CAFA Nations Cup 2025/26

The CAFA Nations Cup is a senior men's international football tournament organized by the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA). Founded in 2023, the competition serves as the flagship event for the six member associations: Afghanistan, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. It operates as a regional sub-competition within the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) pyramid, standing apart from the top-tier AFC Asian Cup and not serving as a qualification pathway for that major tournament.

The format typically involves eight teams, comprising the six full members alongside two invited guest teams from other AFC zones, such as the West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) or the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF). For the 2025 edition, hosted by Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, the participants included Oman and India. The tournament is held biennially, with the inaugural edition taking place in June 2023 in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. That first competition featured seven teams, with Iran securing victory over Uzbekistan in the final. By 2025, the field expanded to eight sides divided into two groups of four. Uzbekistan claimed the title by defeating Iran 1-0 after extra time, while India finished third by overcoming Oman on penalties.

The CAFA Nations Cup distinguishes itself through the systematic inclusion of guest teams from outside the confederation, creating a more open and inter-regional structure. While Afghanistan and Pakistan are unique in being members of both the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) and CAFA, the tournament remains focused on Central Asian development. The next edition is scheduled for 2027 in Turkmenistan. The CAFA organization itself was approved in principle by the AFC in June 2014 and officially established on January 9, 2015, largely due to disputes between the Iranian Football Federation and the WAFF.