US EditionFIFA allows Afghan women to play for their country, defying Taliban
FIFA’s rule change gives the refugee squad a path to official matches and future qualifiers, with support packages for nearly 90 players.
- On Tuesday, the FIFA Council meeting in Vancouver approved a rule change allowing Afghan Women United to compete in official international matches, providing exiled players a path back to football.
- Forced to flee following the Taliban's 2021 return to power, which banned women's sports in Afghanistan, many athletes abandoned competition; FIFA previously helped evacuate more than 160 at-risk players and defenders.
- Regional selection camps in England and Australia are underway, with support packages provided to nearly 90 players; coach Pauline Hamill prepares the squad for exhibition matches during June's international window.
- The initiative aims to enable participation for associations unable to register national teams, with President Gianni Infantino stating, "We are proud of the beautiful journey initiated by Afghan Women United."
- While the refugee team cannot qualify for the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil, it remains eligible for qualification regarding the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, marking a significant pathway forward.
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75 Articles
By amending its internal statutes, FIFA formally recognizes the ability of Afghan athletes to compete under its national flag in official tournaments.
Banned from football and sent into exile, Afghanistan's women's national team had to fight for their return to the international stage. The recognition now granted by FIFA also affects the rulers in Kabul. Source link: https://www.dw.com/de/afghanistans-fu%C3%9Fballerinnen-feiern-sieg-gegen-die-taliban/a-76999947?maca=de-rss-de-all-1119-rdf Author: Publish date: 2026-04-30 13:39:00 Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked source.
FIFA has decided to allow Afghan players to represent their country in international competitions, despite the lack of recognition of the Taliban. At the same time, however, the expulsions of Afghan citizens to Kabul continue in Europe on the basis of controversial agreements. In Afghanistan a serious humanitarian crisis is still underway and recently al-Qaeda expressed support for the Taliban against the Pakistani government.
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