The Afghan women’s refugee team has begun its development with the first of three talent ID camps held in Sydney.
Since being approved by the FIFA Council in May, work has got underway to establish the team as part of FIFA’s three-pillar Strategy for Action for Afghan Women’s Football. Scotland’s Pauline Hamill was appointed as head coach along with a team of 15 staff. The aim is to produce a 23-player squad that will take part in FIFA-approved friendlies later this year.
From 23-29 July, the first group of Afghan refugees took part in a worldwide talent identification camp in Sydney.
“It’s great to have the players here,” Hamill said. “Now we have the chance to work with them and try to evaluate their performance, and they can all come together again in an environment that they always wanted to be a part of. I think it’s an incredible project. It’s given the players the chance to perform and play together again. I think they’ll create memories that they otherwise wouldn’t have created, and making memories with your team is really special.”
“[Being a] football player gave me the chance to be here,” said Nilab, one of the participants. “My life is safe. I have a lot of opportunity. My voice is loud, and football helps me and the other girls. Football helped a lot, and I felt freedom [in] everything. There is something about football. Football gives us a lot of chances and support.”
“My goal is not just about me,” she continued. “It’s about all Afghanistan, especially women and girls. This project helps and supports me and teaches us how we can help each other and how to represent Afghanistan.”
FIFA have pledged to help Afghan players including individually tailored support, facilitating access to counselling, media and social media training (including FIFA’s protection service for the latter), as well as identifying potential educational pathways and opportunities within football.
