An Afghanistan women’s refugee team have been granted eligibility for international competitions, nearly five years after the players fled their country’s Taliban rule.

The FIFA Council, meeting in Vancouver, Canada, agreed on Tuesday to amend its regulations to recognise the refugee team, who play under the name Afghan Women United.

While it is too late for the refugee team to qualify for the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil, they could participate in qualification for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

“We are proud of the beautiful journey initiated by Afghan Women United, and with this initiative we aim to enable them, as well as other FIFA member associations that may not be able to register a national or representative team for a FIFA competition, to make the next step, in coordination with the relevant confederation,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement.

The first move towards recognition came last October, when the Afghan refugees played in a tournament that included Chad, Libya and Tunisia in Morocco. That event followed years of lobbying on the team’s behalf by players, former captain and activist Khalida Popal and human rights groups.

“For five years, we were told the Afghanistan women’s national team could never compete again because the men who took our country would not allow it,” Popal said in a statement.

“I am extremely proud of this decision by FIFA and glad that our collective advocacy has not only changed the future for Afghan women but also ensured that no other national team has to sacrifice what our players did.”

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There are more than 80 Afghan refugee players scattered across Australia, the United States and Europe. Two camps were recently held for the women, one in England and another in Australia.

The team, coached by Pauline Hamill, are expected to play a pair of exhibition matches during the upcoming June international window against opponents to be determined.

“For the last few years, we have played under many names – as refugees, as Afghan Women United, and as guests of other clubs – but in our hearts, we were always the national team,” Australia-based player Nazia Ali said.

“To hopefully be able to wear our flag again officially is a feeling I cannot describe.”

The Afghan women’s team played their last competitive match in 2018. The Taliban shut down all women’s sports when they returned to power in 2021. The players fled Afghanistan, fearing persecution.

Prior to the Taliban’s takeover, Afghanistan had 25 women players under contract, most of whom now live in Australia.

Even before the demise of the team, the Afghanistan Football Federation was under investigation for misconduct involving the women’s programme, including allegations of rape and physical abuse. Keramuddin Keram, the federation president, was banned for life by FIFA.

Discrimination is not allowed under FIFA regulations, but the Afghan federation has not been suspended from international football, despite failing to acknowledge the women’s team.

“FIFA has finally done the right thing by closing the loophole that allowed the Taliban’s discriminatory policies to be enforced on the global stage,” said Minky Worden, director of global initiatives for Human Rights Watch.

“FIFA’s action should serve as a model for how international sports bodies should respond when athletes are systemically excluded because of their gender, ethnicity or beliefs.”