Afghanistan vs Pakistan: Afghanistan for the first time playing at home after decades against Pakistan in a Fifa approved friendly match

New Delhi: Afghanistan is playing for the first time after a decade at home against closest neighbor Pakistan national football team after 36 years. The match is scheduled to take place in national stadium at the capital city Kabul on Tuesday 20th of August 2013. last time Afghanistan played at home was to Tajikistan back in 2003 in the capital city Kabul. Afghanistan and Pakistan used to play each other regularly with local or senior teams but the Russian Invasion in 1970s meant the end of the tie between the two country. 

Currently Afghanistan is placed above their south Asian neighbors in latest Fifa Ranking with 139th Place the best ever the national team placed. Pakistan is currently placed 167th place in Fifa ranking. 

The tie means that in march or April next year the Afghanistan national team will travel to Pakistan for the same kind of friendly match. Officials of both the country and fans of football of the two nation are too excited by the prospect of the match and will clearly send a message of peace in the political agenda of two country. 

Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) officials on Saturday said they were delighted at the prospect of playing their first match in Afghanistan, and hoped that the match could pave the way for more ties Afghanistan.

The match is scheduled to be played on Tuesday in capital kabu. “It is very exciting to send our team across the border to Afghanistan,” Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) secretary Ahmed Yar Khan Lodhi told AFP.

Mr. Lodhi further added, “This match on August 20 will create history because the last time we played an international (in Afghanistan) was way back in 1977.”