FIFA’s decision to amend its regulations and allow Afghanistan’s women footballers to compete in official international matches has been hailed as a historic breakthrough by former team captain and founder, Khalida Popal.
Speaking to AFP on Thursday, Popal described the move as the culmination of years of advocacy and struggle by Afghan women footballers seeking recognition and the right to represent their country on the global stage.
“I woke up this morning imagining a young Afghan girl opening her eyes and saying, ‘I’ve got the right to play’. This is a basic human right,” said Popal, speaking from Copenhagen.
She added that the decision marked a significant milestone for Afghan women and girls. “It’s fantastic news, it’s a historical moment we are trying to absorb,” she said.
The Afghanistan Women’s National Team was established in 2007 by Popal and other players in Kabul. However, following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021, women were barred from participating in sports, forcing many players to flee the country.
Approximately 100 players and their family members were evacuated to Melbourne, Australia, while others resettled across Europe, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Despite forming a refugee-based team that played its first international matches during the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series in Morocco last year, the players were unable to participate in official competitions due to FIFA regulations requiring approval from the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan Football Federation.
Under the newly approved FIFA amendment, Afghanistan’s women’s team can now gain official recognition through an agreement between FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The rule change is also expected to benefit other teams facing exceptional circumstances that prevent them from registering a national side.
Popal said the decision would ensure that future generations of female footballers do not endure the same challenges faced by the current team.
“It has been a long fight but we are so grateful this history is made not only for the women of Afghanistan,” she said. “No team, if they face a situation like us, will suffer what we have sacrificed and suffered.”
The development paves the way for Afghanistan’s women footballers to compete in future qualification campaigns for major tournaments, including the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the Olympic Games. While the team will not be eligible for qualification to the 2027 Women’s World Cup, it can participate in future editions.
According to Popal, the decision will also help identify and recruit talented Afghan players living abroad as the team seeks to build a competitive squad from its global diaspora.
“This announcement will allow us to find the talent within the diaspora,” she said, adding that player trials are expected to begin ahead of a potential match in June.
FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, described the decision as a landmark moment for the sport.
“This is a powerful and unprecedented step in world sport,” Infantino said.
“FIFA has listened to these players as part of its responsibility to protect the right of every girl and woman to play football and to represent who they are.”
