This year, the second most important club trophy is contested by 8 teams of the top league. Three of them – Altyn asyr, Ashgabat and Kopetdag represent the capital. Nebitchi from Balkanabat and Shagadam from Turkmenbashi – Balkan region, Merv – Mary region, Ahal – Ahal region and the current champion and winner of the Turkmenistan Cup, Arkadag – the city of the same name of national significance.

The 2025 Turkmenistan Football Cup has only just started, but already in its very first stage, an uncompromising battle has erupted for the country’s second most prestigious club trophy.

This was evidenced by the first quarterfinal matches, in which only the reigning national champion Arkadag secured a decisive home victory over Balkanabat’s Nebitchi – 6:0, thereby giving themselves a comfortable advantage ahead of the return leg. In the other three matches, the intrigue began right from the first stage.

Two surprises took place in matches held simultaneously in Ashgabat at the Sport Toplumy stadium in Buzmeyin etrap and at Nisa. In the first of these, Ashgabat unexpectedly won away against the 2018 AFC Cup finalist Altyn asyr – 2:1.

In another match, vice-champion Ahal, playing with a numerical advantage from the 66th minute after the opposing team’s Jumamyrat Jumayev was sent off, could not overcome Kopetdag, which currently sit at the bottom of the national championship. During the match, Velsahet Ovezov’s side twice found themselves behind after goals in the 45+2nd and 79th minutes by Orazgeldi Seyidov. Nevertheless, eight minutes before the end of regular time, Ahal managed to avoid defeat thanks to the efforts of Yakupmuhammet Govshudov (45+3rd) and Begmyrat Bayev (82nd).

In another encounter, held in the city of Turkmenbashi between Shagadam and Mary’s Merv, no winner could be determined. Here, the teams parted ways peacefully – 0:0.

The second-leg matches of the 2025 Turkmenistan Football Cup quarterfinals will take place on June 17-18.