The new season of the national football championship among Premier League teams will kick off in Turkmenistan on April 4, 2026. Eight clubs will participate in the four-round tournament:

Arkadag, Akhal, Altyn Asyr, Shagadam, Nebitchi, Ashgabat, Merv, and Kopetdag.

The first and second round matches of the national championship are scheduled for April 4 through June 20, 2026. The third and fourth round matches will take place in the second half of the season.

Opening Round

The first teams to take to the field in the first round, which will take place on April 4, are:

Akhal vs. Kopetdag

Shagadam vs. Nebitchi

The following day, April 5, the following matches will take place:

Arkadag vs. Merv

Altyn Asyr vs. Ashgabat

As a reminder, Arkadag won the national championship last season. Akhal won silver, and Altyn Asyr, the capital's club, won bronze.

Youth Championship

The Turkmenistan Youth Championship among Premier League clubs kicked off on April 3. The same eight clubs participated in the tournament, which was played on a home-and-away basis, also consisting of four round-robin matches. Youth team games were typically played a day before the main team matches.

Arkadag II won last season's youth championship.

In the first round, which took place on April 3-4, the teams faced off as follows:

Akhal II vs. Kopetdag II

Shagadam II vs. Nebitchi II

Arkadag II vs. Merv II

Altyn Asyr II vs. Ashgabat II

The 2026 Turkmenistan Premier League and Youth Championship continue the traditions of national football, uniting the country's best teams and giving players the opportunity to demonstrate their skills at a high level.

ORIENT