Buzkashi in Afghanistan (2026–27): When and Where to Watch the National Game

By Al Hamid Tour and Travel · Updated 2026-10-27 · Kabul, Afghanistan

Dozens of riders, a goat carcass, a field of churned earth and a crowd that roars at every charge: buzkashi is Afghanistan's national game, and seeing one is a winter highlight of any trip. Here is what it is, when and where it is played, and how to watch it.

What is buzkashi?

The name means "goat pulling". Riders called chapandaz, on horses trained for years, crowd round a goat or calf carcass, and whoever can grab it, haul it up and break clear of the pack can score. The carcass may not be tied to the saddle: it is held by hand or gripped under the leg, often with the rider's whip held in his teeth. Games can be wild, with dozens of riders at once, and the best chapandaz are national celebrities.

• Tudabarai, the simpler form: carry the carcass clear of everyone else, in any direction.
• Qarajai, the form of the big games: carry it round a flag or marker and drop it in the scoring circle, sometimes called the circle of justice.

When is buzkashi season in Afghanistan?

Buzkashi is a winter game, played when it is cool enough for the horses, from late October or November to about March. In Mazar-e-Sharif the first game of the 2026–27 season is on Friday 23 October 2026. Games are usually on Friday afternoons, starting around 2 pm, and are rarely announced far ahead. The biggest games of the year are around Nowruz, the new year on 21 March, when Mazar-e-Sharif celebrates for days.

Where can you watch buzkashi?

Mazar-e-Sharif is the home of the game and the easiest place for visitors: games are held at the city's buzkashi ground on winter Fridays, a short drive from the centre. Buzkashi is also played in Kabul and across the northern provinces, often in open fields outside the towns, but those games are harder to find without local contacts. Most games are free to watch; some tournaments charge for entry.

What is it like to watch a game?

• Stand well back from the edge of the field: the horses charge into the crowd more often than you would expect. Your guide picks a safe spot.
• The crowd is almost all men. Women are not banned from watching, and can watch with their guide.
• Photos of the game are fine; ask before you photograph people close up.
• Dress warmly: winter afternoons in Mazar-e-Sharif are cool, and the evenings are cold.

Is there a winter buzkashi tour?

Yes. Our Buzkashi Season Tour takes 5 days and 4 nights and costs $750–$1,100 per person: two days in Kabul, a flight north (in winter snow can close the road over the Salang Pass), and three days in Mazar-e-Sharif with a Friday game, the Blue Mosque and old Balkh. We set the dates so that a Friday falls during your days in Mazar-e-Sharif. Bad weather or local events can cancel a game, so we keep a second Friday option if you have the time.

Planning a winter trip? Read our Mazar-e-Sharif guide and the best time to visit Afghanistan.

Sources: Wikipedia: Buzkashi; Mizan Project: buzkashi; GlobalGaz: watching buzkashi in Afghanistan; the 2026–27 season dates from our team in Mazar-e-Sharif.