Overview

• The Afghanistan Women’s National Football Team (AWNT) will not participate in the 2026 Asian Cup Qualifiers, marking their second exclusion from World Cup-qualifying cycles since 2021.
• FIFA has outlined plans to promote football opportunities for Afghan women but has not committed to recognizing the AWNT or providing dedicated funding.
• The Taliban-controlled Afghanistan Football Federation refuses to acknowledge women’s sports, effectively blocking the AWNT’s international representation under current FIFA regulations.
• The team, now in exile, continues to advocate for recognition, with widespread global support, including from Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai and nearly 200,000 petition signatories.
• The International Olympic Committee’s recognition of an Afghan Olympic Committee in exile for the 2024 Paris Olympics contrasts with FIFA’s inaction, highlighting differing approaches to supporting Afghan women athletes.