FIFA: Global Talent Camp for Afghan Women Footballers in Exile Held

Photo: World Sports Craze

While the Taliban, by completely banning women’s sports in Afghanistan, have buried the dreams and futures of thousands of female athletes, the world is now witnessing the rebirth of the Afghan women’s football team in exile.

The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) announced on Friday (August 1) that the first global talent identification camp for Afghan women footballers in exile was held from July 23 to 29 in Sydney, Australia.

According to Reuters, this program is part of FIFA’s efforts to form a team of 23 Afghan refugee women players to enable their participation in international friendly competitions.

FIFA has expressed hope that this team will be able to participate in international friendly matches by the end of this year and take a step toward bringing Afghan women’s football back to the global stage.

This comes as, following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan, the group, with its extremist interpretation of Sharia law, officially banned women’s sports altogether. This decision effectively removed the Afghan women’s national football team from all official international competitions. Dozens of female players, facing security threats, left Afghanistan and now live in exile in various countries.

It is worth noting that FIFA officially approved the establishment of the Afghan women’s football team in exile in May of this year and appointed Pauline Hammill, former player of Scotland’s national team, as the coach of this team.