Afghan women's refugee team allowed to play in FIFA tournaments
The FIFA Council has granted eligibility to the Afghanistan women's refugee team, known as Afghan Women United, allowing them to compete in international tournaments. The decision comes five years after the national team's players fled Taliban rule, which banned women's sports. While they cannot qualify for the 2027 Women's World Cup, they may participate in 2028 Olympic qualifying. The move follows years of advocacy by former players and human rights groups.
- ▪The FIFA Council approved regulatory changes to allow the Afghan women's refugee team to compete internationally.
- ▪The team, called Afghan Women United, consists of over 80 refugee players based in countries including Australia, the U.S., and Europe.
- ▪They played a tournament in Morocco in October 2025 against teams from Chad, Libya, and Tunisia.
- ▪FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated the initiative supports member associations unable to field official national teams.
- ▪The team is coached by Pauline Hamill and plans to play exhibition matches in the June 2026 international window.
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