FIFA President Gianni Infantino attended Afghan Women United’s match at the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025, marking the first international appearance of Afghanistan’s women footballers since their exile and symbolizing their return to the global stage.
Morocco | By Sayer Zaland, AIPS Member
FIFA President Gianni Infantino attended the latest match of Afghan Women United during the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025, a friendly tournament showcasing refugee and emerging national teams.
Afghan Women United, formed under FIFA’s Strategy for Action for Afghan Women’s Football, is the first officially recognized refugee team representing Afghan women in international competition. The team’s participation follows the FIFA Council’s decision in May 2025 to create a platform allowing displaced Afghan players to compete under the name chosen by the athletes themselves, in consultation with FIFA.
“This team represents hope and the unbreakable spirit of Afghan women,” Infantino said at the match. “FIFA is proud to stand beside them and to ensure that every girl, regardless of her circumstances, has the right to play football.”
The tournament in Morocco features four teams and marks the first international appearance by Afghan women footballers since their exile following the Taliban’s 2021 ban on women’s sport. The players, drawn from several countries of resettlement, have reunited under FIFA’s support to revive their competitive presence.
Team captain Fatima Razai said the moment symbolized more than just a return to football. “It feels like we are reclaiming our identity on the pitch,” she said. “After years of silence, we are finally seen again.”
Afghan women’s football was suspended in 2021 after the Taliban takeover, forcing dozens of players into exile. In May 2025, the FIFA Council approved the creation of Afghan Women United within the broader “FIFA Unites” initiative, aiming to support refugee athletes worldwide. The Morocco series is the team’s debut tournament and a symbolic step in restoring Afghanistan’s women’s presence in world football.
I am not rattling fantastic with English but I get hold this really easy to read .