Thousands in Kabul attend Afghanistan’s national buzkashi championship
Taliban authorities attend traditional sport characterised by limited formal rules and fierce physical competition.
Taliban authorities attend traditional sport characterised by limited formal rules and fierce physical competition.
Afghan men enthusiastically cheer during the final match of Afghanistan's annual buzkashi tournament on the outskirts of Kabul. This traditional equestrian sport features skilled riders competing to score points using a fake goat carcass. [AP Photo]
By News Agencies
Published On 28 Dec 2025
Horsemen from across Afghanistan converged for the dramatic final match of the nation’s prestigious annual buzkashi tournament on Kabul’s outskirts, attracting crowds that included high-ranking Taliban officials witnessing this centuries-old sporting tradition.
Buzkashi, Afghanistan’s national equestrian competition, showcases elite riders who must carry a leather-wrapped bundle – historically a goat carcass but now a weighted facsimile – across a designated goal line to earn points.
Amid swirling dust clouds kicked up by galloping horses, a victor ultimately prevailed. The winning team took a celebratory circuit around the field, proudly displaying their flag in triumph.
Afghanistan’s cherished buzkashi tournament maintains its status as a traditional sport characterised by limited formal rules and fierce physical competition.
In its classic format, two teams compete to score using what was traditionally a goat carcass, though contemporary matches utilise a leather-and-rope substitute filled with straw to replicate the weight of an animal.
Competitors – with 12 riders on each side – demonstrate extraordinary horsemanship, stretching dangerously from their mounts to retrieve the bundle from the ground before racing towards the goal while pursued by opposing riders.
Though prohibited during the Taliban’s earlier governance in the 1990s, buzkashi experienced a revival following their removal and has continued since their return to power in 2021, with government officials now attending competitions.
In this week’s championship, northern Sar-e-Pul province overwhelmed northeastern Badakhshan with a commanding 7-0 victory, concluding the 11-day national tournament. Baghlan claimed third place, while Kunduz finished fourth among the 11 provincial teams competing.
The competition featured eight international participants from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, according to Atal Mashwani, spokesman for Afghanistan’s General Directorate of Physical Education and Sports.
Corporate sponsorship from a petrol company funded the tournament, providing automobiles as prizes for the top four teams, alongside trophies, medals, and certificates.
Thousands of male spectators filled the stands at the central Kabul venue, with enthusiastic fans even climbing nearby trees and electricity pylons to gain better vantage points of the action.
Competitors from the Sar-e-Pul and Badakhshan teams enter the field for the buzkashi tournament match. [AP Photo]
Taliban authorities attend the final match of Afghanistan's annual buzkashi tournament, a traditional equestrian sport. [AP Photo]
Buzkashi, Afghanistan's national sport played for centuries on the northern steppe, stands at the heart of Afghan identity. Over generations, it has transformed from a rugged rural pastime into a professional sporting phenomenon. [AP Photo]
Traditionally, buzkashi was played using a goat's headless carcass. [AP Photo]
Today, a 30kg (66lb) leather sack typically replaces the traditional carcass as riders attempt to extract it from a cluster of horses before depositing it in a "circle of justice". This circle is drawn on the ground, and competitors must complete a full-speed lap around the arena with rivals in close pursuit before reaching it. [AP Photo]
Riders from the Sar-e-Pul and Badakhshan provinces face off in the championship match. [AP Photo]
Spectators gathered to witness the thrilling final. [AP Photo]
Buzkashi, a centuries-old national sport, flourishes in Afghanistan and neighbouring Central Asian countries. Afghan teams and their sponsors regularly recruit riders and source horses from these adjacent nations to secure competitive edges. [AP Photo]
According to many Afghans, decades of war, foreign invasions, and civil conflict have deeply fractured the unity of their diverse, multiethnic society. They maintain that organised sporting competitions, particularly buzkashi, can play a vital role in rebuilding and strengthening national cohesion. [AP Photo]