Although the lack of sports clubs near their homes, high costs and limited access to sports facilities have made it difficult for many youth to exercise, they remain interested in sports. Some go to sports clubs farther from their homes, some exercise at home, while others continue to exercise in available spaces.
For this report, 50 youth (27 girls and 23 boys) from 15 provinces were interviewed. Twenty-nine of them play sports such as football, volleyball, futsal, basketball and cricket at sports clubs, and practice bodybuilding, fitness and taekwondo. The remaining 21 run, walk or exercise at home or in other available spaces. The youth interviewed are between 18 and 35 years old.
However, access to sports facilities is not easy for some of them. Twenty-eight said there is no sports club in their area and that they have to go to sports clubs farther from their homes to exercise. Another 13 said that although there are sports clubs in their areas, high costs prevent them from using these facilities. Nine others said restrictions on sports for girls are among the challenges they face.
Nesar Ahmad Nayel, a 33-year-old teacher in Parwan, says bodybuilding is his favorite sport and that he used to exercise for an hour every day. Now, due to economic problems, he can no longer continue his favorite sport and has no choice but to run.
“The sport I like most is bodybuilding. I used to exercise for an hour early in the morning after prayers. Now I cannot afford the cost of exercising. I only run and do free-hand exercises,” he says.
Mohammad Shoaib Rostami, a 22-year-old from Kabul, says sports club fees are high and many families cannot afford them because of their economic situation.
“I exercise with my friends at the university on Wednesdays and Thursdays, but unfortunately, I do not go to the gym because it is expensive, and people’s economic situation is very bad. They cannot afford it,” he says.
The challenges facing young athletes are not limited to the cost of sports. A number of them say that the lack of sports clubs or the distance between sports clubs and their homes has also made it difficult for them to exercise.
Zahra Seddiqi, a 28-year-old from Balkh who exercises at home, says: “The sports I like most are walking, light exercise, and indoor exercises such as yoga. I do some other exercises at home that I cannot do outside or at a sports club.”
Tafsira Akbari, a 25-year-old teacher from Herat, says affordable fees and easy access to sports facilities could encourage more youth to become interested in sports.
“There should be appropriate sports facilities for youth, and they should be free. If they cost less, that would be even better. To make it easier for youth to access sports facilities, we should cultivate a culture among youth of taking part in sports through the establishment of more gyms,” she says.
Sports experts, however, emphasize that sports can help youth avoid a sedentary lifestyle and pave the way for them to stay active and contribute to themselves and society. They say sports can also strengthen a sense of responsibility, healthy competition, and solidarity among youth. Abdul Basir Niromand, a sports expert, says,
“Sports are one of the most important ways to maintain physical and mental health, especially among youth. From a social perspective, sports can improve cooperation, discipline, a sense of responsibility, friendship and solidarity, the healthy use of free time, healthy competition, and mutual respect among youth.”
Meanwhile, officials from the General Directorate of Physical Education & Sports of the Islamic Emirate told Salam Watandar that 60 sports federations are active in Afghanistan and that the number of athletes registered with the directorate has reached 1.3 million. Atal Mashwani, a spokesperson for the directorate, says,
“There are around 60 active sports federations, with branches in the capital and the provinces. Each federation has hundreds or even thousands of sports clubs. We have supported the federations’ programs at the provincial, district and national levels, and their domestic programs are continuing regularly.”
This year, a number of young Afghan athletes have also participated in international competitions and succeeded in winning medals. Mustafa Wakili won a bronze medal in a jujitsu competition in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and a report on his achievement was published on September 16, 2026. Rohid Stankzai also won a silver medal on May 20, 2026, at the Asian Youth Martial Arts Championships in Uzbekistan.
Reporter: Sharifa Qasemi
