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Afghanistan's Brave women Footballer made a Triumphant Return | Refugees to Footballer |









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Make a Triumphant Return”

Four years ago, Afghanistan’s women footballers were silenced — forced to flee their homeland as the Taliban returned to power. Today, after years of struggle, they are stepping back onto the international stage — not just to play football, but to reclaim their voice.

This… is the story of resilience, courage, and the unbreakable spirit of Afghan women.

When the Taliban seized power in 2021, everything changed overnight for Afghan women.
Education beyond primary school was banned. Women were forbidden from traveling without a male guardian. Sports, once a growing space of freedom and empowerment, were suddenly declared haram.

For Afghanistan’s women footballers, the field that once gave them identity and pride became a dangerous place.
Najma Arefi, just 17 at the time, remembers that dark month vividly:

It was a nightmare as a girl. Taliban soldiers were marrying young girls by force. My parents were terrified for us.”



She and her teammates knew they had no choice — they fled their homeland, scattering to countries like England, Australia, Portugal, and Italy.

Four years later, the world is finally seeing their comeback.

From October 23 to 29, the newly formed Afghanistan women’s refugee football team will compete in the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series, facing teams from Chad, Libya, and the United Arab Emirates.

For these players, the matches are about much more than football.
As defender Najma Arefi told DW:

“It’s not just about wearing the Afghan jersey. It’s about representing so many Afghan women who have been silenced — who have no voice to share with the world.”



Each kick of the ball is a message to the Taliban: You can take our land, but not our spirit.

Most of the team’s 23 players live in exile — 13 are based in Australia, five in the UK, three in Portugal, and two in Italy. They’re coached by Pauline Hamill, a former Scotland international.

Many hadn’t seen each other in years, until their reunion at St. George’s Park, the home of England’s Football Association.

Najma recalls,

It felt like a warm hug. When we stepped onto the pitch, it didn’t feel like we’d been apart. Football reconnected us.”



For them, this isn’t just a tournament — it’s a family reunion, a rediscovery of identity, and a moment of healing.


Inside Afghanistan, women remain largely cut off. Social media is heavily restricted, and even the internet was shut down in parts of the country last month.

Still, Najma and her teammates hope their families — and millions of Afghan women — can watch the games streamed live by FIFA.

We want them to see us as an inspiration,” Najma says. “At the moment, so many things are going wrong in Afghanistan. We want to remind them — there’s still hope.”



Their matches are not just sport — they’re symbols. Every pass, every goal, every cheer tells Afghan women back home:
“You are not forgotten.”

For years, Afghanistan’s female footballers fought to be recognized by FIFA. Led by former captain Khalida Popal, refugee players across the world organized matches, trained in exile, and pushed global football’s governing body to take action.

Their persistence paid off.

In May 2025, FIFA launched “a comprehensive strategy to support Afghan women to participate in football — whether inside or outside the country.”

This month’s tournament in the UAE marks a giant leap toward official recognition — and a clear statement that Afghan women belong in world sport.

Najma now studies criminal justice and social work in England, determined to become a human rights lawyer — to fight for those who cannot.

Her message to the Taliban is simple and powerful:

We are still here. We are still fighting for the voice that you took away from us.”



And on October 23, when Afghanistan faces Chad in Dubai, the world will witness not just a football match —
but a statement of defiance, unity, and hope.


In every match they play, Afghanistan’s women remind the world — freedom can be exiled, but never erased.

If you found this story inspiring, share it to support Afghan women athletes who continue to fight for their right to play.