Turkmenistan claimed a 2–1 victory over Sri Lanka in the third qualifying round of the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ Qualifiers.

The match took place on Tuesday at the fully packed 10,000-seat stadium in the city of Arkadag, which hosted the Turkmen national team for the first time.

Elman Tagayev (52’) and Mekan Saparov (57’) scored for Turkmenistan, while Sri Lanka managed to pull one goal back in the 65th minute following a deflection off Guychmyrat Annagulyyev.

After four rounds, Turkmenistan leads Group D with 9 points. Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Chinese Taipei are also competing for the sole qualification spot in the final tournament.

The next qualifying match for the AFC Asian Cup 2027 will see Turkmenistan face Chinese Taipei on November 18, 2025, in Arkadag. The team will conclude their qualifying campaign with an away match against Thailand on March 31, 2026.