Today, the draw for the 33rd Turkmenistan Football Cup took place in the Turkmen capital. This year, the country's second most important club trophy will be contested by 9 clubs. Three of them - «Altyn Asyr», «Ashgabat» and «Kopetdag» - represent the capital. «Nebitchi» from «Balkanabat» and «Shagadam» from Turkmenbashy - Balkan velayat, «Merv» and «Energetik» - Mary velayat, «Ahal» - Ahal velayat, and the current champion and winner of the Turkmenistan Cup, «Arkadag», is a city of the same name of national importance.
The draw was unkind to Mary's «Energetik», Balkanabat's «Nebitchi» and «Ashgabat», placing these three teams at the top of the tournament bracket with the country's best club, «Arkadag».
The 2024 Turkmenistan Cup will start on the 11th of August with a preliminary round, in which the two worst teams from last year's national championship will meet - «Merv» (Mary) and «Shagadam» (Turkmenbashy). The first match of these rivals will take place on the 11th of August in Mary, and the return match - on the 14th of August in Turkmenbashy. The winner of this pair will play in the 1/4 finals with «Altyn Asyr».
The remaining quarterfinal matches will feature: «Arkadag» vs. «Energetik», «Nebitchi» vs. «Ashgabat», «Ahal» vs. «Kopetdag». The first quarterfinal matches will be held on the 24th to 25th of August at the home fields of the teams listed first, with the return matches on the 2nd to 3rd of September.
The first semifinal games will be held on the 12th to 13th of September. The dates of the return semifinal matches and the final will be determined later.