KT - The Afghan women’s refugee soccer team will play in its first international tournament next month, three years after the Taliban banned women’s sports in Afghanistan.
The squad will compete in the FIFA Unites: Women’s Soccer event beginning Oct. 23 in Dubai against women’s national teams from Chad, Libya and the United Arab Emirates.
“Ensuring that all women have access to football is a priority for FIFA and a key element in shaping the future of our sport,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said. He called the matches “a symbol of hope and progress for women all over the world” and thanked the UAE Football Association for hosting the “historic event.”
The refugee team was created in response to the Taliban takeover in 2021, which forced the shutdown of women’s sports in Afghanistan. While the group cannot yet officially represent Afghanistan in World Cup qualifiers, it is part of FIFA’s long-term “Action for Afghan Women’s Football” initiative.
Former Afghan national player and women’s rights activist Khalida Popal helped shape the program. A series of identification camps this year, including one in early September at England’s St. George’s Park, drew 70 players. A final 23-player roster will be chosen by head coach Pauline Hamill.
FIFA has pledged ongoing support for all players who attended. Before the Taliban’s return to power, Afghanistan’s women’s national team had not played since 2018.
The men’s national team continues to compete, and the country has not been suspended from international soccer.
The UAE, coached by Vera Pauw, enters the Dubai tournament ranked 117th in the world. Chad and Libya are striving for recognition in the FIFA women’s rankings, while the Afghan refugee squad prepares for its historic debut in a round-robin format.
