Introduction to a New Beginning
Without its context, it seemed like an ordinary moment. A player falls to the ground. A referee’s whistle. A penalty was taken. An early lead. But when Manozh Noori raised her fist to the sky to celebrate her first international goal in her first international match, the significance for her and her teammates was overwhelming.
A Moment of Happiness
“It was a moment of happiness for everyone,” Noori said after the game. "All my teammates came to me and hugged me. It was a great moment for all of us. I dedicate this goal to everyone in Afghanistan because they deserve happiness." The development took a long time, as the Afghan women’s football team last played an international match in 2021, before the Taliban returned to power in the country that same year.
The Struggle for Women’s Rights
The Islamic fundamentalist nationalist movement has relentlessly oppressed women since regaining power and, according to the United Nations, is "closer than ever to its vision of a society that completely banishes women from public life." All the players who were on the field on Sunday had to flee because their sport made them a public target. Just over half of the team eventually found a home in Australia, while others settled in various European countries.
Sport as a Distant but Achievable Dream
Since their banishment, many have focused on regaining their status as international footballers – which means recognition by world football’s governing body FIFA. Although she is driven to perform at the highest level, her deeper motivation is always at the forefront. "Girls in Afghanistan have no rights at the moment. Playing sports may be a distant dream, but a very simple dream is to study and get an education, and they don’t have that," goalkeeper Fatima Yousufi said.
Showing Them That Their Dreams Are True
"It’s just the biggest motivation for us to do this for all these girls. We’re showing them that their dreams are true." These thoughts and memories of their homeland were etched on the players’ faces as they watched their flag fly and heard their anthem played before the game against Chad, which ultimately won 6-1 on Sunday with tears flowing freely.
The Road to Recognition
While FIFA began the process of recognizing the team in May this year, they currently play as Afghan Women United, a name chosen in connection with the players replacing their old status as the Afghan Women Refugee Team. Therefore, the tournament in which they take part consists of friendly matches, which also involve Libya and Tunisia. The Afghan men’s team continues to compete on the world stage under Taliban control.
Catching Up
With players scattered across the globe and also having to focus on building a new life in unfamiliar lands, Afghanistan still has a lot of catching up to do. This process was not helped by the delay and last-minute change of venue of the tournament after the Afghan players’ visas were rejected by the United Arab Emirates, which had initially agreed to host and participate in the tournament.
A New Beginning
“When you haven’t played international football for four years it’s very difficult to understand the level because even in that time the game has changed a lot,” said the team’s Scottish coach Pauline Hamill. "I think you can see there’s some potential there. I think it was a question of ‘welcome to international football’ [in Sunday’s game] and how can we improve in the future? I think that’s the core message.”
FIFA’s Ongoing Support
In the short term, those are the games against Libya and Tunisia in Morocco, which stepped in at the 11th hour and hosted the four-team tournament. But after fighting so hard for four years to be heard and recognized, the Afghan players see this as just a first step towards a return to a sporting life similar to the one they had before the change. FIFA, through its President, has pledged to “continue to stand with all Afghan women” and “work tirelessly to ensure that each of them receives the support they deserve to play the sport they love.”
The Future
But what happens next is not yet clear. With a government unwilling to support them, competitive gaming is currently impossible. While they may not yet represent their country quite the way they would like, this group of exiled women have proven their resilience time and time again. As Yousufi puts it: “Never give up on your dreams, girl.”
