Domestic Leagues
Last season’s Indian Super League champions East Bengal SC lost in their opening Durand Cup 2026 clash while the Sri Lanka Super League kicked off, so join the-AFC.com as we take a look at the past week's domestic action across Central and South Asia.
Kyrgyz Republic: Alga continue fine run
Alga Bishkek extended their unbeaten streak to 16 matches with a 2-1 win over Dordoi Bishkek in the Kyrgyz Premier League.
Dmitriy Bessmertnyi gave Alga the lead in the 44th minute before Monir Abdeselam equalised in the 52nd. Andriy Karvatskyi, however, secured the win five minutes before regulation time.
Alga Bishkek extended their unbeaten streak to 16 matches with a 2-1 win over Dordoi Bishkek in the Kyrgyz Premier League.
Dmitriy Bessmertnyi gave Alga the lead in the 44th minute before Monir Abdeselam equalised in the 52nd. Andriy Karvatskyi, however, secured the win five minutes before regulation time.
The victory allowed Alga to reclaim the top of the standings a point clear of Muras United, who finished with a goalless result against Bishkek City.
Defending champions FC Bars Issyk-Kul and Asiagoal Bishkek battled to a thrilling 2-2 draw. Beka Kavtaradze gave Issyk-Kul the lead three minutes into first half stoppage time before Anton Zemlyanukhin leveled in the 50th minute.
Issyk-Kul’s Kayrat Uulu would have thought he had netted the winner in the 89th minute but Karolis Silkaitis earned Asiagoal a share of the points with a strike 11 minutes into injury time.
Defending champions FC Bars Issyk-Kul and Asiagoal Bishkek battled to a thrilling 2-2 draw. Beka Kavtaradze gave Issyk-Kul the lead three minutes into first half stoppage time before Anton Zemlyanukhin leveled in the 50th minute.
Issyk-Kul’s Kayrat Uulu would have thought he had netted the winner in the 89th minute but Karolis Silkaitis earned Asiagoal a share of the points with a strike 11 minutes into injury time.
Elsewhere, FC Abdysh-Ata and Asia Talas FC drew 1-1, FC Toktogul fell 4-2 to Alay Osh and Oshmu-Aldier went down 3-1 to Neftchi Kochkor-Ata. Ozgon thrashed Ilbirs Bishkek 5-1 while Talant FC handed bottom side Kyrgyzaltyn a 6-1 whipping.
Uzbekistan: Fergana bounce back in style
Neftchi Fergana came back from a goal down to trounce Sogdiana 5-1 and maintain their lead in the Uzbek Super League.
The defending champions fell behind to a 22nd-minute goal from Petar Micin but rebounded strongly through Ibrokhimkhalil Yuldoshev (28th), Khurshid Giyosov (34th), Stipe Perica (36th), Anvarjon Gofurov (54th) and Jamshid Iskanderov (80th).
Neftchi Fergana came back from a goal down to trounce Sogdiana 5-1 and maintain their lead in the Uzbek Super League.
The defending champions fell behind to a 22nd-minute goal from Petar Micin but rebounded strongly through Ibrokhimkhalil Yuldoshev (28th), Khurshid Giyosov (34th), Stipe Perica (36th), Anvarjon Gofurov (54th) and Jamshid Iskanderov (80th).
Pakhtakor remain a point behind Fergana with a 2-1 win over Khorezm Urgench and a subsequent 1-0 defeat of Bunyodkor, who had earlier succumbed to a 1-0 loss to third-placed FK Buxoro.
FC AGMK netted four times in the second half to walk off 4-1 winners over Kokand 1912 while 10-men Dinamo Samarkand overcame FC Surkhon 2-1.
Lokomotiv Tashkent and PFC Andijon finished with a 3-3 draw, with the former letting a two-goal lead slip in the closing 30 minutes. Bottom club Mash’al held former champions PFC Nasaf to a 1-1 draw while Navbahor Namangan and Qizilqum Zarafshon finished with a similar scoreline.
FC AGMK netted four times in the second half to walk off 4-1 winners over Kokand 1912 while 10-men Dinamo Samarkand overcame FC Surkhon 2-1.
Lokomotiv Tashkent and PFC Andijon finished with a 3-3 draw, with the former letting a two-goal lead slip in the closing 30 minutes. Bottom club Mash’al held former champions PFC Nasaf to a 1-1 draw while Navbahor Namangan and Qizilqum Zarafshon finished with a similar scoreline.
India: Mohun Bagan make winning start
Mohun Bagan Super Giant kicked off their Durand Cup 2026 campaign with a narrow 1-0 win over 2025 Indian Super League (ISL) champions East Bengal FC in their Kolkata Derby at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan.
Midfielder Sahal Samad scored the winner in the 52nd minute as Mohun Bagan, the most successful team in the tournament's history, look to claim their 18th overall trophy. East Bengal have 16 titles.
