The Afghanistan Football Federation ( AFF) is the governing body of football in Afghanistan, overseeing the organization, promotion, and regulation of all national teams and leagues. Established in 1933, the AFF joined FIFA in 1948 and became a member of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in 1954. The organization is headquartered in Kabul, Afghanistan.
History The AFF has played a pivotal role in the development and popularization of football in Afghanistan, despite significant challenges posed by decades of political instability and conflict.
One of its most notable achievements came in 2013 when the Afghanistan national football team won the South Asian Football Federation Championship, marking the country’s first-ever international football trophy. This victory was widely celebrated as a unifying moment for the nation.
In recognition of its efforts to promote fair play and sportsmanship amidst adversity, the AFF was awarded the FIFA Fair Play Award for 2013. The award was presented at the prestigious FIFA Ballon d'Or ceremony in early 2014.
Women's football The AFF during the Islamic Republic era organized an Afghanistan women's national team. However, women's football was banned after the Taliban takeover in 2021.
League system and domestic competitions The AFF operates Afghanistan's domestic football league system, including the Afghanistan Champions League, which was founded in 2021. The ACL features teams representing various regions of Afghanistan, aiming to foster talent at the grassroots level and promote unity through sport.
In addition to the Champions League, the AFF organizes tournaments and programs to support youth development and engage local communities in football activities. These initiatives are part of the federation's broader strategy to rebuild and strengthen football infrastructure in Afghanistan.
Board members NamePositionSource Mohammad KargarPresident Behram SiddiquiGeneral Secretary Abdul Haq FaiziTreasurer Mohammed HashimiMedia And Communication Manager Hamed MaiwandTechnical Director Usmon ToshevTeam Coach (Men's) Delawar KhaledChairperson of the Referees Committee Walid Allah HabibiTeam Coach (Men's) Delawar KhaledHead/Director of the Referees Department Hamed MaiwandReferee Coordinator Kim Jae SeokTeam Coach (Men's)
Asian Football Confederation executive member
Term Name Elected Until 1 Sayed Ali Reza Aghazada 2019
Membership Organization Affiliation Notes FIFA since rowspan="3" AFC since SAFF 2005–2015; CAFA since Founding member
Presidents Presidency President Took office Left office Note 1 Mohammad Yousef Kargar 2019 present winner of 2013 SAFF Championshipwinner of FIFA Fair Play Award 2013
Footnotes
References
External links (in Dari)
Afghanistan at FIFA website (archived 9 June 2007) Afghanistan at AFC website (archived 21 June 2013) Afghanistan Football Federation President Afghanistan Football Federation General-Secretary (archived 2 April 2015)