American football national side

Tajikistan

National team · Tajikistan

«The Persian Lions»

56 Matches

21 wins

17 draws

18 losses

77–59 Goals

+18 Difference

1.4 Scored per game

Form W W W D W D

Central Asian derbies give Tajikistan its sharpest edges.

That form dates back to the summer of 1992, when the federation, reconstituted after independence from a governing body that had existed since 1936, sent the side out for its first official match and came away with a 2–2 draw against Uzbekistan. FIFA and Asian Football Confederation membership followed two years later. The nickname Sheroni Fors, the Persian Lions, has stuck since, worn on a red shirt with white shorts and green socks pulled straight from the national flag.

The Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup gave the Lions their first real marker: champions in 2006, runners-up in 2008, third in 2010. Akhtam Nazarov earned 100 caps in that era and remains the side's most-capped player, while Manuchekhr Dzhalilov's 20 goals stand as the team record. The King's Cup followed in 2022, and the run to the quarter-finals of the 2023 Asian Cup topped it: wins over Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates, the latter on penalties, before Jordan ended the run. A World Cup finals appearance has stayed out of reach, the closest attempt stalling at the second round of qualifying.

Whatever comes of his tenure will be played out in Dushanbe, at the Markazii Jumhuriyavii Stadium, known for years as the Pamir Stadium.

Latest results

All matches

9 Jun	Friendlies	India H	1:1	D
5 Jun	Friendlies	India H	3:1	W
1 Jun	Friendlies	Palestine H
31 Mar	Asian Cup - Qualification	Philippines H	1:1	D
18 Nov 2025	Asian Cup - Qualification	Timor-Leste A	5:0	W
14 Oct 2025	Asian Cup - Qualification	Maldives A	3:0	W

Standing

Asian Cup

Group stage · Group A

#	Team	M	W	D	L	Goals	Pts
1	Qatar	3	3	0	0	5:0	9
2	Tajikistan	3	1	1	1	2:2	4
3	China	3	0	2	1	0:1	2
4	Lebanon	3	0	1	2	1:5	1

Full table

Team statistics

matches counted in total: 56

56 Matches

21 wins

17 draws

18 losses

77–59 Goals

+18 Difference

1.4 Scored per game

Match outcomes matches counted in total: 56

21 17 18

wins draws losses

Scored and conceded last matches

scored — above the line conceded — below the line

Metric	Total	Home	Away
Matches	56	25	31
Scored	77	39	38
Conceded	59	23	36
Scored per game	1.4	1.6	1.2
Conceded per game	1.1	0.9	1.2
Difference	+18	+16	+2

Key players

by appearances over the last year

Rustam Yatimov Goalkeeper 1 Matches

Parvizdzhon Umarbayev Midfielder 1 Matches

Tabrez Islomov Defender 1 Matches

Zoir Dzhuraboev Defender 1 Matches

Mehrubon Karimov Defender 1 Matches

Alijon Karomatullozoda Defender 1 Matches

Ehson Panjshanbe Midfielder 1 Matches

Akhtam Nazarov Defender 1 Matches

Squad of Tajikistan

by appearances over the last year

Number	Player	Position	Matches
1	Rustam Yatimov	Goalkeeper	1
7	Parvizdzhon Umarbayev	Midfielder	1
3	Tabrez Islomov	Defender	1
2	Zoir Dzhuraboev	Defender	1
12	Mehrubon Karimov	Defender	1
20	Alijon Karomatullozoda	Defender	1
17	Ehson Panjshanbe	Midfielder	1
19	Akhtam Nazarov	Defender	1
8	Amirbek Djuraboev	Midfielder	1
10	Alisher Jalilov	Midfielder	1
11	Muhammadjon Rahimov	Forward	1