Earlier this year, Turkmen authorities stopped Arkadag Football Club from training abroad, calling it an unnecessary luxury. That likely won’t happen again. The club has just won its first international football trophy, bringing pride—and political praise—back to Turkmenistan.
Arkadag secured a 2-1 win in extra time against a Cambodian team in the final of the AFC Challenge League on May 11. The match took place in Phnom Penh. Although the Challenge League is considered a second-tier competition, it was still a major achievement for Turkmenistan’s newest football team.
For Turkmen leaders, a trophy is a trophy—regardless of the level of the contest.
The team received a hero’s welcome upon returning home. According to state media, players and coaches were rewarded with cash prizes for their efforts. The victory also prompted a public statement from Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov, the country’s former president and still its most powerful figure. Known by his honorific title Arkadag (meaning “protector”), Berdymukhamedov praised the team and linked the sport to Turkmenistan’s national pride.
Formed in 2023, Arkadag FC is widely seen as a state-sponsored project led by Berdymukhamedov himself. The club includes many players from the national team and represents what some view as a “dream team” under government control.
In his congratulatory remarks, Berdymukhamedov highlighted football as one of the country’s favorite sports, placing it alongside equestrian competitions, motorsports, and golf. He also used the moment to praise his son, Serdar Berdymukhamedov, Turkmenistan’s current president, for supporting sports development. The elder Berdymukhamedov said his son has been instrumental in advancing the country’s physical culture and athletic progress.
Despite the celebratory mood, the government turned the spotlight toward loyalty and national service. Arkadag FC’s chairman, Arslanmurad Amanov, announced that the $1 million prize from the tournament would not go to the club. Instead, the money will be donated to the Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov Foundation to support children’s development programs.
Reports suggest those programs are likely to be overseen by Berdymukhamedov’s daughter, Oguljahan Atabayeva, further keeping the project within the family circle.
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