US EditionAfghanistan women’s soccer team of refugees to play first official games at FIFA-backed event
The Afghan refugee women's team plays its first international matches at a FIFA-backed event after the Taliban banned women's sports in 2021, with 23 players selected globally.
- On September 24, 2025, FIFA announced that a team composed of Afghan female refugees will participate in their first official matches during a four-nation tournament held in Dubai from October 23 to 29.
- The team formed after the Taliban regained power in 2021, which led to a ban on women's sports and caused players to flee Afghanistan fearing persecution.
- The tournament, called "FIFA Unites: Women's Series," will feature the Afghan refugee squad facing the United Arab Emirates, Chad, and Libya, whose women's teams currently lack FIFA rankings.
- FIFA President Gianni Infantino highlighted that providing opportunities for women to participate in football is a key focus for the organization, and confirmed that every match will be available to watch live on FIFA’s own streaming service.
- This event reinforces FIFA's commitment to promoting and protecting the rights of all women and girls to play soccer, signaling hope and progress despite Afghanistan's last official women's match being in 2018.
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24 Articles
FIFA to hold historic women’s friendly series in United Arab Emirates
As part of FIFA’s commitment to bringing the game to all, the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series is scheduled to kick off in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, between Thursday, 23 October and Wednesday, 29 October this year. The historic four-team women’s football event reinforces FIFA’s efforts to promote and protect the right of all women and girls to play the sport, pursue their footballing dreams and thrive through the game. The event will mark the firs…
Soccer-Afghan women's refugee team to make tournament debut in UAE
(Reuters) -The Afghan women's refugee team will take the field for the first time in an international tournament when they compete in a four-team friendly competition in the United Arab Emirates next month, world governing body FIFA said on Wednesday. Read full story
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