TEHRAN - Iran concluded their campaign at the 2026 CAFA U20 Women’s Championship as runners-up after an unbeaten run in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

The regional tournament, held from July 19 to July 26, featured four teams: Iran, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Guided by head coach Maryam Jahan Nejati, Iran collected seven points from three matches, recording two wins and one draw.

Iran opened the competition with victories over Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan before playing out a draw against Uzbekistan, leaving both sides level on points at the top of the standings.

However, Uzbekistan secured the championship thanks to a superior goal difference after a dominant 7-0 victory over Tajikistan in the final round. The emphatic win lifted Uzbekistan above Iran, while the Iranian side settled for second place despite remaining unbeaten throughout the tournament.

The result marks a strong showing for Iran’s young squad, although they were unable to defend the title they won in the previous edition of the competition. Iran had lifted the CAFA U20 Women’s Championship trophy last year, making this year’s runners-up finish another impressive performance on the regional stage.

Despite narrowly missing out on back-to-back titles, Iran’s campaign highlighted the team’s consistency and continued progress, providing an encouraging platform for the next generation of Iranian women’s football.