The Afghanistan women’s refugee football team is set to make its international debut next month at a tournament in the United Arab Emirates.
FIFA approved the formation of the team in May. The initiative aims to support Afghan women footballers both inside and outside the country.
The team will compete in Dubai from October 23 to 29. Other participants include the women’s teams of the UAE, Chad, and Libya.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino emphasized the importance of giving women access to football. “Ensuring all women can play football is a priority and vital for the future of the sport,” he said.
The Afghan team is led by Scottish coach Pauline Hamill. Talent identification camps have been held in Afghanistan, England, and Sydney to select players for the squad.
The team’s creation comes amid ongoing restrictions on women in Afghanistan. Since the Taliban returned to power four years ago, women and girls have faced bans on education, work, and access to parks and gyms.
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The refugee team provides Afghan women footballers an opportunity to compete internationally, despite the challenges they face at home.
Earlier, Teams with fewer resources than Pakistan have overtaken it in FIFA’s most recent world rankings, indicating a notable drop.
Pakistan has dropped one position to 198th place, whereas Afghanistan, Nepal, and the Maldives have all fared better. India, a longstanding adversary, is placed 150th, in contrast.
Afghanistan comes in at number 151, followed by the Maldives at number 163 and Nepal at number 176.
Argentina remains the dominant team at the top of the FIFA men’s rankings, with the top spot. England is in fourth place, followed by Spain in third and France in second.
Brazil, a three-time world champion and fifth-ranked team, exemplifies the competitive environment at the top football levels.
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