Road Recreation Club (RRC) claimed their third Club Maldives Cup title after defeating STO Recreation 3-2 in a thrilling final, sealed by a dramatic stoppage-time goal from Ismail Muneez.

Muneez struck the winner in the closing moments of the match, giving RRC another memorable victory over STO and successfully defending the championship.

RRC first won the Club Maldives Cup in 2021. Since then, they have reached the final in each of the past four editions, lifting the trophy three times. They also defeated STO in last year’s final, winning 7-5.

Played at the Rehendhi Futsal Court, RRC took the lead late in the first half through Muneez. The goal came after Iranian player Mohsen Motazemi controlled the ball and set up Muneez for a composed finish.

However, STO equalized before halftime through Hussain Shareef (Only), who capitalized after rounding RRC goalkeeper Mohamed Lufshan (Puff).

RRC regained the lead early in the second half when Shanaan Rashad finished from a pass by Ahmed Aflaz.

STO responded once again, leveling the match through Ismail Easa (Messi) from the penalty spot. The penalty was awarded after a shot by Ali Humaiz struck the hand of RRC’s Adam Nasih (Adhanna) following a video review requested by STO.

Both teams had chances to take the lead. STO’s Only and Rauhan Riffath were unable to convert their opportunities, while RRC’s Ali Hafiz (Haappe) also missed chances on the counterattack.

With the match seemingly destined for penalties, RRC found the decisive breakthrough with just 32 seconds remaining. Ahmed Aflaz delivered another precise pass, and Muneez timed his run perfectly before firing home the winner to secure a 3-2 victory and retain the title.

Individual Awards

RRC’s Shanaan Rashad was named the tournament’s Best Player, while RRC coach Ismail Shareef (Isse) received the Best Coach award.

The Top Scorer award went to Mohamed Isaam (Shante) of Club MTCC, who finished the tournament with 12 goals.

Club HDC’s Muzdhan Hassan was named the Most Promising Player, while teammate Ali Alsan won the Fair Play Player award. Club MTCC received the Fair Play Team award.

The tournament’s Best Five players were:

• Hussain Shareef (Only) – STO
• Ahmed Raahil Rasheed (Raakko) – STO
• Mohamed Zuhal – STO
• Shanaan Rashad – RRC
• Mohsen Motazemi – RRC

In the Club Maldives Classic, Club Binara emerged champions after winning the final on penalties.

In the 18:30 Classic division, Club HDC defeated STO 5-3 to win the title, while Club Wemco beat the Maldives National Defence Force Club 3-1 to lift the 18:30 Trophy.

In the Kidsal category, Espaya Academy defeated Elite Academy in a penalty shootout to secure the championship.

The Football Association of Maldives (FAM) has announced an extension to the registration deadline for the upcoming FAM Futsal Championship after receiving an overwhelming response from clubs and teams across the country.

According to FAM, more than 50 teams have already submitted their applications to participate in the nationwide competition, highlighting the growing popularity of futsal in the Maldives.

The tournament will be conducted using a format similar to the FAM Atoll Championship, providing teams from across the country with a pathway to compete at the national level. The competition will begin with the Atoll Round, followed by the Zone Round, Regional Round, and ultimately the Final Round, where the country’s top futsal teams will battle for the championship title.

FAM said the decision to extend the application deadline was made to allow more teams the opportunity to register and take part in the tournament. The association expects the number of participating teams to increase further before the revised deadline.

The championship is expected to provide a major boost to futsal development nationwide by creating more competitive opportunities for players and clubs from islands throughout the Maldives. It also offers emerging talents a platform to showcase their abilities on a larger stage.

With interest already exceeding 50 teams, anticipation is building for what is expected to be one of the largest futsal competitions organized in the country. Further details regarding fixtures, venues, and the revised registration deadline are expected to be announced by FAM in the coming days.

The Football Association of Maldives (FAM) has confirmed that it will launch the inaugural National Futsal League this year, along with a national futsal tournament.

Despite the sport’s popularity among Maldivian youth, FAM had previously done little to develop futsal. However, the landscape has begun to change since the current administration assumed leadership in July last year.

For the first time, FAM appointed a foreign coach to lead the national futsal team at this year’s SAFF Futsal Championship. The Maldives team went on to win the title with a perfect record. The tournament also marked the debut of the Maldives women’s national futsal team.

In addition to the league and national tournament, FAM has also allocated funds to launch a Futsal Atoll Tournament later this year.