Afghanistan's women footballers fight exclusion from World Cup qualifying

Afghanistan's women's football team has faced severe challenges since the Taliban seized control of the country in August 2021. Following this takeover, many players fled to avoid persecution, leading to a significant disruption of women's sports in Afghanistan. The Taliban established a government that does not recognize women's rights to play sports, particularly in national teams. Consequently, the Afghan Football Federation, under Taliban control, banned all women's sports, creating a barrier that has excluded female athletes from competitions. This ban was justified by the Taliban's assertion that they respect women's rights according to their interpretation of Islamic law. However, in practice, this results in widespread gender-based oppression, particularly within athletic domains. The women's team has since sought international support to regain their rights, aiming to return to global competitions. Representatives from the team have emphasized the need for solidarity from athletes worldwide, urging them to use their platforms to highlight the plight of Afghan women. Captain Mursal Sadat called for unity among women athletes to combat gender-based violence and amplify their call for help through social media. UN special rapporteur Richard Bennett has endorsed their call for FIFA to act against the systematic gender oppression affecting these athletes. While the players do not oppose FIFA, they seek collaboration to devise solutions that could enable their safe return to international competition and secure women's sports globally as a fundamental right. Khalida Popal, founding member of the Afghan Women's National Team, reiterated this view, channeling the struggle of Afghan women in sports to advocate for broader international support against gender-based inequalities.