New Radiant Sports Club booked their place in the final of the 2026 Cup Winners Cup after defeating Odi Sports Club 5-3 on Thursday evening at Galolhu National Stadium.

Brazilian forward Dorielton Gomes Nascimento starred once again, scoring a hat-trick to lead New Radiant to victory. It was his second hat-trick of the tournament, further underlining his outstanding goalscoring form and strengthening his position as one of the competition’s standout performers.

The victory gave New Radiant six points from two matches, extending their unbeaten start and securing a place in the final with one group-stage match still to play.

Maziya Sports and Recreation Club has also already qualified for the final after winning both of its opening matches. Like New Radiant, Maziya sits on six points from two games and has one fixture remaining.

The two giants of Maldivian football will now meet in the final group-stage match, with qualification already secured for both sides. Although the result will not affect the finalists, the encounter is expected to serve as an important test ahead of the Cup Winners Cup final.

Meanwhile, Odi Sports Club and Buru Sports Club remain at the bottom of the standings after suffering two defeats each and have been eliminated from title contention.

With the finalists confirmed, anticipation is building for the showdown between New Radiant and Maziya, who are set to face each other twice, first in their remaining group-stage fixture and then again in the 2026 Cup Winners Cup final.

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.