“It’s really a pleasure to see you all here and to be a little, little part of your team as well. I’m so proud of you,” the FIFA President tells the squad made up of Afghan women
Afghan Women United are participating in the landmark FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025 in Morocco with Chad, Libya and Tunisia
Mr Infantino attended the team’s second match in the round-robin tournament
Gianni Infantino told the Afghan Women United players they are writing “a beautiful story” before the FIFA President attended their latest match in the groundbreaking FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025 friendly tournament in Morocco.
The result of the FIFA Council’s approval in May this year to establish a team as part of the FIFA Strategy for Action for Afghan Women’s Football, Afghan Women United – a name chosen by the team in consultation with FIFA – are competing for the very first time. Their presence in the four-team competition marks a return to the global stage for Afghan women’s football after a near-four-year absence.
After losing 6-1 to Chad in their opening game, they were then defeated 4-0 by Tunisia in their second match with Mr Infantino watching on at the Stade Municipal de Berrechid. But speaking before kick-off, the FIFA President told the 23-player squad, who round off the tournament against Libya next Saturday, that simply being on the pitch to face international competition would be a source of inspiration to the world.
“This is the beginning of a beautiful, beautiful story that you are writing for yourselves, for your families, for so many girls and women all over the world,” he said as he was presented with an Afghan Women United shirt with his name on it signed by the whole squad. “Thanks for being here, thanks for what you do. For me, it’s really a pleasure to see you all here and to be a little, little part of your team as well. I’m so proud of you.”
Hosted by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FMRF), the tournament is a cornerstone of FIFA’s efforts to promote and protect the rights of all women and girls to play football while also contributing to the growth of the women’s game.
Nadia Nadim, who fled Afghanistan as a child refugee and went on to make more than 100 international appearances for Denmark, paid tribute to FIFA for organising the tournament and providing more opportunities for women to play.
“(It’s) the essence of football, you know? It’s about communities. It’s about access. It’s about growth,” she said. “The fact that they are trying to give these girls an access to express themselves, be a part of something that is so natural, that the entire world is a part of – I think that’s amazing. And, I am so, so happy. This is the beginning. I hope it keeps going and I can’t wait to follow what the next steps are for these teams.”
The Afghan Women United squad comprises 14 players based in Australia, five who reside in the United Kingdom, as well as two each from Portugal and Italy, and is coached by former Scotland international Pauline Hamill, who made her selection following three camps based in Australia and England.
Those were organised with FIFA's support, and world football’s governing body has invested significant financial resources to also establish a professional network that ensures the squad receive the same standards of care and opportunity as any other high-profile women's national team. It is the latest step in FIFA’s efforts to maintain Afghan football, which started with its role in the unprecedented emergency evacuation of 160 members of the Afghan football and sporting community in 2021.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino attends FIFA Unites: Women's Series 2025
“We are making history, and I am so grateful for FIFA for investing and trusting us, and believing in women’s empowerment, and really allowing us and giving us the platform to return to the pitch,” said Khalida Popal, a former Afghan footballer and women’s rights activist who joined Mr Infantino, FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström, FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour and FIFA Chief Football Officer Jill Ellis as well as FMRF President Fouzi Lekjaa in the stands for the match.
Popal added: “It’s a young generation of Afghan women. They are standing with a great purpose, with a great mission, and that is to be the voice of Afghanistan, the voice of women from Afghanistan, but also they are inspiring people, not only women, around the world [with] how they are using their platform.”
“I think it’s such a proud moment. It’s a historical moment for the Afghan women’s national team – for football in general,” concluded Nadim. “Seeing the girls giving their best on the field and feeling free made me really happy. I got to meet some of them [at] half-time. I actually really got goosebumps to see that. So, so proud. So happy.”