Afghan women’s football team set for first international match in five years
Exiled Afghan women’s team will face Cook Islands in New Zealand, marking its first official international appearance since 2021
KABUL, Afghanistan (MNTV) — Afghanistan’s women’s football team is set to return to international competition this week for the first time in five years, with a match against the Cook Islands scheduled during a training camp in Auckland, according to media reports.
The game will mark the team’s first recognized international appearance since the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021, a development that forced many female athletes into exile and effectively ended organized women’s sports inside the country.
According to ABC News, the match against the Cook Islands — a self-governing state in free association with New Zealand — will take place during the team’s training camp in Auckland, although organizers have not announced an exact date.
For several years, Afghan women footballers were unable to participate in official international competitions because FIFA did not recognize them as Afghanistan’s national women’s team following the Taliban takeover.
That changed in April when FIFA approved the team’s eligibility to compete internationally under the name of Afghanistan’s women’s football team, a decision welcomed by players, supporters and advocates for women’s sports. Afghanistan’s football federation, however, has yet to formally recognize the squad.
The milestone follows growing international efforts to support Afghan women athletes living in exile. Many members of the football team have continued their careers in countries including Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom while campaigning for official recognition and the right to represent Afghanistan internationally.
The issue has also drawn attention in cricket, where rights groups and sports advocates have called on the International Cricket Council and national cricket boards to address the absence of a recognized Afghan women’s team and ensure opportunities for Afghan women athletes despite restrictions in their home country.
Seven months ago, Afghan women footballers competed in the Unity Cup tournament, defeating Libya while playing without formal recognition as Afghanistan’s national team.
The upcoming match in New Zealand will be their first international appearance since receiving FIFA recognition, marking a significant step in the team’s efforts to reestablish its presence on the global stage.
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