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Vancouver: FIFA has approved a rule change allowing Afghan women footballers to play official international matches in FIFA competitions, giving players exiled since the Taliban’s return to power a route back into international football.

Afghanistan’s women’s national team has not played an official competitive international since before the Taliban returned to power in 2021. The Taliban authorities have imposed sweeping restrictions on women and girls, including restrictions affecting education, work and sport, forcing many female athletes to flee the country or abandon competition.

The rule change builds on FIFA’s Strategy for Action for Afghan Women’s Football, endorsed by the FIFA Council in May last year, and follows the creation of Afghan Women United, a FIFA-supported team providing structured playing opportunities for Afghan women footballers living outside the country.

“We are proud of the beautiful journey initiated by Afghan Women United, and with this initiative, we aim to enable them, as well as other FIFA member associations that may not be able to register a national or representative team for a FIFA competition, to make the next step, in coordination with the relevant confederation,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said.

The selection phase for the next Afghan Women United squad is under way, with FIFA hosting regional selection camps in England and Australia and providing individual support packages to nearly 90 players.

Afghan Women United are expected to play their next matches during the June women’s international window, with details of opponents and venues to be announced.

In 2021, FIFA helped evacuate more than 160 at-risk players, officials and human rights defenders connected to football and basketball in Afghanistan.

Women’s football advocates have repeatedly urged FIFA to formally recognize and support Afghan women players in exile, arguing they should not be denied international careers because of restrictions imposed inside Afghanistan.

(DD News)