:1), and Karshi's “Nasaf” and Kulyab's “Ravshan” played to a 0:0 draw with “Al-Kuwait” and “Mohun Bagan”, respectively.

Turkmenistan is beginning active preparation of national teams for the XXXIV Summer Olympic and XVIII Summer Paralympic Games, which will be held in Los Angeles (USA) in 2028. This decision was made at an extended meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers chaired by President Serdar Berdimuhamedov.

As reported by the State News Agency of Turkmenistan, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers Bayramgul Orazdurdyeva proposed to create an Organizing Committee and develop a program for the comprehensive training of athletes. The plan includes organizing training sessions and camps at the Olympic village in Ashgabat and the sports complex in the “Avaza” National Tourist Zone.

President Serdar Berdimuhamedov emphasized that the development of physical education and sports at the global level, as well as the successful participation of Turkmen athletes in major international competitions are priorities of state policy. He instructed to continue work in this direction, noting the importance of timely preparation for the upcoming Games.

At the recent 2024 Olympics in Paris, Turkmenistan was represented by 6 athletes in various disciplines: judokas Serdar Rahimov and Maysa Pardayeva, weightlifter Davranbek Hasanbayev, swimmers Musa Zhalayev and Aynura Primova, track and field athlete Valentina Meredova. At the Paralympic Games in Paris, Turkmen athlete Mayagozel Ekeyeva competed in para-powerlifting.

Particularly noteworthy is the historic achievement of Turkmenistan at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, where Polina Guryeva, under the guidance of the head coach of the national team Artur Emiryan, won the first and so far only Olympic medal in the history of independent Turkmenistan – silver in weightlifting in the weight category up to 59 kilograms. Her total result in the biathlon was a record 217 kilograms.

Thus, preparations for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles are becoming an important stage in the development of sports in Turkmenistan, aimed at strengthening the country's position in the international sports arena and repeating, and possibly exceeding, the previous achievements of Turkmen athletes.

The Turkmenistan U-20 national team arrived in Uzbekistan for training camps ahead of the 2025 Asian Cup qualifying matches.

The training camps, led by head coach Dovletmyrat Annayev, will last in Uzbekistan until September 23, after which the team will travel to Kyrgyzstan to participate in the qualifying matches.

Turkmenistan is in Group "I", where they will face Japan on September 25, Kyrgyzstan on September 27, and Myanmar on September 29.

These matches are crucial for the Turkmen team, as they have never previously qualified for the U-20 Asian Cup.

To advance to the final stage of the continental tournament, which will be held in China, the Turkmen team needs to finish first in their group or be one of the five best second-placed teams.

Before the qualifying matches, the Turkmenistan national team held a series of friendly matches in Spain, including a draw with the Wales youth team (2:2) and matches against the Faroe Islands team (1:3) and FC Real Murcia (0:1).

The International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) has updated the ranking of national teams. Turkmenistan has moved up two positions and now ranks 142nd.

The current world champions Argentina are still the leaders of the ranking. The second place is occupied by the French team, and the third place is occupied by the Spanish team.

The Japanese team leads the Asian ranking, followed by Iran, the Republic of Korea, Australia and Qatar.

Football club “Roma” has announced the resignation of Daniele De Rossi as head coach of the team. The decision was made by the club's management after the team scored only 3 points in the first four rounds of the Italian championship, ending up in 16th place in the standings, TASS reports.

In a statement, the club said the decision was taken in the best interests of the team to get it back on track. “Roma” thanked De Rossi for his work, enthusiasm and dedication in recent months.

De Rossi, 41, took over at “Roma” only recently, on January 16 this year, replacing Portuguese coach Jose Mourinho.

Before starting his coaching career, De Rossi was a legendary player of “Roma”, playing for the club from 2002 to 2019. During this time, he played 616 matches, scored 63 goals and made 60 assists. Together with the team, he won the Italian Cup twice and the Italian Super Cup once.

De Rossi also has extensive experience playing for the Italian national team, where he played 117 games, scored 21 goals and made 5 assists. His greatest achievement with the national team was winning the 2006 World Cup.

Turkmen 'Altyn Asyr' lost to Iraqi 'Air Force' in the first round of the AFC Champions League 2. The match took place in Baghdad and ended in favor of the home team with a score of 2:1.

'Air Force' players opened the scoring in the 50th minute thanks to a goal by Carlos Salazar. However, the Turkmen team did not give up, and in the 70th minute, Murat Annayev equalized the score. It seemed the match would end in a draw, but two minutes before the end of regular time, Hiran Ahmed put 'Air Force' ahead, setting the final score at 2:1.

