The third round of the Afghanistan Champions League began in Kabul city on Wednesday.

In the opening match, Khost's Atalan defeated Parwan’s Jabal Siraj team 3-1.

12 teams from six zones are competing in the league, and the matches will be held in Kabul, Herat and Balkh provinces.

The first round of the league began in Kabul, with a kick-off at 4pm local time, according to Afghanistan's Football Federation.

The second match will be on Thursday, with Laghman’s Jawanan team facing Kabul’s Istiqlal.

The second round of the competitions will start in Balkh in the upcoming five days, the AFF said.

AFF said that the champion of this year’s league competition will represent Afghanistan in the Asian competitions “If it can meet the necessary criteria of a professional club.”

The clubs competing in the league are: Khost's Cloub Atalan, Parwan’s Jabal Siraj, Laghman’s Jawanan, Kabul’s Istiqlal, Herat’s Sorkh Poshan, Helmand’s Esmat Laghmani, Farah’s Abu Muslim, Takhar’s Mawj Sahel, Kandahar’s Aino Mina, Sar-e-Pul’s Khadim FC, Kunduz’s Wahidy and Faryab’s Khurasan.