"We are proud of the beautiful journey initiated by Afghan Women United, and with this initiative we aim to enable them, as well as other FIFA member associations that may not be able to register a national or representative team for a FIFA competition, to make the next step, in coordination with the relevant confederation, FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement."
"For five years, we were told the Afghanistan women's national team could never compete again because the men who took our country would not allow it, Popal said in a statement. I am extremely proud of this decision by FIFA and glad that our collective advocacy has not only changed the future for Afghan women but also ensured that no other national team has to sacrifice what our players did."
FIFA has granted eligibility for the Afghan women's refugee team, Afghan Women United, to participate in international competitions. This decision follows nearly five years after players fled Taliban rule. Although they missed the chance to qualify for the 2027 Women's World Cup, they are eligible for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. The recognition came after years of advocacy by players and human rights groups. The team, coached by Pauline Hamill, has held training camps in England and Australia and is set to play exhibition matches soon.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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