The trailblazing FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025 concluded successfully on Saturday in Berrechid, Morocco, with unbeaten Chad topping the four-team table and every participating nation marking a historic achievement.
Among them, Afghanistan, represented courageously by Afghan Women United, made a bold return to the international stage for the first time in nearly four years.
Afghan Women United, formed under FIFA’s Strategy for Action for Afghan Women’s Football, was selected following three summer trials in Australia and England.
The squad quickly coalesced under the guidance of head coach Pauline Hamill (Scotland) and assistant coach Shilene Booysen (South Africa).
The team scored its first tournament goal in an opening loss to Chad, and capped their campaign with a historic 7-0 victory over Libya at the Stade Municipal de Berrechid.
Meanwhile, Chad sealed the championship with three wins from three matches, including a thrilling 1-0 victory over Tunisia in the round-robin finale. On paper, this was a surprising result: Tunisia, ranked 96th in the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking and regular participants at the 2022 and 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, were favorites, while Chad began the tournament unranked.
Yet the performance highlighted the rapid growth of women’s football and the emergence of new talent.
The tournament was more than a competition—it was a celebration of football’s ability to unite and inspire. Hosted generously by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), the event saw Tunisia as the only world-ranked side, while Afghan Women United made their debut, and Chad and Libya prepared to enter the FIFA rankings for the first time in December.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino, present during Round 2, praised Afghan Women United, telling them:
“You are at 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.”
The Afghan squad, comprising 14 players based in Australia, five from the UK, and two each from Italy and Portugal, was formed through a holistic, intercontinental program approved by the FIFA Council in May. Players benefited from counselling, healthcare, safeguarding support, team-building workshops, personal development sessions, and guidance on football career opportunities—even those who did not make the final squad.
Afghan Women United demonstrated their potential early, taking a fourth-minute lead against Chad with a goal from Manozh Noori, and grew as a team throughout the tournament. They finished with bronze medals, leaving Berrechid as inspirations for the next generation of Afghan players. Captain Fatima Sadat reflected:
“We were waiting and dreaming of this win. On the pitch, we learned so much and grew as a team. For the next generation of Afghan players, we will be the ones to teach them.”
The championship clash saw Chad take the lead in the 29th minute through striker Solange Larkingam, who scored her seventh goal of the tournament. Despite a second-half red card reducing them to ten players, Chad held on to secure the title. Tunisia finished second with six points, Afghan Women United third with three, and Libya fourth.
Following the final whistle, a traditional award ceremony celebrated all teams. Chad’s players lifted the trophy, presented by FIFA Chief Football Officer Jill Ellis, FIFA Council Member Johanna Wood, and Khadija Illa, President of Morocco’s Women’s Football National League, marking a historic milestone in the global development of women’s football.
