The Afghanistan women's national soccer team, made up of refugee players, will play its first official matches next month at a four-team tournament in Dubai, according to FIFA. The tournament, which takes place from October 23 to 29, will see the team compete against the United Arab Emirates, Chad, and Libya.
Due to the Taliban's return to power in 2021, women's sports in Afghanistan were effectively halted, and the national team hasn't participated in any competitive matches since 2018. Although the Afghanistan Football Federation has not been suspended by FIFA, it is required to follow FIFA's anti-discrimination regulations.
FIFA emphasized that the tournament is part of its ongoing efforts to support women's rights to play soccer, chase their dreams, and excel in the sport. The women's teams from Chad and Libya do not yet have FIFA rankings, while the UAE team is currently ranked 117th. FIFA confirmed that all matches will be broadcast live on its streaming platform.