SOCIETY — March 25, 2026

Most Afghanistan National Football Players Withdraw from Matches Against Myanmar and Syria

The Afghanistan Football Federation said most national team players have withdrawn from upcoming AFC Asian Cup qualifier matches against Myanmar and Syria due to the Middle East war, personal issues and injuries. Coach José Antonio Noguera plans to shift focus to domestic players afterward.

The Ehtebar Desk — originates with Bakhtar News2 min read

Most Afghanistan National Football Players Withdraw from Matches Against Myanmar and Syria
Image courtesy Bakhtar News

KABUL (Afghan Verified) — The Afghanistan Football Federation announced that most national team players have withdrawn from upcoming matches against Myanmar and Syria due to the Middle East war, personal problems and injuries.

The federation issued an official statement saying it had invited all eligible players, including those based domestically and abroad, for the matches in the framework of the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. Despite the invitations, most members of the national team have pulled out of training and will not participate.

One match, against Myanmar, is scheduled for 6 Hamal 1405 at Tunna Stadium in Yangon, Myanmar, with confirmation from the Asian Football Confederation. The federation described the fixture as a rare event where Afghanistan's team is set to host Myanmar on Myanmar soil.

Head coach José Antonio Noguera reacted to the absences by outlining future plans. "After conducting the two upcoming matches, we will focus more on Afghanistan's domestic players," he said. "Our plan is that in the future, the majority of the national team composition will be selected and invited from among the deserving players inside the country to form a motivated, committed, and available team."

The federation informed the public of the situation, expressing regret over the withdrawals while emphasizing the official invitations extended to players.

Read the original reporting at Bakhtar News

Reliability assessment

Single source provides direct, on-record attribution from Afghanistan Football Federation's official statement and named head coach José Antonio Noguera with concrete details including match dates, location, and specific plans.

The source language reads straight.

Across the newsrooms

Filed by

Filed under

SocietyAfghanistan Football Federation, José Antonio Noguera, AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, Myanmar, Syria

Spotted an error or have more on this story? Tip the desk on Telegram → or WhatsApp →.

Reader supported

Keep Ehtebar running

Every published story uses paid tools to translate reporting, compare sources, extract claims, and produce a clearer read on Afghanistan. Reader support helps keep that work independent.

€5

helps cover daily verification runs

€15

supports a week of source comparison

€50

keeps independent analysis moving