Seven months after their historic victory over Libya during the FIFA Unites: Women's Series 2025™, Afghan Women United will continue their inspiring journey with two playing opportunities against the Cook Islands in early June.

The fixtures, which will take place in Auckland, New Zealand, are scheduled for 4 and 8 June. games will anchor the FIFA-funded and -supported squad’s first camp since the FIFA Council’s late-April approval of an amendment to the Governance Regulations that paves the way for Afghan Women to represent their country in future official international matches and FIFA competitions. The matches in June will not be considered official internationals.

“Every time our team step on the pitch they gain valuable experience,” Afghan Women United head coach Pauline Hamill said. “These matches assist the players to increase their familiarity with match intensity, to gain more experience in understanding the requirements to play on an International level and test themselves in two playing opportunities against the Cook Islands at the end of our training camp.

Goalkeeper Montaha Moslih added, “Our goal is to build a stronger team than ever before. Since I was a child, I dreamed of seeing Afghanistan have a strong women’s team, and now it feels like we are getting closer to that dream.”

Afghan Women United have made immense progress since the programme was established in May 2025 following the FIFA Council approving the FIFA Strategy for Action for Afghan Women’s Football, which sought to provide safe and structured high-level playing opportunities for Afghan women who resided outside of the country. Through several identification camps on multiple continents, Hamill and a dedicated group of FIFA-supported experts established a competitive, high-performance foundation while also seeing to the players’ physical, mental and professional well-being through holistic training and support.

Over time, a team emerged. In October and November 2025, Afghan Women United took to the pitch for the first time at the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series™ in Berrechid, Morocco. After falling to Chad and Tunisia in their first two matches, they secured third place and their inaugural win with an exhilarating 7-0 defeat of Libya.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino, who attended the match against Tunisia, told the players that the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series represented “the beginning of a beautiful, beautiful story that you are writing for yourselves, for your families, for so many girls and women all over the world”.

That uplifting story will continue in New Zealand, with the Cook Islands on the schedule and the promise of official competitive opportunities on the horizon. Hamill conducted regional camps in the United Kingdom and Australia in February and April, respectively, and has named a 23-player squad for the training camp in New Zealand and the Cook Islands fixtures.

There are 21 recalls from the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series and two newcomers, indicating that the pool of potential players continues to grow. Hamill and her staff have engaged with more than 110 players since the programme launched last year.

One of the two first-timers is Tahera Mohammadi, a forward who plays club football for Brunswick Juventus FC in Melbourne, Australia and impressed at the April camp.

“It is a great honour and a proud moment for me to be selected this time, and I am excited to learn, work hard, contribute to the squad, and represent my country internationally,” she said. “The high-performance environment was tough, but it taught me to stay disciplined, focused, and mentally strong. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me improve every day.”

Hamill explained that this year’s regional camps “were an incredible way for us to see first-hand the improvement of the players.”

The coach added, “These camps mainly provided a platform for the players to show progress. This project has been about the holistic development of the players. Apart from improving as footballers, they are growing as people. They are more responsible in their actions, are very encouraging to each other and have developed a lot more confidence in themselves. It’s really been one of huge successes of this project – to support and watch the work they have put in to continue to get better each day.”

Thirteen of the 23 women on Hamill’s squad are based in Australia, including Moslih and Mohammadi. The remainder reside in Europe, with five hailing from England, two each from Italy and Portugal, and one from Germany. Although they now live around the world, the Afghan Women United players share a common heritage and background, similar stories of relocation and resilience, and a fierce dedication to football that has carried them through trying circumstances and into the sporting spotlight.

“For me, it’s been a great experience because we all shared the pitch together even when we didn’t know each other well at first,” Moslih said. “Going through that together helps us build a stronger connection and it will make us represent our team with more unity and strength. For the two new players, I think it shows that hard work always pays off. It also shows how competitive selection is and nobody’s place is guaranteed. You stay in the squad by continuing to work hard and proving yourself on the pitch.”

They got their first taste of triumph in Morocco, and hope to continue to cultivate a winning culture next month in Auckland as the team continues to set the platform for a future that will now include competitive international matches for Afghan women.

“We are absolutely thrilled the players will have the opportunity to officially represent Afghanistan very shortly. Hamill said. “It’s everything the players have advocated for and dreamed about. This decision opens so many doors for current and future players, and we couldn’t be more excited. They are a very ambitious group and this information for me could not have come at a better time as we prepare to meet again with a pre-camp and two matches v the Cook Islands. We will be together for two weeks - what a way to continue to work as a group, to keep improving and continue to develop, playing against strong opposition

Afghan Women United Squad (as at 15 May 2026)

Goalkeepers Montaha MOSLIH (Bentleigh Greens SC, Australlia) Elaha SAFDARI (Doncaster Rovers Belles FC, England) Fatima YOUSUFI (South Melbourne FC, Australlia)

Defenders Kareshma ABASI (Bundoora United FC, Australlia) Najma AREFI (Kiveton Park FC, England) Khursand AZIZI (Southern United FC, Australlia) Susan KHOJASTA (Chiesanuova 1975 ASD, Italy) Bahara KOHSTIANI (Eltham Redbacks FC, Australlia) Sabreya RAJABI (SC Sternschanze von 1911, Germany) Mursal SADAT (Eltham Redbacks FC, Australlia)

Midfielders Mina AHMADI (Nepean FC, Australlia) Mona JOHINI (Nepean FC, Australlia) Maryam KARIMYAR (FC São Romão, Portugal) Tahera MOHAMMADI (Brunswick Juventus FC, Australlia) Zainab MOZAFFARI (Retford FC Ladies, England) Razia NOORI (Southern United FC, Australlia) Manizah SADAT (Brunswick Juventus FC, Australlia) Fatema URFANI (Estoril Praia, Portugal)

Forwards Sevin AZIMI (unattached) Fatima HAIDARI (Unattached) Nilab MOHAMMADI (Southern United FC, Australlia) Sosan MOHAMMADI (Kiveton Park FC, England) Manozh NOORI (Spring Hills FC, Australlia)

Cook Islands Squad (as at 15 May 2026)

Goalkeepers Rianna PEPE Kimberley PHILIP Kimberly UINI

Defenders Christina AREAI Mareta BROTHERS Daniella CASEY POILA Lyric DAVISON Penina KATUKE Deja PARETA Claudean ROBATI Tia-Myrie STRICKLAND Ally TOAILOA

Midfielders Tineke DE JONG Maureen FITZPATRICK Elizabeth HARMON Kayleena KERMODE Teretia TEINAKI Te Upoko TUARIKI

Forwards Victoria FATIAKI Tayla HETHERINGTON Gisele REA Tearoa ROURU Jan TAIA