The situation for 'Altyn Asyr' worsened in added time when Dovletgeldi Mirsultanov, who came on as a substitute in the second half, received a red card in the 96th minute.

In a parallel match of Group B, Saudi 'Al-Taawoun' defeated Bahraini 'Al-Hidd' away with a score of 3:2. After the first round, 'Air Force' and 'Al-Taawoun' topped the group with 3 points each, while 'Altyn Asyr' and 'Al-Hidd' remained without points.

In the second round of the tournament, 'Altyn Asyr' will face 'Al-Hidd,' and 'Air Force' will play against 'Al-Taawoun.'

On September 18, a ceremony of handing over uniforms and special equipment for taekwondo from the Embassy of the Republic of Korea to the National Taekwondo Center of Turkmenistan was held in Ashgabat. In total, about 180 pieces of equipment were donated, including taekwondo uniforms, helmets, breastplates, arm and leg protection, and gloves.

The event was held in the indoor track and field complex of the Olympic Village. The sports equipment was donated with the support of the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Taekwondo Promotion Foundation.

Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Ji Kyu-Taek, who was present at the ceremony, assured of continued efforts to popularize taekwondo in Turkmenistan. Director of the National Taekwondo Center Bashim Rozyev expressed gratitude for the support provided.

It is worth noting that cooperation in the field of taekwondo between the two countries has a long history. Since 2010, a taekwondo tournament for the Cup of the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea has been held annually in Turkmenistan. This year the competition took place on August 24-25, attracting more than 180 participants.

Head coach of the Turkmenistan national football team, Mergen Orazov, recently returned from Portugal, where he underwent an intensive internship. This trip opened new prospects for the development of Turkmen football and brought valuable experience.

Mergen Orazov's internship program was intensive and productive. The head coach of the Turkmenistan national team met with the technical director of the Portuguese Football Federation, José Couceiro, discussing the league structure and talent development methods. Additionally, there was a visit to the Portuguese Football Academy, which allowed him to familiarize himself with the advanced system of training top-level coaches.

The key moments of the internship were two meetings with the head coach of the Portuguese national team, Roberto Martinez. Mergen Orazov had a unique opportunity to observe match preparations and participate in detailed game analysis.

Portuguese Experience: What Can Be Applied in Turkmenistan

Mergen Orazov highlighted several aspects of Portuguese football that can be adapted in Turkmenistan. Among them is the player evaluation system on a five-point scale, which includes not only sports performance but also behavior. 'This is done discreetly. A player who scores fives in all criteria automatically gets on the candidate list if not injured,' explained the coach.

Orazov also noted the practice of involving young players in the national team for their development and the group approach to analytical work before matches. 'This allows for a detailed study of tactical moments,' he emphasized.

Plans for the Development of Turkmen Football

Based on the experience gained, Orazov plans to implement several changes in the preparation of the national team. 'In November, training camps and friendly matches in a closed format are planned to test new candidates,' said the coach. Special attention will be given to young players.

The immediate goal of the team is a successful performance in the qualifying tournament for the 2027 Asian Cup. 'Our goal is to qualify for the Asian Championship,' stated Orazov.

Innovations in the Turkmenistan Football Federation

Parallel to the work on the national team, the Turkmenistan Football Federation is undergoing an active modernization process. The federation's charter is being updated, and a video archive of the Higher League and Turkmenistan Cup matches is being created. 'Clubs are provided with video clips of all games so they can study each other and prepare for matches,' noted Orazov.

The Federation plans to cooperate with international platforms to promote Turkmen players. 'This will help our players move to strong championships, which will also improve the level of our football,' explained the coach.

Long-term Development Strategy

The Federation is developing a comprehensive system for training players, starting from academies to the professional level. A three-tier system is planned: Higher League, Reserve League, and First League.

'The idea is to guide a player from the academy until the age of 17, and then he will have three options: go directly to the Higher League if he is talented and physically ready, play in the Reserve League, or in the First League,' said Mergen Orazov.

The possibility of inviting Portuguese instructors to train Turkmen coaches is also being considered.

Meeting with Roberto Martinez: Impressions and Prospects

Orazov was impressed by the openness and willingness to share experiences demonstrated by Roberto Martinez. 'No secrets, no barriers – everyone is ready to share and help,' noted the Turkmen coach.

The possibility of signing a memorandum of cooperation between the federations of Turkmenistan and Portugal was discussed. Notably, Portuguese specialists highly appreciated the potential of Turkmen football, especially noting the youth team's game against Wales (2:2).

Mergen Orazov's internship in Portugal opened new prospects for Turkmen football. The introduction of advanced practices, modernization of the player and coach training system, and possible international cooperation – all this gives grounds to hope for a qualitative leap in the development of football in Turkmenistan in the coming years.

