CAFA Comes to Kish Island
MOU Signed Between Iranian Football Federation and Kish Free Zone Organization
President of FFIRI, the CEO of the Kish Free Zone Organization was signed agreement to host the CAFA Futsal Championship this summer on Kish Island.
According to the official website of the Football Federation, the agreement paves the way for the hosting of the Central Asian Football Association (CAFA) international futsal tournament, scheduled to take place from July 8 to 18 on Kish Island.
At the beginning of the event, Ehsan Osouli, Head of the Futsal Committee, welcomed the attendees and stated:
"Thanks to Mr. Taj’s efforts and his connections within the AFC, we have successfully secured the hosting rights for an international tournament after several years. This is a promising milestone, and we hope to deliver a top-tier hosting experience."
He added:
"During our site visit last month, we identified several areas needing improvement to meet international standards. Following correspondence with the Kish Free Zone management, we are pleased to report full support and commitment to enhancing the required infrastructure."
Taj: Kish Has Exceptional Potential to Host International Events
Mehdi Taj, President of the FFIRI, expressed enthusiasm for expanding the federation's collaboration with other national organizations.
"Due to various reasons, Iran had long been unable to host international tournaments. The CAFA Championship marks a turning point—potentially opening doors for hosting the AFC Futsal Club Championship and even global tournaments. Additionally, we are pursuing key positions within FIFA in futsal and beach soccer," he said.
Taj also praised Kish Island’s unique visa and hospitality advantages:
"Kish offers outstanding facilities for hosting foreign delegations. We've previously hosted a national team match here with great success and expect the same warm reception for futsal."
He emphasized that the tournament will be held to full international standards:
"This is not a friendly match—it’s an official international event. Kish Island has the capacity to host world-class futsal competitions, and we will leverage all our resources to make it happen."
Kish CEO: We Will Upgrade Infrastructure to Meet Federation Requirements
Mohammad Jafar Kabiri, CEO of the Kish Free Zone Organization, expressed appreciation to the FFIRI and reaffirmed their commitment:
"We are focused on developing sports tourism and believe it is essential to align our infrastructure with international requirements. Fortunately, there is strong enthusiasm on the island to work with the federation across futsal, football, and beach soccer."
He added:
"We are honored that CAFA has entrusted Kish with this tournament. We are fully prepared to provide the best possible hosting environment and see this MoU as the start of a long-term, strategic partnership."
The event was also attended by Hossein Shams (Advisor to the Head of the Futsal Committee), Amir Mahdi Alavi (FFIRI Communications Director), Farzad Radeboi (Head of Sports and Recreation in the Free Zone), Behzad Azad (Head of the Futsal Department), Ehsan Kamiani (Secretary of the Futsal League), Ehsan Mohammadi (Media Director of the National Futsal Team), Mahmoud Pazouki (President of the Kish Island Football Association), and other senior officials from both organizations.
