The Golden Futsal Challenge (GFC) is an annual island-representative futsal competition held in the Maldives. It is organised by the Golden Futsal Association and is open to teams representing inhabited islands throughout the country. The competition is conducted through atoll, zone and national stages.
According to the President's Office, the competition was launched in 2016 as an open national futsal tournament for teams representing every inhabited island in the Maldives.
The 2025 tournament featured 128 participating teams and was described by Maldivian state media as the country's largest and most prestigious futsal competition.
The 2026 tournament was promoted as the tenth edition of the Golden Futsal Challenge. It began with a record 119 participating teams.
History
The Golden Futsal Challenge was established to provide players and teams from inhabited islands across the Maldives with an opportunity to participate in a nationwide futsal competition. Teams represent individual islands rather than conventional league clubs.
The tournament begins with competitions between islands from the same administrative atoll. Successful teams advance to geographically organised zone competitions, followed by a national stage in the Greater Malé region.
Early tournaments
Th. Thimarafushi won the inaugural Golden Futsal Challenge in 2016. The team subsequently won the competition in 2019 and 2022, becoming the first team confirmed to have won three national championships.
In the 2022 final, Thimarafushi defeated K. Gaafaru. A report announcing the following edition identified Thimarafushi as the winner in 2016, 2019 and 2022.
HDh. Naivaadhoo won the 2018 edition. Naivaadhoo later reached consecutive national finals in 2025 and 2026.
L. Gan won the 2023 Golden Futsal Challenge. Hussain Shareef, commonly known as Only, received the King of the Tournament award.
2024 tournament
B. Eydhafushi won its first Golden Futsal Challenge national championship in 2024. Eydhafushi defeated defending champion L. Gan 4–2 in the final.
Ishan Ibrahim, commonly known as Sattu, scored six goals during the national stage, including the opening goal of the final. He was crowned King of the Tournament and was also selected among the tournament's Best Five Players.
Mohamed Zeedhan Zuhuree of F. Bilehdhoo finished as the tournament's leading goalscorer. Abdulla Nasih of Eydhafushi was named Best Goalkeeper, while L. Gan coach Ismail Shareef received the Best Coach award. Ali Alsan of AA. Mathiveri was recognised as the Most Promising Player.
2025 tournament
The 2025 Golden Futsal Challenge began on 6 February and included 128 island teams from across the Maldives.
K. Kaashidhoo defeated HDh. Naivaadhoo 4–1 in the national final at the Rehendhi Futsal Ground in Hulhumalé. Kaashidhoo became the first team reported to have won the national championship without having won either its atoll championship or zone championship during the same edition.
Kaashidhoo goalkeeper Mohamed Saleel was crowned King of the Tournament. He became the first goalkeeper in the history of the Golden Futsal Challenge to receive the tournament's highest individual award.
The vice president of the Maldives, Hussain Mohamed Latheef, attended the final and presented the championship trophy, medals, prize money and individual awards.
2026 tournament
The tenth edition of the tournament was officially branded as the HD Hyundai Golden Futsal Challenge 2026. The tournament began on 3 January 2026 with a Golden Futsal Shield match between the champions of the previous two editions, K. Kaashidhoo and B. Eydhafushi. The atoll stage began on 4 January with 119 teams.
HDh. Naivaadhoo and GA. Dhevvadhoo qualified for the national final, held at the Rehendhi Futsal Ground on 14 February 2026. Naivaadhoo won the championship with a 9–3 victory.
Raul Niyaz of Kanditheemu Sports Club finished as the tournament's leading goalscorer.
The vice president attended the final and presented the championship trophy, medals, prize money and the King of the Tournament crown.
Competition format
The Golden Futsal Challenge is structured as a nationwide island-representative competition. The tournament has generally been divided into three principal stages.
Atoll round
During the atoll round, participating island teams compete against other teams from the same administrative atoll. Depending on the number of participating islands, the atoll competition may be played using a league, group or knockout format.
The successful teams qualify for the zone round. The best player and leading goalscorer of each atoll competition are also recognised.
Zone round
Teams qualifying from the atoll stage are divided into geographical zones. Each zone determines its champion and the teams that advance to the national stage.
