ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s national football team will face Afghanistan in Kuwait today, Tuesday, in the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 qualifiers, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) said.
The match comes at a time of heightened tensions between the two neighbors, following recent military clashes along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border that left several soldiers dead on both sides. The escalation has stirred public anger in both nations, raising fears that the rivalry could spill over into the sporting arena as the two teams meet again just days after a tense draw in Islamabad.
Afghanistan will host the return leg at Kuwait City’s Sabah Al Salem Stadium. The 2027 Asian Cup, featuring 24 teams, will be held in Saudi Arabia for the first time, and the qualification rounds also serve as part of Asia’s preliminary qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
“Pakistan is ready for [the] crucial away clash against Afghanistan,” the PFF quoted Pakistan football team head coach Nolberto Solano as saying in a post on X.
“We go again tomorrow with the same attitude and desire to win; the focus is on getting three points. It’s football — anything can happen [...].”
