Afghan Women Football Team Reunites After Four Years of Exile
In a bustling changing‑room in Auckland, the Afghan Women United squad went through a frantic pre‑match routine—stretching, tightening boots, and exchanging encouraging nods. “Be strong as always because we represent Afghan women,” urged midfielder Fatima Haidari.
A red Afghan flag hung above, and a patriotic song prompted applause and tears. The team huddled one last time before heading onto a pitch they were told could not be used for years.
This squad, selected from Afghan players living abroad, traveled to New Zealand for a training camp and two hybrid friendly matches against the Cook Islands. It is the first time they have convened since FIFA lifted the ban on Afghan women’s representation in official competitions.
The Afghan football team was established in 2007. The Taliban regime, reclaiming power in August 2021, imposed strict limits on women—excluding them from secondary education, professional work, and organised sport. Many former players and staff were evacuated to Australia, the UK, Portugal, and elsewhere.
Years of advocacy led to a refugee‑team, named Afghan Women United, that now has the capacity, thanks to FIFA, to pursue qualification pathways for the Olympics and World Cup.
For most of the squad, journeying to Auckland has involved navigating complex paperwork and travel logistics. Their ability to rehearse together after years of separation underscores the resilience ingrained in the players.
From Kabul to the World Stage
Manozh Noori, now a resident of Australia, reveals how she once had to play football in Kabul masked to hide her identity from disapproving family members. She hid medals, buried trophies in her garden, and fled in 2021 after the Taliban takeover. Her freedom allowed her to move her mother and sister to Australia two years later.
Mursal Sadat, a 24‑year‑old coach and advocate in Auckland, emphasizes that without football she would have remained trapped in Afghanistan, unable to study or speak out. She now works to empower refugees, underlining the sport’s role as a lifeline.
The matches against the Cook Islands, though ending in losses (1–0 and 3–0), were profound victories for the players—a testament to the will to return to the pitch and prove that Afghan women have not disappeared.
FIFA’s recognition, achieved without Taliban approval, marks a historic moment for Afghan women's football—an official status that the squad proudly embraces. While the Taliban’s sports director remains silent, the team’s journey reaffirms the power of sport to transcend political barriers.
