NATO Match

On the 29th of October 2010, hummel, NATO and the Afghan Football Federation arranged a friendly match between the stationed troops in Kabul and the Afghan women’s national football team.

Football was illegal in Afghanistan during the Taliban regime. Now football is one of the fastest growing sports in the country and for a group of young Afghan women it has come to represent the hope of a better future, while simultaneously demonstrating the improvement in women’s rights.

The NATO match should be regarded as a victory for football, for Afghanistan and for oppressed women all over the world. The match was also a way of bringing the situation in Afghanistan to the attention of the whole world. For the Afghan women’s team captain, Khalida Popal, the match sent an important signal to both the outside world and people in Afghanistan:

“The match was very important to us," she said, "because it shows the world that there are Afghans who are against war and in favour of peace and happiness. And we want to make it clear to all the women of Afghanistan that they are both able and at liberty to play football now."

For others comments about the match and the future of football in Afghanistan please watch this film made by Emilie Ladefoged.