Neve Dawson
Following the Lioness’ success in the Women’s World Cup, the world’s eyes have been glued to all screens covering the English heroines. Yet, activists say minority teams are not recognised internationally by governing body FIFA – one of which is Afghanistan’s female football team. Nobel Peace Prize winner and women’s rights activist Malala Yousafzai is now campaigning for the team’s recognition.
Afghanistan’s female football team
After the 2021 fall of Kabul, most of the Afghan team fled to Australia and have been residing in Melbourne. Despite being the closest thing to Afghan women’s sporting representation since the Taliban ban of female sport, FIFA refuses recognition of the Women’s Football Team (WFT).
Activists, fellow football teams, and politicians have put pressure on the governing body to recognise the WFT at international status after they were barred from competing in the Women’s World Cup.
“People from around the world are standing with us”
Yousafzai’s Response
Yousafzai and her husband visited the WFT last Saturday, while they were in Australia to watch the Cup. Yousafzai has openly expressed her discontentment following her visit. She urges FIFA to bring her national team in from the side-lines, despite cultural and often misogynistic boundaries enforced by the Taliban.
She stated: “It is time for FIFA to decide that they are not standing on the Taliban’s side. It is time for FIFA to recognise that they are standing with the women of Afghanistan.”
“Currently over 160,000 names have been signed to support Afghanistan’s team”
Yousafzai shared a moving post via Instagram following the meeting with the team. She wrote: “I was inspired by their bravery and determination. They were so proud to play for their national team and now they were burying their jerseys to avoid being caught and killed.”
Yousafzai has called on her followers to sign a petition for solidarity. Currently, over 160,000 people have signed in support of Afghanistan’s team.
FIFA’s Response
The international organisation has stated that it cannot recognise the Afghanistan’s WFT until it is first recognised by the concerned Member’s Association. Allegedly committed to gender equality within football, FIFA has stated it is in close communication with Afghanistan’s Football Federation to solve the ongoing issue.
In response to this, Yousafzai claimed that rules and regulations were not all. Instead, human rights and the athletes’ rights to play football as a national team should be valued.
Other Responses
Yousafzai’s interaction with the ongoing issue co-aligns with the recent attempt made by US lawmakers who personally contacted FIFA to call for reform on said matter.
Similarly, 100 different parliamentarians across the UK, Australia, Portugal, and Italy have placed pressure on FIFA’s President, Gianni Infantino, to show support for the WFT in exile.
As reporting on Women’s Football expands, FIFA are under increasing pressure to recognise minority football teams.
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Featured Image courtesy of Southbank Centre via Flickr. No changes were made to this image. Image license found here.
Neve Dawson
BA English + History Student at the University of Bristol | News, Culture and Arts Journalist for Empoword Journalism, Epigram News, So Young Magazine and The Rodeo Magazine.