Mohun Bagan Super Giant kicked off their Durand Cup 2026 campaign with a narrow 1-0 win over 2025 Indian Super League (ISL) champions East Bengal FC in their Kolkata Derby at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan.
Midfielder Sahal Samad scored the winner in the 52nd minute as Mohun Bagan, the most successful team in the tournament's history, look to claim their 18th overall trophy. East Bengal have 16 titles.
Raynier Fernandes bagged a hat-trick (4th, 6th, 82nd) to power Jamshedpur FC to a 5-0 win over Defenders FC. Aman CK (23rd) and Devendra Murgaokar (39th) completed the rout.
Elsewhere, a Christopher Kamei winner in the 47th minute was enough to give Indian Army FT a 1-0 win over I-League 3 side Samaleswari FC.
Elsewhere, a Christopher Kamei winner in the 47th minute was enough to give Indian Army FT a 1-0 win over I-League 3 side Samaleswari FC.
The Durand Cup is the traditional curtain-raiser for the Indian domestic football season and is now in its 135th edition. NorthEast United FC are the defending champions after beating Diamond Harbour in last year’s final.
The 2026 championship features 24 teams from the ISL, the Indian Football League, I-Leagues 2 and 3, state league teams, the Armed Forces as well as invitees Defenders FC.
The 2026 championship features 24 teams from the ISL, the Indian Football League, I-Leagues 2 and 3, state league teams, the Armed Forces as well as invitees Defenders FC.
Bhutan: Paro cruise to win
Paro FC struck three goals within 18 first-half minutes to beat Tensung 3-1 and consolidate their lead in the Bhutan Premier League.
Goals by Tshelthrim Namgyel (22nd), Phurpa Wangchuk (32nd) and Abdoulie Baldeh (40th) saw the defending champions romp to their eighth straight win. Palden Wangchuk scored the consolation for Tensung a minute before the break.
Paro FC struck three goals within 18 first-half minutes to beat Tensung 3-1 and consolidate their lead in the Bhutan Premier League.
Goals by Tshelthrim Namgyel (22nd), Phurpa Wangchuk (32nd) and Abdoulie Baldeh (40th) saw the defending champions romp to their eighth straight win. Palden Wangchuk scored the consolation for Tensung a minute before the break.
Second-placed Thimphu City remained two points adrift of Paro with a 2-0 win over Thimphu FC. Bakhromjon Tugunpulatov (28th) and Tawa Tshering (77th) gave City the three points and a derby double over their city rivals this season.
Drukpa FC came from a goal down to beat Tsirang 3-2 after the latter’s Tshering Kinzang was sent off in the 46th minute. Fahad Temuri’s 47th-minute penalty was followed by Afeez Oladipo’s 18th-minute opener for Tsirang, with Kencho Tobgay then giving Drukpa the lead in the 51st minute. Tenzin Wangda’s 83rd-minute equaliser, however, was cancelled out when Tobgay secured his second three minutes later.
In other matches, Transport United defeated Tsirang 2-0 while RTC and BFF Academy closed with a goalless result.
Drukpa FC came from a goal down to beat Tsirang 3-2 after the latter’s Tshering Kinzang was sent off in the 46th minute. Fahad Temuri’s 47th-minute penalty was followed by Afeez Oladipo’s 18th-minute opener for Tsirang, with Kencho Tobgay then giving Drukpa the lead in the 51st minute. Tenzin Wangda’s 83rd-minute equaliser, however, was cancelled out when Tobgay secured his second three minutes later.
In other matches, Transport United defeated Tsirang 2-0 while RTC and BFF Academy closed with a goalless result.
Sri Lanka: Blue Star crash in opener
Blue Star SC got off to a disastrous start to the Sri Lanka Super League after going down 9-1 to Up Country Lions SC.
Blue Star SC got off to a disastrous start to the Sri Lanka Super League after going down 9-1 to Up Country Lions SC.
Up Country’s Benjamin York netted a hat-trick (45th+1, 45th+3, 90th), with Abdul Ishan (34th, 37th) Mohamed Aakib (39th, 50th), Jerry Arepade (12th) and Abdul Ankrah (80th) supplying the rest. Mohamed Shifan scored Blue Star’s consolation in the 41st minute.
Blue Star, however, rebounded with a 3-1 win over Blue Eagles in their second fixture, with the latter playing out a 1-1 stalemate with New Young’s SC in their opener.
Blue Star, however, rebounded with a 3-1 win over Blue Eagles in their second fixture, with the latter playing out a 1-1 stalemate with New Young’s SC in their opener.
Elsewhere, Colombo FC and Defenders FC played out a goalless result, Renown SC beat Ratnam SC 3-0, Navy Sea Hawks edged Red Star SC 1-0 and Colombo FC overcame New Young’s 3-0.
The top-tier league is making a comeback after a five-year hiatus, with Blue Star winning the title in the first edition in 2021. Ten teams are competing this year.
The top-tier league is making a comeback after a five-year hiatus, with Blue Star winning the title in the first edition in 2021. Ten teams are competing this year.