Zone-level individual awards include:
Zone Best Player Zone Top Scorer Player of the Match awards Other awards announced for the relevant edition
National stage
The teams qualifying through the zone competitions advance to the national stage. The national phase includes knockout matches and concludes with the Golden Futsal Challenge final.
The national champion receives the championship trophy, winners' medals and prize money. The losing finalist receives runners-up medals and prize money.
Awards
The Golden Futsal Challenge presents awards at the atoll, zone and national stages.
King of the Tournament
The King of the Tournament is the highest individual award presented at the Golden Futsal Challenge. It is awarded to the player judged to have produced the best overall performance during the national tournament.
In 2025, Mohamed Saleel of K. Kaashidhoo became the first goalkeeper to receive the King of the Tournament award.
Top scorer
The tournament's Top Scorer award is presented to the player who scores the highest number of goals within the applicable statistical stage.
Atoll Top Scorer and Zone Top Scorer awards are calculated separately from the overall national Top Scorer award. Statistics should therefore identify whether goals were counted from:
the atoll stage; the zone stage; the national stage; or all stages combined.
Best Five Players
Five players are selected as the Best Five Players of the tournament. The award recognises the leading performers across different playing positions.
Other awards
Other awards presented during different editions have included:
Golden Futsal Challenge Best Goalkeeper Golden Futsal Challenge Best Coach Golden Futsal Challenge Most Promising Player Golden Futsal Challenge Fair Play award Golden Futsal Challenge Best referee or referee recognition awards Golden Futsal Challenge Player of the Match awards Golden Futsal Challenge Atoll Best Player Golden Futsal Challenge Atoll Top Scorer Golden Futsal Challenge Zone Best Player Golden Futsal Challenge Zone Top Scorer Golden Futsal Challenge Golden Futsal Shield
Finals and principal awards
Year Champion Runner-up Final score King of the Tournament Top scorer Source 2016 Th. ThimarafushiS.Feydhoo4-1 Ibrahim Hamdhaan Ibrahim Hamdhaan (13 goals) 2017HenveyruS.Feydhoo 2018 MaafannuL. GanAbdulla Ziyan (Junky)Abdulla Ziyan (Junky) (22 Goals) 2019 Th. Thimarafushi B. EydhafushiIbrahim Aswadh (Gabey)Ibrahim Ali, Ali Hafiz, Mohamed Inshau Ahmed (12 Goals) 2022 Th. Thimarafushi K. Gaafaru2--2 (P 3--2)Ibrahim Aswadh (Gabey)Ali Shifau (Rona) 2023 L. GanGdh.Vaadhoo8--4 Hussain Shareef (Only)Mohamed Iyaadh Ali 2024 B. Eydhafushi L. Gan 4–2 Ishan Ibrahim (Sattu) Mohamed Zeedhan Zuhuree (18 Goals) 2025 K. Kaashidhoo HDh. Naivaadhoo 4–1 Mohamed SaleelMohamed Shaain (14 Goals) 2026 HDh. Naivaadhoo GA. Dhevvadhoo 9–3Yaamin Mohamed Raul Niyaz (13 goals)
Best Five and other national awards
Year Best Five Players Best Goalkeeper Best Coach Most Promising Player Fairplay Team Source 2016 2017 2018 2019 2022Jumail Jameel (Kudahuvadhoo) Ibrahim Aswadh (Thimarafushi) Fayaaz Fayaz (Gaafaru) Ibrahim Sinah ( Thimarafushi) Ali Maais (Gaafaru)Ali Fahmee 2023 2024 Ishan Ibrahim (B. Eydhafushi); Haisham Hassan (B. Eydhafushi); Ali Shamis (L. Gan); Hussain Shareef (L. Gan); Ali Maais (G. Fuvahmulah) Abdulla Nasih (B. Eydhafushi) Ismail Shareef (L. Gan) Ali Alsan (AA. Mathiveri) — 2025 2026Abdulla Nasih 5 CSMohamed Nasid Ahmed NaseemSaif Ali Dhevvadhoo
Atoll awards
Atoll awards are presented following the completion of each atoll competition. These normally include the atoll championship, Atoll Best Player and Atoll Top Scorer awards.
