Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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After a historic FIFA rule change the female Afghan football players living in exile have cleared the path to form a national team that will officially represent Afghanistan.

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BBC Global Women has exclusive behind the scenes access to them as they travel to New Zealand and prepare for their first international since the rule change.

The Taliban banned women from organised sports when they returned to power in Afghanistan five years ago and the women's team were among those evacuated and resettled abroad.

00:00 A team re-united
01:22 Najme tries on the new official Afghan kit for the first time
02:03 Mursal shows her decorated ‘Afghan’ nails
02:38 The fall of Kabul
03:14 The team begin training week in Auckland
04:08 Najme talks about her football origins back home in Afghanistan
04:59 A day off in Auckland
05:40 Mursal talks about escaping Kabul
07:27 Najme discusses the guilt of being in exile
08:42 The rival teams have a welcome dinner together
09:55 The final training session
10:46 Match Day
12:41 The result, post-match debrief and a look to the future

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