DUSHANBE, 23.05.2025 (NIAT Khovar) – The newly formed Tajikistan U-16 national football team will compete in the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) U-16 Championship, set to take place from May 24 to May 31 in Tashkent.

According to the Football Federation of Tajikistan, six teams from the region will participate in the CAFA U-16 Championship 2025: Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Afghanistan. Based on the draw, the teams will be divided into two groups.

In the group stage, the teams will compete in a round-robin format, with the group winners advancing to the final. The second-place teams from each group will face off in a third-place match, while a consolation match will determine the fifth and sixth positions. All matches will be held at the Dustlik Stadium in Tashkent.

It is worth noting that seven players from the Tajik U-16 team, who previously participated in the 2025 AFC U-16 Cup in Saudi Arabia, will also take part in the CAFA tournament.

Following their qualification for the 2025 World Cup, the Tajik team has automatically secured a spot in the 2026 AFC U-16 Cup, exempt from the qualifying matches.