The Afghan women’s refugee football team will take part in an international competition for the first time, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) announced.
The four-team tournament, known as FIFA United–Women, will be held Oct. 23-29, 2025, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Participating teams include the host UAE, Chad, Libya and the Afghan refugee women’s squad.
“We want to give every woman the chance to play football, because that is key for the future of our sport,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said.
The announcement comes a week after FIFA held a talent camp for Afghan refugees at the training grounds of Britain’s national teams, where about 70 players took part. Head coach Pauline Hamill will select a final squad of 23 from that group for the October matches.
Afghanistan’s women’s national team was first formed in 2007 but was banned from playing after the Taliban seized power in August 2021. To ensure their safety, Australia evacuated 75 players and staff members. Many of them now play in Australia’s second division with Melbourne Victory, and FIFA plans to recognize the squad as Afghanistan’s official national team.
Afghanistan last played an official match on Dec. 1, 2018, losing 5-0 to Tajikistan.
The UAE women’s national team, which once qualified for the 2010 World Cup, is currently ranked 117th in FIFA’s global standings. It is coached by Vera Pauw, formerly of the Houston Dash in the United States, who is currently suspended from the league over misconduct allegations she denies.
Chad and Libya’s women’s teams are not ranked, as they have not played official matches in years. Libya last competed in 2019. Both teams will become eligible for FIFA rankings through the United initiative.
