Vancouver, April 29 (IANS) The FIFA Council on Wednesday approved an amendment to the FIFA Governance Regulations, which enables Afghan female players to compete in official international matches as part of FIFA competitions.

The Afghanistan women team has not played an official competitive international since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. The historic decision’s ultimate aim is to ensure that players are not excluded from international football due to situations beyond their control, in line with FIFA’s statutory principles of universality, inclusion and non-discrimination.

“The FIFA Council today approved a momentous amendment to the FIFA Governance Regulations, which enables Afghan female players – including members of the FIFA-funded and FIFA-supported Afghan Women United squad – to represent their country in official international matches as part of FIFA competitions in agreement with the relevant local confederation, in this case the Asian Football Confederation,” said FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

The FIFA-funded and -supported team will hold their next training camp from 1 to 9 June in New Zealand, where they will also have the opportunity to face off against the Cook Islands.

Although the amendment has immediate effect, FIFA will now lead the required administrative and preparatory steps, including team registration and the establishment of an operational and sporting structure.

“World football’s governing body will provide all necessary resources – human, technical and financial – to ensure a safe, professional and sustainable pathway to official competition, FIFA said in a release. “Support packages for Afghan Women United players will continue throughout the transition phase for up to two years, allowing the new structure to evolve while maintaining the highest standards of safeguarding, performance and well-being,” it added.

Former Afghanistan captain Khalida Popal welcomed the move as a transformative moment. “For these players, representing Afghanistan is about identity, dignity and hope. Thanks are due to the leadership of FIFA, which listened to their biggest request and delivered a solution that no other sport has ever achieved. This moment also shows that when we stand united, we can achieve more,” he said.

This reform builds on the FIFA Strategy for Action for Afghan Women’s Football, endorsed by the FIFA Council in May last year, and follows the creation of Afghan Women United as a FIFA-supported team providing structured playing opportunities for Afghan women footballers living outside the country. Now, for the first time, these Afghan female players will be able to represent their country in official matches with full sporting recognition.

Last year, the Council approved the FIFA Strategy for Action for Afghan Women’s Football, which foresees the establishment of the Afghan women’s refugee team (AWRT) and provides the FIFA administration with a mandate to organise and facilitate its operations to start its activities as soon as possible.

–IANS

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