Fifa to hold historic women’s friendly series in UAE

FIFA has announced the launch of a groundbreaking four-team women’s football tournament, underscoring its commitment to promoting and safeguarding the rights of women and girls to play the sport, pursue their ambitions, and thrive both on and off the field.

The tournament holds historic significance as it will mark the international debut of the Afghan women’s refugee team, a pioneering initiative jointly led by FIFA and regarded as a first-of-its-kind project in global sport.

Afghan Refugee Team’s Debut

The Afghan refugee side, which represents resilience and courage in the face of adversity, will take on the national teams of the UAE, Chad, and Libya. Their participation is widely seen as a symbol of hope for displaced athletes worldwide.

UAE to Host, Led by Vera Pauw

The UAE women’s national team, guided by veteran Dutch coach Vera Pauw, will look to capitalize on home advantage and build on recent progress in their development programs.

Meanwhile, Chad and Libya are eager to make history with their first-ever entries into the FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking, adding to the significance of the tournament.

Infantino: Football as a Force for Change

Highlighting FIFA’s vision, President Gianni Infantino emphasized the broader meaning of the competition:

“Ensuring that all women have access to football is a priority for FIFA and essential to shaping the future of our sport. We recognise football’s power both on and off the field. These friendly matches are more than just competition — they symbolise hope and progress for women everywhere.”

Infantino also expressed gratitude to the UAE Football Association for stepping forward to host the series and championing women’s football in the region.