Because an edition may contain competitions covering approximately 20 administrative atolls or city areas, the complete atoll awards should be recorded in the individual season article.
Atoll award register
Year Atoll Champion Best player Top scorer Player's team Goals Source 2026 Haa Alif 2026 Haa Dhaalu 2026 Shaviyani 2026 Noonu 2026 Raa 2026 Baa 2026 Lhaviyani 2026 Kaafu 2026 Alif Alif 2026 Alif Dhaalu 2026 Vaavu 2026 Meemu 2026 Faafu 2026 Dhaalu 2026 Thaa 2026 Laamu 2026 Gaafu Alif 2026 Gaafu Dhaalu 2026 Gnaviyani 2026 Addu City
Zone awards
Awards are also presented following the completion of each geographic zone. These include Zone Best Player and Zone Top Scorer.
Year Zone Champion Runner-up Best player Player's team Top scorer Player's team Goals Source 2026 Zone 1 2026 Zone 2 2026 Zone 3 2026 Zone 4 2026 Zone 5 2026 Zone 6
Sponsorship
Commercial sponsors have been associated with the Golden Futsal Challenge through title sponsorship and several supporting partnership levels.
Sonee Sports
Sonee Sports signed as the title sponsor of the 2022 Golden Futsal Challenge. Golden Futsal Association president Rizwan Moosa signed the sponsorship agreement on behalf of the organiser.
The competition continued to be publicly branded as the Sonee Sports Golden Futsal Challenge in 2023 and 2024.
Ooredoo Maldives
Ooredoo Maldives signed as a platinum partner for the 2022 Golden Futsal Challenge.
Ooredoo branding also appeared in association with subsequent editions of the tournament.
HD Hyundai
HD Hyundai became the title sponsor for the tenth edition in 2026. The title-sponsorship agreement was concluded between Quick Ezy Maldives, the authorised Hyundai distributor in the Maldives, and the Golden Futsal Association.
Chief Engineer Hussain Haleem signed on behalf of Quick Ezy Maldives, while event manager Ahmed Naseem represented the Golden Futsal Association.
The competition was consequently branded as the HD Hyundai Golden Futsal Challenge 2026.
Sponsorship history
Edition Official sponsored name Title sponsor Other tournament-level partners Source 2016 Golden Futsal Challenge 2016 2017 Golden Futsal Challenge 2017 2018 Golden Futsal Challenge 2018 Sonee Sports 2019 Golden Futsal Challenge 2019 2022 Golden Futsal Challenge 2022 Sonee Sports Ooredoo Maldives (platinum partner) 2023 Golden Futsal Challenge 2023 Sonee Sports 2024 Golden Futsal Challenge 2024 Sonee Sports Ooredoo Maldives 2025 Golden Futsal Challenge 2025 2026 Golden Futsal Challenge 2026 HD Hyundai, through Quick Ezy Maldives Sonee Sports; Ooredoo Maldives; other partners
Records and statistics
Performance by island
Island or team Champions Championship years Runners-up Runner-up years Source Th. Thimarafushi 3 2016, 2019, 2022 HDh. Naivaadhoo 1 2026 At least 1 2025 L. Gan 1 2023 1 2024 B. Eydhafushi 1 2024 At least 1 2019 K. Kaashidhoo 1 2025 0 — Henveiru1Maafannu
Championship ranking
Rank Island or team Titles First title Most recent title 1 Th. Thimarafushi 3 2016 2022 2 HDh. Naivaadhoo 1 2018 2026 3= L. Gan 1 2023 2023 3= B. Eydhafushi 1 2024 2024 3= K. Kaashidhoo 1 2025 2025
Notable tournament records
Most confirmed championships: Th. Thimarafushi, three titles in 2016, 2019 and 2022. First three-time champion: Th. Thimarafushi. First goalkeeper to win the King award: Mohamed Saleel of K. Kaashidhoo in 2025. Largest verified recent final victory: HDh. Naivaadhoo 9–3 GA. Dhevvadhoo in 2026.