For Afghan women, football is more than just a game – it's a fight for freedom.
Four years since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan, life has become even tougher for these brave athletes who chose to defy their families' wishes and pursue their passion for football. Their story is one of courage, hope, and perseverance.
The team, Afghan Women United, consists of 11 players from different parts of Europe and Australia, who have been living under the Taliban regime since 2021. The players say they had no choice but to leave their homeland as women's rights were stripped away by the oppressive government. The footballers now live in exile, driven by a single goal – to compete internationally for their country.
Their journey began with a recent participation in the FIFA Unites: Women's Series tournament in Morocco, where they played against Chad and Tunisia. Although they lost both matches, their biggest win was scoring 7-0 against Libya, a resounding victory that showcased their talent.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino described their story as "a beautiful story" that inspires hope for the women of Afghanistan. Nilab Mohammadi, a striker from the Afghan national team, added, "Football is not just a sport – it represents life and hope."
But despite these wins, there's still one major hurdle to overcome: recognition by FIFA as the official Afghan national women's team. The players' determination remains unwavering, driven by their dream of competing freely on the international stage.
For Nilab Ahmadi, football is more than a game – it's her ticket out of exile and back home to Afghanistan. "It won't stop anytime soon," she said with a smile, determined to keep pushing forward despite the challenges she faces.
Their story highlights the immense courage required for these women to pursue their passion in a country where they are not allowed to play football.
Four years since the Taliban took power in Afghanistan, life has become even tougher for these brave athletes who chose to defy their families' wishes and pursue their passion for football. Their story is one of courage, hope, and perseverance.
The team, Afghan Women United, consists of 11 players from different parts of Europe and Australia, who have been living under the Taliban regime since 2021. The players say they had no choice but to leave their homeland as women's rights were stripped away by the oppressive government. The footballers now live in exile, driven by a single goal – to compete internationally for their country.
Their journey began with a recent participation in the FIFA Unites: Women's Series tournament in Morocco, where they played against Chad and Tunisia. Although they lost both matches, their biggest win was scoring 7-0 against Libya, a resounding victory that showcased their talent.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino described their story as "a beautiful story" that inspires hope for the women of Afghanistan. Nilab Mohammadi, a striker from the Afghan national team, added, "Football is not just a sport – it represents life and hope."
But despite these wins, there's still one major hurdle to overcome: recognition by FIFA as the official Afghan national women's team. The players' determination remains unwavering, driven by their dream of competing freely on the international stage.
For Nilab Ahmadi, football is more than a game – it's her ticket out of exile and back home to Afghanistan. "It won't stop anytime soon," she said with a smile, determined to keep pushing forward despite the challenges she faces.
Their story highlights the immense courage required for these women to pursue their passion in a country where they are not allowed to play football.
They're not just playin' for themselves, but for the freedom to live their lives without bein' held back by the Taliban 
It's insane that they gotta leave their homes & start from scratch in exile just to chase a ball around 
But ya know what? They're killin' it on the pitch, & FIFA is finally takin' notice 
Nilab's right, football is life & hope for these women – let's keep supportin' 'em all the way till they get that recognition 
- those girls have shown more guts than I can imagine playing footy under Taliban rule 
. It's heartbreaking that they had to leave home, but at the same time, their determination is super inspiring 
. The fact that they still manage to keep smiling and pushing forward despite everything they're going through is a testament to their strength of character 
.
. Nilab Ahmadi's comment about football being her ticket out of exile and back home to Afghanistan is so poignant 
- it's like she's saying that no matter what obstacles come in her way, footy will always be a source of hope for her.
. It just goes to show how much work needs to be done to get recognition and equality for these incredible athletes 
- but I have no doubt they'll keep fighting for it until they get there!
& yeah, FIFA needs 2 recognize them ASAP so they can compete freely 4 their country 
. It's so inspiring that they're not giving up, though - Nilab's story alone is enough to get me pumped up 
.
! It shows the world what they're capable of. And you know what's even crazier? They've got to deal with all this Taliban drama and still manage to chase their dreams. Their story is literally inspiring 
, it gives me hope for women's rights everywhere.
. But I'm all for these players keeping at it and pushing forward - they're the real MVPs 
. It's crazy that they had to leave their homeland just because of the Taliban's super strict rules on women's rights, but it just goes to show how important sports can be for women's empowerment. And let's be real, 7-0 against Libya is no joke 
.
. These women are out here grinding and killing it on the pitch, and they deserve the recognition.
!
. It's insane that they have to live in exile just because of the Taliban's oppressive regime. Can you believe they're only allowed to play against Libya and Chad? 7-0 is a crazy scoreline btw! 
, but I gotta give it to them - their spirit and determination are truly inspiring 
.
but like, they're using it as an opp to compete internationally and bring hope 2 afghanistan 
They're like real-life superheroes, defying all odds and expectations just to live their dreams on the pitch 
These girls are the ultimate inspirations, proving that even in the darkest times, there's always hope & a way to rise above 
. We gotta keep supporting them on this journey towards recognition and freedom for Afghan women. Fingers crossed 
