The «Arkadag» and «Altyn Asyr» footballers started the 34th Turkmenistan premier league championship with major victories.
The first game to end was in the Buzmeyin etrap of Ashgabat, where «Altyn Asyr» hosted «Ashgabat» in the capital derby.
The fate of the match was decided in the first half, when three goals flew into the net of visitors. Mekan Ashyrov opened the scoring in the 18th minute, converting a penalty. Then, in the 31st minute, «Ashgabat» defender Shatlyk Gurbanov scored the ball into his own goal. Four minutes later, Rovshen Halmammedov increased lead of «Altyn Asyr» to three goals.
After the break, the teams each scored once.In the 49th minute, the new signing of «Ashgabat» Vahit Orazsahedov scored against his former teammates.And already in the injury time, in the 93rd minute, Hoshgeldi Hojovov set the final score – 4:1 in favour of «Altyn Asyr».
45 minutes after this game, another match ended in the central arena of the «Ashgabat» multifunctional stadium, in which the three-time reigning champion of Turkmenistan, «Arkadag», hosted «Merv», who finished eighth and last in the national championship last year.
This was the first game of «Mary» team under the leadership of new head coach Rahmanguly Baylyyev, who replaced Jemshit Orazmuhammedov as coach before the start of the new season.
As expected, the match ended with a noticeable advantage for the team of Vladimir Bayramov, who achieved their biggest victory in the first round with a score of 7:1. For «Arkadag», Resul Hojayev scored twice (25th and 72nd minutes), and Rahman Myratberdiyev (21st), Ylyas Charyyev (40th), Yhlas Toyjanov (52nd), Bayram Atayev (58th) and Didar Durdyyev (63rd) scored one goal each. «Merv» scored a consolation goal thanks to Avdyresul Abdyyev (78th).
Earlier in the first round, «Ahal» defeated «Kopetdag» 5:1, and «Shagadam» won the «Balkan» derby against «Nebitchi» with a minimal score of 1:0.
In this way, after the first matches, the leadership in the 2026 Turkmenistan Championship with 3 points was taken by «Arkadag», «Ahal», «Altyn Asyr» and «Shagadam». At the same time, the first leader in the race of scorers was determined.
The second round of the national championship will start on the 11th of April with the matches «Ashgabat» – «Shagadam», «Merv» – «Nebitchi», «Kopetdag» – «Altyn Asyr», and will end on the 12th of April with the match «Arkadag» – «Ahal».
Let us remind that following the results of championship of the last year, «Arkadag» became the champion of Turkmenistan for the third time. Silver medals went to «Ahal», and bronze to «Altyn Asyr».
The best footballer of 2025 was recognised as 36-year-old midfielder Elman Tagayev, who spent last season with «Ahal» and made his debut for «Nebitchi» this season. For the fourth year in a row, «Arkadag» striker Didar Durdyyev became the top scorer of the 2025 championship with 27 goals.
The best coach was recognised as 45-year-old «Arkadag» coach Vladimir Bayramov, under whose leadership the team won the Turkmenistan Championship and the National cup for the third time in a row, and in May 2025 won the AFC Challenge league cup final, defeating the Cambodian club «Preah Khan Rich Svay Rieng» with a score of 2:1.
«Altyn Asyr» striker Veyisgeldi Orazdurdyyev won the «Best player of the youth championship» nomination and also became the top scorer of tournament with 19 goals.
FIFA referee Resul Mammedov was named the best referee of season of the last year, and Yhlas Kurambayev was named the best assistant referee. Among women, the winner was Kristina Bersenyova.
The «Fair Play» prize in the main championship went to «Arkadag», and in the youth championship to «Merv».
