The Afghanistan women’s refugee football team, known as Afghan Women United, has been granted eligibility to compete in official international competitions following a landmark decision by FIFA.

The decision, announced Wednesday, opens the door to future participation in events such as qualification for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

The decision was approved by the FIFA Council at a meeting in Vancouver, Canada, where members voted to amend regulations allowing recognition of refugee-based representative teams under exceptional circumstances.

The move comes nearly five years after the players fled Afghanistan following the Islamic Emirate’s return to power in 2021 and the subsequent ban on women’s sport.

Under the new ruling, Afghan Women United will be formally recognised by FIFA as Afghanistan’s women’s representative team and may now participate in international tournaments in coordination with FIFA and relevant confederations.

While the team will not be able to enter qualification for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil, officials confirmed they could be eligible for the Olympic qualification cycle leading to the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino described the decision as part of a broader effort to ensure players are not excluded due to circumstances beyond their control.

“We are proud of the journey initiated by Afghan Women United,” he said, adding that the initiative could serve as a model for other cases where national teams are unable to participate.

The breakthrough follows years of campaigning by players, former captain and activist Khalida Popal, and human rights organisations. Popal said the decision marked a turning point after years of uncertainty for Afghan women footballers.

“For five years we were told the Afghanistan women’s national team could never compete again,” she said. “This decision changes that future not only for us, but for others who should never have to face the same exclusion.”

More than 80 Afghan women players are currently based across Australia, Europe and the United States. The squad has held recent training camps in England and Australia and is coached by Pauline Hamill.

The team is expected to play friendly matches during the upcoming international window in June, with opponents yet to be confirmed.

The Media Violations Review Commission in Afghanistan says it held dozens of meetings over the solar year 1404 to review complaints from journalists and assess regulatory breaches across media outlets nationwide.

According to officials, the commission also issued new licences during the year to 16 radio stations, one website, five print publications, two news agencies, 90 YouTube channels, and 27 cultural institutions.

In addition, operating licences were renewed for two television channels, 29 radio stations, four print outlets, and 12 cultural organisations.

The report states that 76 violations were recorded in broadcast media, including radio and television, while a further 35 cases were identified across digital platforms such as YouTube, websites, X (formerly Twitter), and others. All cases, officials said, were reviewed and processed by the commission.

Authorities also said the body addressed complaints raised by 26 journalists and examined around 7,000 copies of newspapers, weekly papers, and monthly magazines from both Kabul and the provinces.

Officials say the commission’s work is aimed at regulating media activity, handling complaints, and improving working conditions for journalists across the country.

FIFA has offered Ariana Television Network (ATN) the official Preview Series for the FIFA World Cup 2026, as part of its global media partnership ahead of the tournament.

The exciting event is scheduled from 11 June to 19 July 2026 and will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Produced exclusively for FIFA media partners, the Preview Series is designed to build anticipation for the expanded 48-team tournament and provide in-depth storytelling in the lead-up to kickoff.

Both the tournament and the Preview Series will be broadcast exclusively by Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN) across Afghanistan.

FIFA said the series aims to enhance global engagement and deepen connections between fans and participating nations as excitement grows for the 2026 World Cup.

Fans are encouraged to follow Ariana Television and Ariana News on social media for updates, broadcast schedules, and exclusive coverage of the Preview Series and World Cup build-up content.