Afghan Women's Refugee Team allowed to play in FIFA competitions
FIFA has approved the Afghan Women's Refugee Team to participate in official competitions, bypassing the need for recognition from the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan Football Federation. The decision follows rule changes by the FIFA Council to support teams unable to operate under their home country's authorities. The team, also known as Afghan Women United, was formed in exile and has already played in international friendlies. This move aims to promote inclusion and provide opportunities for athletes displaced by restrictive regimes.
- ▪FIFA amended its rules to allow the Afghan Women's Refugee Team to compete without approval from the Taliban-led Afghanistan Football Federation.
- ▪The Taliban have banned women's sports and issued over 70 decrees restricting women's rights since returning to power in 2021.
- ▪The Afghan Women's Refugee Team, formed through talent camps in England and Australia, debuted against Morocco in 2025.
- ▪The team is coached by former Scotland player Pauline Hamill.
- ▪FIFA President Gianni Infantino stated the initiative supports representation for teams unable to register under their national associations.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
{"@context":"http://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","mainEntityOfPage":"https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/afghan-womens-refugee-team-allowed-032346151.html","headline":"Afghan Women's Refugee Team allowed to play in FIFA competitions","datePublished":"2026-04-29T03:23:46.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-29T03:23:46.000Z","keywords":["Afghan Women","FIFA","Afghanistan Football Federation","women's national team","FIFA Council","Australia","England","Morocco","Scotland"],"description":"Football governing body FIFA on Tuesday announced that the Afghan Women's Refugee Team will be allowed to participate in official competitions.
…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Yahoo Sports.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from Yahoo Sports
