Fifa has approved a regulation change allowing Afghan Women United, a team of refugees scattered across Australia, the Middle East, and Europe, to compete as the official Afghanistan national women's football team. The decision bypasses the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan Football Federation, which refuses to recognise a women's team due to the Taliban's ban on women's sports.
The change, set to be ratified by the Fifa Council, marks the first time the team can represent Afghanistan in official competitions without government approval. For over three years, the players and their supporters campaigned for Fifa to intervene and provide the recognition and financial support denied by the Taliban.
Afghan Women United was formed after the Taliban returned to power in 2021, when the original women's national team, established in 2007, was banned and most of its players sought asylum. The new team is part of a three-pillar Fifa strategy to support women and girls in Afghanistan, including diplomatic advocacy and playing opportunities.
Fifa has organised fixtures for the team, including the inaugural Fifa Unites: Women's Series, initially planned for the UAE but moved to Morocco after visa issues. Captain Fatima Haidari, based in Italy, described the emotional significance: 'When I step on to the pitch everything else is automatically erased from my mind. I train, I play, and a fire inside me is lit.'