The women's team of Turkmenistan is demonstrating impressive results at the 45th World Chess Olympiad in Budapest. After the sixth round, the Turkmen chess players topped the tournament table in category C, having scored 8 team points out of 12 possible. The team, seeded 73rd in the overall standings, currently ranks 36th among 183 national women's teams. This was reported to Turkmenportal by the Chess Federation of Turkmenistan.In the last round, the Turkmen team, with an average rating of 1956, won a confident victory over the Brazilian team (average rating of 2132) with a score of 3:1. Leyla Shohradova and Enesh Arazmedova, who won their games on the third and fourth boards respectively, distinguished themselves in particular. It is worth noting that 17 years old Enesh Arazmedova demonstrates a 100% result, having won all four of her games in the tournament.

In the last round, the Turkmen team, with an average rating of 1956, won a confident victory over the Brazilian team (average rating of 2132) with a score of 3:1. Leyla Shohradova and Enesh Arazmedova, who won their games on the third and fourth boards respectively, distinguished themselves in particular. It is worth noting that 17 years old Enesh Arazmedova demonstrates a 100% result, having won all four of her games in the tournament.

The closest competitor of the Turkmen team in category C is the Malaysian team, which also scored 8 points and is in 45th place in the overall standings. In the next, seventh round, the Turkmen chess players will have to compete with the Cuban team, which is in 39th place and has an average rating of 2215.

The men's team of Turkmenistan has shown more modest results so far, having scored 6 points out of 12 possible in the stronger category B.

In the overall standings of the tournament, the Indian teams are leading in both the women's and men's categories.

The Chess Olympiad will last until September 22.

113 sportsmen from Ashgabat, Dashoguz, Lebap and Mary velayats of the country gathered for the Turkmenistan Tennis Cup, which started today in the capital.

The competition, in which 59 young men and 54 girls aged 13 and over participate, is held on the courts of the multifunctional stadium «Ashgabat».

The winners of the Cup, which is served as the chief judge by the 39-year-old national category referee, holder of the international coaching category Level 1 Yevgeniy Molchanov, will be determined in singles, doubles and mixed categories.

The Turkmenistan Cup is one of the most important annual tournaments, after which the composition of the national team will be determined.

The competition will end on the 22nd of September.

Turkmen athletes won two bronze medals at the Asian Boxing Championship among juniors, schoolboys and schoolgirls that ended in Al Ain (UAE).

The competition brought together a total of 462 boxers from 26 countries, who competed for medals in 13 weight categories among juniors born in 2008-2009 and in 15 weight categories among schoolboys and schoolgirls born in 2010-2011.

The Turkmenistan team was represented at this tournament by 10 boxers. Two of them competed in the younger age group and eight in the older one.

Our compatriots achieved success in the junior tournament. The first to reach the third step of the podium was Begench Kakamyradov, a 10th-grader from Secondary School №1 in Yoloten, Mary Velayat. In the 50 kg weight category, in which 14 boxers competed for medals, he won two victories, beating Siva Chainarong (Thailand) 3:2 and Fan-Rui Shao (Taiwan) 5:0. In the semi-finals, Begench, who will turn 16 on the 11th of October, lost to Harsh Harsh (India) 1:4 and had to settle for a bronze medal. 

Another bronze in this weight category went to Oleksandr Malakhov (Ukraine). Silver was awarded to Indian boxer Harsh Harsh. The champion was Mukhammed Rizo Ukimov from Uzbekistan, who won the final with a score of 4:1.

The second bronze medal in our team was won by 16-year-old 11th grade student of the 78th Ashgabat Secondary School Sapargeldi Nuryagdyyev. He achieved this success in the welterweight category up to 70 kg, in which 12 boxers competed for the awards. In the 1/8 finals, Sapargeldi won in the third round due to the obvious advantage of Nahyan Al-Ghafri from the United Arab Emirates, and in the quarterfinals, by a split decision of the judges, he won against Usman Kaparov (Kyrgyzstan) - 3:2. In the semifinals, S. Nuryagdyyev lost to Diyorbek Murodilloyev (Uzbekistan) - 0:5, becoming the bronze medalist.

Together with the Turkmen boxer, Prashant Prashant (India) climbed to the third step of the podium, Uzbek athlete Diyorbek Murodilloyev climbed to the second, and Mohammad Saleh Mesbahi Ro (Iran) climbed to the highest step, having won a unanimous decision over his opponent in the final.

The Turkmenistan team was prepared for the Asian Championship by coaches Sapardurdy Bagyyev and Myrat Pazzyyev.