Sport
Afghan women’s refugee team cleared to compete in FIFA competitions
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.
Chennai Super Kings slipped to sixth place in the IPL 2026 standings after suffering a seven-wicket defeat to Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow on Friday.
A blistering 38-ball 90 from Mitchell Marsh powered the already-eliminated LSG to a dominant chase of 188, making light work of the target on a slightly two-paced surface. Marsh and fellow Australian Josh Inglis stitched together a commanding 135-run opening stand, exposing CSK’s ineffective bowling attack.
CSK posted 187/5 after a composed 71 off 42 balls from young batter Kartik Sharma, who steadied the innings following an early collapse. Despite some assistance for seamers on the pitch, Chennai’s bowlers failed to capitalize, repeatedly overpitching or offering loose short deliveries that Marsh punished heavily.
The Australian all-rounder was especially brutal against pacer Anshul Kamboj, smashing four consecutive sixes and a boundary in a 28-run over during the powerplay. LSG raced to 86 without loss in the first six overs, with Marsh bringing up his half-century in just 21 balls.
Inglis contributed a fluent 36 before falling to Mukesh Choudhary, while Marsh narrowly missed out on a century after being run out in unfortunate fashion when a deflected straight drive from Nicholas Pooran crashed into the stumps at the non-striker’s end.
Pooran then finished the chase in style, hammering four successive sixes off Kamboj to guide LSG home in just 16.4 overs. Kamboj endured a forgettable outing, ending with figures of 0 for 63 in 2.4 overs.
Earlier, Kartik Sharma rescued CSK after the top order struggled against LSG’s disciplined hard-length bowling. He shared a valuable 70-run partnership with Dewald Brevis, who chipped in with 25.
Kartik attacked spinner Shahbaz Ahmed confidently before expanding his strokeplay against the pacers, including back-to-back sixes off Prince Yadav. He reached his fifty with a six off Mohammed Shami in 35 balls before eventually falling to Ahmed.
LSG pacer Akash Singh played a key role early on, claiming three wickets and removing Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Urvil Patel with disciplined bowling.
The defeat leaves CSK stuck on 12 points from as many matches. They must now win their remaining two games and rely on favorable results elsewhere to keep their playoff hopes alive.
In the next IPL match, Kolkata Knight Riders will face Gujarat Titans today at 6:30p.m. in Eden Gardens in Kolkata. All matches will be broadcast live across Afghanistan on Ariana Television, bringing full coverage of every boundary, wicket, and turning moment to viewers nationwide.
Afghanistan’s national under-20 football team suffered a 2-0 defeat against Tajikistan in their third match of the 2026 CAFA U-20 Championship.
The Afghan side had also lost their previous two matches against Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in the tournament.
The 2026 CAFA U-20 Championship is being hosted by Tajikistan with the participation of five teams.
Sport
FIFA to launch global social impact campaigns at 2026 World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to begin on June 11 and will bring together 48 national teams in one of the largest sporting events in history.
FIFA says the 2026 FIFA World Cup will serve not only as the world’s biggest football tournament, but also as a global platform to promote peace, education, anti-racism, and healthy lifestyles.
In a statement released one month before the tournament kickoff on June 11, FIFA announced that a series of social impact campaigns will be showcased across all 16 World Cup venues through giant stadium screens, LED boards, and digital platforms.
The campaigns will include “Football Unites the World,” “No Racism,” and “Be Active,” all aimed at encouraging unity, diversity, social inclusion, and physical activity among young people worldwide.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said football has the power to connect people across cultures and borders, adding that the organization wants to use the World Cup to promote peace, education, and respect globally.
As part of the “Unite for Peace” campaign, all 48 participating national teams and match officials will wear special sleeve patches during the group stage to highlight the importance of dialogue, tolerance, and social cohesion.
The “Unite for Education” initiative will be featured during the knockout stages of the tournament and aims to support learning opportunities worldwide through football-related educational programs.
Meanwhile, FIFA’s “No Racism” campaign will carry the message “Listen, Stand Up, Show Up,” reinforcing the organization’s zero-tolerance stance against racism in football and society.
FIFA also announced the return of its “Be Active” campaign, encouraging children and fans to engage in daily physical activity through football-themed exercises, dance workouts, and fan events during the tournament.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to begin on June 11 and will bring together 48 national teams in one of the largest sporting events in history.
The opening match in the United States will see the U.S. national team face Paraguay. The FIFA World Cup 2026 will feature a record 104 matches across 16 host cities, beginning on June 11 in Mexico City and ending with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium.
Football fans in Afghanistan will be able to follow all the action live on the Ariana Radio and Television Network (ATN), which holds the exclusive broadcasting rights for the tournament in the country. ATN will broadcast matches live on Ariana Television, providing full coverage of the world’s biggest football event for Afghan viewers.
Fans are also encouraged to stay connected with Ariana Television and Ariana News on social media for the latest updates, including match schedules, team news, and other FIFA World Cup 2026 developments as the tournament draws closer.
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