Afghanistan’s exiled women’s footballers returned to international competition under the name “Afghan Women United” after years of being banned from playing at home.
Afghanistan’s women’s refugee football team returned to the international stage on Sunday, competing in a FIFA-organised tournament in Morocco for the first time since being banned from playing in their home country.
Afghan Women United lost 6-1 to Chad in their opening game of the four-team FIFA Unites: Women’s Series, but the match symbolised a major victory for the players, who fled Afghanistan after the Taliban banned women’s sport in 2021.
Before the takeover, Afghanistan had 25 women’s players under contract, most now living in Australia. Their last international match was in 2021 against Qatar. FIFA approved the refugee team earlier this year, appointing Pauline Hamill as coach.
“That’s all we wanted all these years after trying so hard to get what we truly deserve as a woman — our right to play and to represent our country,” captain Fatima Haidari said before the match.
Melbourne-based striker Manozh Noori scored the team’s lone goal from a penalty, sparking emotional celebrations. Chad, however, recovered to secure a comfortable win in Berrechid, near Casablanca.
Afghan Women United will next face Tunisia on Wednesday and Libya on Saturday. The tournament was originally scheduled for the UAE but was moved to Morocco last week.