Overview
- Pakistan defeated Afghanistan 2-0 in the final in Malé on Wednesday, June 10, to win the 2026 Diamond Jubilee International Football Tournament.
- Shayek Dost opened the scoring with a spectacular overhead (bicycle) kick in the 24th minute and substitute Harun Hamid sealed the victory with a stoppage-time goal.
- The four-team event in the Maldives featured Bangladesh and the hosts Maldives, and Pakistan finished the tournament unbeaten while several reports say they kept clean sheets in all matches.
- The win drew public congratulations from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and praise from Pakistan Football Federation leaders who called the result a defining moment for the sport.
- Commentators say the title offers a morale boost for fans after years of administrative turmoil and FIFA suspensions, but they stress the result is a first step that must be followed by investment in coaching, leagues and youth development.