KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – A coalition of rights groups has urged football’s world governing body, FIFA, to recognize and support Afghanistan’s women’s national football team, which has been in exile since the Taliban returned to power in 2021.
The Sport & Rights Alliance, a global network of human rights and sports organizations, released a report on Tuesday urging FIFA to take action as the Afghanistan Women’s National Team (AWNT) remains excluded from international competitions.
The report comes just two days before the draw for the 2026 AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers — a tournament that also serves as a pathway to the 2027 Women’s World Cup. Afghanistan’s women are not included in the draw, marking the second consecutive qualification cycle they have missed.
Joanna Maranhão, coordinator for the Sport & Rights Alliance’s Athletes Network for Safer Sports, said the players had shown “remarkable resilience” despite facing harassment, abuse, and threats.
“Restoring the AWNT’s ability to access training facilities and represent their country would be an important form of remedy, as required under international human rights law,” she said.
Following the Taliban’s ban on women’s sports, the Afghanistan Football Federation — now under Taliban control — does not recognize the women’s team. Under FIFA regulations, official recognition must come from the national football authority, leaving the team in limbo.
The report notes that many players now living in exile — in countries like Australia, Portugal, Albania, the UK, and the US — are ready to compete but remain blocked from participating in international tournaments.
“For these athletes, football is not only their passion but a fundamental act of resistance against the Taliban – an act of solidarity with their sisters still living in Afghanistan,” said Fereshta Abbasi, Asia researcher at Human Rights Watch. “FIFA’s recognition of and support for the team would be a powerful statement that Afghan women’s rights cannot be erased,” she added.
Khalida Popal, a founding member of the team and head of the Girl Power Organisation, called on FIFA to amend its rules.
“Right now, the game is at halftime, and the Taliban think they are winning. If FIFA would change its rules and let us play, we could show the world that Afghan women and girls belong in sport, in school, and everywhere in society – and we will not be defeated,” she said.
Fatima Foladi, who played for Afghanistan’s U15 national team, said she hoped to one day reunite with her teammates and revive their shared dreams of playing for their country.
In response to the Sport & Rights Alliance’s call, FIFA said it has developed plans to offer football opportunities for Afghan women both inside and outside the country. However, it has not confirmed whether it will officially recognize the exiled team or provide financial support.
Since their forced exile, Afghanistan’s women’s team has continued to train abroad, but without FIFA’s recognition and support, they remain sidelined from international competition.
The team and its supporters have repeatedly called on FIFA to intervene, recognizing them and providing financial support to enable their participation in international competitions.
Dozens of international figures, including lawmakers from the US, UK, Australia, Portugal, and Italy, as well as Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai, have previously urged FIFA to recognize and support Afghanistan’s women’s football team.
FIFA has previously said it is “committed to ensuring that all women have the opportunity to participate in football” and remains “in close contact with the Afghanistan Football Federation to discuss the situation.”
