Host side Eydhafushi made a winning start to the inaugural FAM Futsal Atoll Championship 2026, defeating Goidhoo 4-1 on Thursday night in the tournament’s opening match.

Eydhafushi produced an impressive performance in front of their home supporters to claim the first victory of the competition, with Ishan Ibrahim earning the Man of the Match award after an outstanding display.

The match marked the official start of the inaugural FAM Futsal Atoll Championship, ushering in a new era for Maldivian futsal and launching what is expected to become the country’s premier nationwide futsal competition.

Organised by the Football Association of Maldives (FAM) in affiliation with Club Maldives, the championship is a landmark initiative aimed at strengthening the development of futsal across the Maldives. The tournament reflects the rapid growth of the sport, which has become one of the most widely played disciplines throughout the country in recent years.

More than 50 teams from across the Maldives are participating in the competition, making it one of the largest futsal tournaments ever organised in the country. The championship is expected to provide players from every atoll with a competitive platform while creating new opportunities to showcase emerging talent.

The launch of the FAM Futsal Atoll Championship also marks a significant step towards establishing a structured national futsal pyramid. FAM believes the competition will play a key role in identifying and nurturing talented players from across the nation, strengthening the future of Maldivian futsal at both domestic and international levels.

With an emphatic opening-day victory, Eydhafushi became the first team to secure three points in the historic competition, setting the tone for what promises to be an exciting championship.

Maziya Sports and Recreation Club came from behind to defeat Buru Sports Club 2-1 on Thursday, taking a significant step towards securing a place in the final of the 2026 Cup Winners Cup.

The victory at Galolhu National Stadium marked Maziya’s second successive win in the competition after opening their campaign with a 2-1 triumph over Odi Sports Club. Earlier this season, the reigning Charity Shield holders also lifted the season’s first trophy by defeating New Radiant Sports Club in a penalty shootout.

Maziya now lead the Cup Winners Cup standings with six points from two matches and are on the verge of qualifying for the final. Their place will be confirmed if New Radiant avoid defeat against Odi in Thursday night’s fixture.

For Buru, the defeat ended any hopes of reaching the final. They had begun the tournament with a heavy 5-0 loss to New Radiant and have now lost both of their matches.

Maziya controlled much of the opening half, enjoying the lion’s share of possession and creating several clear opportunities. In the fourth minute, Nassah Ibrahim Nasir forced Buru goalkeeper Hassan Alif Ibrahim into an excellent save with a curling effort from outside the penalty area. Minutes later, Ahmed Aiham “Fatho” also tested the goalkeeper with a powerful long-range strike, but Alif was once again equal to the task.

Despite Maziya’s dominance, Buru stunned their opponents by taking the lead in first-half stoppage time. Moments after Abdulla Yameen “Yaanu” struck the crossbar from a free-kick, Areen Abdulla Ibrahim latched onto a chance outside the box and fired beyond Maziya goalkeeper Hussain Shareef to make it 1-0. Ali Hamdhan “Ayya” played an important role in creating the scoring opportunity.

Maziya wasted little time responding after the restart. Ibrahim Aisam restored parity in the 48th minute with a composed finish to make it 1-1.

The turnaround was completed five minutes later when Nigerian striker Benjamin Kuku converted from close range after Serbian defender Nemanja Dravković picked him out inside the penalty area, giving Maziya a deserved 2-1 advantage.

Buru’s hopes of finding a late equaliser were effectively ended when Rilwan Waheed “Riley” was shown a second yellow card and sent off, forcing his side to play the closing stages with ten men.

The result leaves Maziya within touching distance of the Cup Winners Cup final. Their qualification now rests on the outcome of the later match between New Radiant and Odi, with a win or draw for New Radiant enough to send Maziya through to the title decider.

Maziya Sports and Recreation Club made a winning start to their 2026 campaign by defeating Odi Sports Club 2-1 in the second match of the revived Cup Winners Cup at the Galolhu National Stadium on Monday night.

The competition has returned to the Maldivian football calendar after an 18-year absence, and Maziya ensured they opened their campaign with all three points in a closely contested encounter.

The match also marked the competitive debut of Maziya’s new Czech head coach, Tomas Trucha, who recently arrived in the Maldives to take charge of the club. Maziya had lifted the Charity Shield earlier this season under assistant coaches Ahmed Suzeir (Kokko) and Ibrahim Saeed (Kakaa) before Trucha officially assumed his duties.

Odi, on the other hand, were without their newly appointed Portuguese head coach, Rui Pedro Prata, who is yet to arrive in the Maldives.

Maziya broke the deadlock in the 18th minute through Nassam Ibrahim Nasir. The goal came from a rapid counterattack initiated by Ahmed Aiham (Fatho), whose well-timed pass found Nassam inside the area, allowing him to finish confidently into the far corner.

Odi restored parity in the 28th minute when Muzdhan Hassan headed home from Ahuzam Rasheed’s (Ahu) cross. Although Maziya goalkeeper Hussain Shareef managed to get a hand to the effort, he could not prevent the ball from crossing the line.

The winning goal came with 12 minutes remaining in regulation time. Ahmed Aiham controlled a pass from outside the penalty area before unleashing a precise low drive into the far corner, giving Odi goalkeeper Mohamed Ashwan no chance and sealing all three points for Maziya.

The Cup Winners Cup, first introduced in 1995, was one of the Maldives’ premier domestic knockout competitions before it was discontinued after the 2008 edition, when New Radiant Sports Club claimed the title. This year’s tournament marks its long-awaited return after an 18-year hiatus.

Earlier in the day, New Radiant announced their return to the competition in emphatic fashion with a commanding 5-0 victory over Buru Sports Club in the tournament’s opening fixture.

The competition resumes on Thursday, with Maziya set to face Buru Sports Club, while New Radiant will take on Odi Sports Club in the day’s other fixture.