Etihad Volleyball Club is more than a team. It's a place where kids from every corner of the city pick up a ball, find a second family, and learn what they can do when they rise together.
Our mark is an eight-pointed girih star — the interlacing geometry you'll find carved into old Kabul woodwork and woven into Afghan carpets. Eight points reaching inward to a single heart.
That's how we think about this club. Hazara, Tajik, Pashtun, Uzbek — young people who might never have met otherwise — pass the same ball across the same net.
When the game is on, none of the lines between us matter. There is only the team, the point, and the next serve. That is the quiet miracle of sport, and it's why we do this.
Players travel from across Kabul to train under one roof.
We coach, cheer and celebrate in Dari, Pashto and English.
On the court there are no strangers — only teammates.
In 2016, a few friends strung a net between two poles on a dusty lot in Kabul. Word spread. Today Etihad is one of the city's busiest clubs — but the spirit hasn't changed.
“I started Etihad with a borrowed net and a simple hope — that a ball could bring our young people together. Every day I watch it happen. This club is my life's work, and its doors are open to every child in Kabul.”
Abdul Ahad Rustamzada
Founder, CEO & Head Coach
Years in volleyball
Squads across ages and levels. Wherever you're starting from, there's a place for you.
Our flagship on the court
The team that carries the Etihad badge into the league. Fast, physical, and famous for never dropping their heads when the score's against them.
Squad size
Training
Level
The next generation
Where tomorrow's first-team players learn the game properly — footwork, reading the play, and the habit of hard work.
Squad size
Training
Level
First touches, big smiles
Our youngest players, learning to love the game through play. Coordination, teamwork and fun come first — technique follows.
Squad size
Training
Level
First touch to first tournament — structured coaching that meets you where you are and takes you further.
Complete beginners · Ages 8+
The friendliest way to start. Learn to pass, set and serve in a supportive group, with no pressure and plenty of encouragement.
8-week intro
Improvers · Ages 12–17
Structured skill-building three times a week — technique, tactics, strength and the mindset that turns players into athletes.
Term-based
Advanced players · By trial
High-performance training for players aiming at the first team and provincial selection. Video analysis, conditioning and match strategy.
Year-round
Next up on the Etihad calendar. Bring your voice — the team plays louder when the stands do.
Match reports, player journeys and everything happening around the club.
The dives, the huddles, the wins and the laughs after. This is what a season looks like.
First serve
The huddle
Morning drills
Block party
Juniors at play
Coach's corner
“I came to Etihad shy and unsure of myself. Two seasons later I captain the youth team. This club gave me a voice.”
Rahim N.
Youth team captain
“My son found discipline, friends and something to be proud of. As a parent, I couldn't ask for more from a club.”
Ahmad K.
Parent
“We train hard and we look after each other. That's the Etihad difference — the brotherhood is real.”
Sayed M.
Men's team setter
Backed by our community
Your first session is on us. Come see if Etihad is your kind of team — no experience needed, just bring your energy.