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Our Story
Our History
The Afghanistan Women’s National Team was founded in 2007, by a small group of players led by Khalida Popal in collaboration with the Afghanistan National Olympic Committee. As the numbers of women that played football grew, the need for infrastructure grew too, from the creation of local teams leagues, to the creation a national team, so that women could represent their country on an international stage. The National Team, which identified and scouted players in Kabul and through open trials across the country, started by training on half of a tennis court in Kabul Women’s Garden, a small gated park in the capital that was only accessible for Women and boys under 9, with shops, gyms and classrooms run by women, for women.
The team’s first international fixture took place in the same year in Islamabad. Despite a shortage of appropriate kit, the team exceeded exceptions. The tournament consisted of a eight teams, with seven teams from the newly formed Pakistan Women’s League joining the AWNT at Jinnah Sports Stadium in Islamadad, to compete across the course of the week, organised by the Pakistan Football Federation. Despite a heavy loss in the first game, the team went on to achieve a place in the Final, narrowly missing out on the trophy.
The Team since competed in an Islamic Countries Women's Football Tournament in Jordan in 2008, and then in the South Asian Football Federation tournament in Bangladesh, in 2010, its first competition wearing the iconic Hummel Lioness Kit, playing its first FIFA sanctioned game against Nepal on 14 December 2010. The team's biggest win came in a 4-0 victory against Pakistan in Sri Lanka, in 2012. Their last action as a team before the takeover of the country was a match against Tajikistan in 2018.
"I felt like I had some responsibility to open the way for progress in society, and to show other young women that we can do it. There are thousands of girls like me in Afghanistan."
Adiba Ganji, Defender, AWNT
Exile
"I never imagined that in the midst of war, I would face the sound of bullets, screams, terror, lack of money, fear of life, despair, and people like those of the Taliban." Sultana Salihee, Midfielder, AWNT
The takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban in 2021 spelled danger for the players. The Taliban not only made clear its opposition to women playing sport, but they were opposed to women having any sort of freedom whatsoever. The player set about destroying any evidence that they played football to protect them and their families; the kit they were so proud to wear, the boots they so looked forward to pulling on before they stepped onto the pitch, now put them in danger.
Following international efforts led by Khalida Popal, in collaboration with lawyers, experts, donors, governments and human rights bodies around the world, over 100 players and family, including the senior team, were evacuated to Melbourne, Australia, and other players ended up in the UK, Germany, Portugal, Italy and the United States.
Since the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, the women of Afghanistan have been subject to a brutal system of Gender Apartheid, in which women are denied the very basic elements of freedom. Many of the evacuated players still have family in Afghanistan, and many of the players combine playing with activism, to bring a voice and attention to their families who still remain in Afghanistan.
"We collected all the files and certificates and burned them, and then we tried to get out of the country whatever way we could, but there was no way out. We were distraught. The airport and the people of Kabul were like zombies." Nadia Saeidi, Midfielder, AWNT
"We returned from Tajikistan, but then the Taliban came, and everything in my life seemed to crumble. All the hardships I had endured for my goals felt meaningless. The Taliban’s arrival destroyed everything." Elnaz Sultani, AWNT
Our Future
"For now, this chapter of my journey feels like just a small step in a much larger adventure." Sodaba Azizi, Goalkeeper, AWNT
Upon arrival in Australia, the senior Afghanistan Women's National Team were kindly supported by the incredible Melbourne Victory, entering into Football Victoria's State League, in State League 4 West as Melbourne Victory AWT. They have achieved back-to-back promotions since.
For a team to compete on the International Stage, they must be nominated by the country's National Football Federation to FIFA. Due to their brutal suppression of women, the Taliban refuse to recognise women in sport, and therefore refuse to nominate the team to competitions. This means that the team no longer unable to compete internationally. The Afghanistan Men's Team continue to compete.
We want to work with FIFA to ensure that the women of Afghanistan are represented on the world stage, following in the footprints of the brave Afghan women that competed in the Paris 2024 Olympics, as part of a negotiation with an exiled NOC.
Despite being evacuated from Afghanistan, the women are still damaged, their lives are still limited, and their opportunities are taken away from them as a result of Taliban enforced system of Gender Apartheid.
"The simple joy of kicking the ball around and the thrill of scoring goals made me feel alive and free. Football was more than just a game to me, it was a way to escape and express myself… Soccer remains a cherished part of my past, and it continues to inspire me as I work towards my future." Zahra Foladi, Attacker, AWNT
Learn more about our story
Every player has a different story. Every woman in Afghanistan has a different experience. Each of the girls in the team found their own way onto the pitch, and their own way into the team.
We want this website to exist as a reminder of what the women of Afghanistan have gone through, and what power sport has for freedom, health and sisterhood. You can read the stories of each individual player by clicking on their photo on the team roster, and find out how to follow them on Instagram, TikTok or Twitter/X, as well as finding out where they grew up in Afghanistan, and how they found their way to proudly representing their country,
On our news page, you can find all the most recent press releases, media appearances and match reports, and you can contact us by filling out the form on the Contact page; if you want to contact a player for a media or sponsorship opportunity, please do make that clear in the contact form request. We want everyone to hear their incredible stories.
"Football has a special place and power in my life. I had very hard challenges in my life, but I could not give up, and not play, because being on the pitch gives me the energy to keep going."
Tahera Mohammadi, Midfielder, AWNT
Join us
This website exists to preserve the stories of those involved, to campaign for more opportunities to play, and to serve as a way that those that support the future of the Afghanistan Women's Team and the women of Afghanistan.
Please do get in touch to find out ways to work together to achieve our shared goals of opportunity and competition for the women of the Afghanistan Women's National Team, we are grateful for all the support we receive.
You can support us in a number of different ways. You can follow us on socials (links at the bottom of the page), you sign up to our mailing list, donate to our campaign or contact us and find a way to work together. Every little bit of support means so much.
History isn't made on the sidelines. Join us.
"My dream is that one day play for Afghanistan again and raise my country’s flag high." Ahdia Haidari, Midfielder, AWNT
You can buy Khalida Popal's book, My Beautiful Sisters, by following the clicking the button below.
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