Home › Afghanistan › Sports
Sports
A men’s cricket team at its best, and women’s sport banned at home.
Women’s sport has been banned inside Afghanistan since 2021, while the men’s cricket team has had its best results ever. Both facts trace back to the Republic years, when the teams and federations were built.
Photo: Harrias, CC BY-SA 3.0
Key Facts
- 6 athletes, 3 womenOlympic athletes sentParis 2024, named from exile
- BannedWomen’s sport inside AfghanistanSince 2021; gyms and parks closed to women since November 2022
- World Cup semi-finalMen’s cricketT20 World Cup, June 2024
- Recognised in exileWomen’s football teamBy FIFA, 29 April 2026
Olympic athletes sent
6 athletes, 3 women
Paris 2024, named from exile
Sports
Women's sport has been banned inside Afghanistan since 2021, while the men's cricket team has had its best results ever under Taliban rule. Both facts trace back to the Republic years, when the teams and federations were built.
Before and after
| Area | Republic era | Taliban era |
|---|---|---|
| Women's sport | National teams in football (from 2007), cricket (25 contracts in 2020), cycling, taekwondo, boxing and more | Banned; a Taliban official said in 2021 women could not play sports where they are "exposed" (SBS) |
| Women's football | National team played internationally | Players in exile in Albania, Australia, Portugal, the UK and the US; recognised by FIFA as Afghanistan's team on 29 April 2026 (HRW) |
| Women's cricket | Contracts awarded in 2020 | Players mostly in Australia; the ICC funds an Afghan Women's XI but has not recognised it (Star Community) |
| Men's cricket | ICC Full Member 2017; first Test 2018 | Four wins at the 2023 World Cup; T20 World Cup semi-final 2024; Asian Games campaign 2026 |
| Olympic medals | Two bronzes, Rohullah Nikpai, taekwondo, 2008 and 2012 | None for Afghanistan; Zakia Khudadadi won Paralympic bronze for the Refugee Team in 2024 |
| Combat and mind sports | MMA and chess federations active | MMA banned in August 2024; chess suspended in May 2025 |
| Women's gyms and parks | Open in cities | Closed to women since November 2022 |
Olympic participation
| Games | Athletes | Women | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens 2004 | 5 | 2 | First Afghan women at an Olympics |
| Beijing 2008 | 4 | 1 | Nikpai wins Afghanistan's first Olympic medal |
| London 2012 | 6 | 1 | Nikpai's second bronze |
| Rio 2016 | 3 | 1 | |
| Tokyo 2020 (held 2021) | 5 | 1 | Weeks before the fall of Kabul |
| Paris 2024 | 6 | 3 | Team named by the exiled Olympic committee; the IOC accredited no Taliban officials |
Athlete counts are from Olympic records and were not re-checked for this report.
Men's cricket milestones
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Opens Asian Games in Japan with a 48-run win over the hosts; 11th Shpageeza league season played (Gulf News) |
| 2025 | Champions Trophy debut, including a win over England |
| 2024 | T20 World Cup semi-final after beating Australia and New Zealand |
| 2023 | Four World Cup wins, including England and Pakistan |
| 2022 | Asian Games silver, after silvers in 2010 and 2014 (New Kerala) |
| 2018 | First Test match, against India |
| 2017 | ICC Full Member status |
| 2015 | First ODI World Cup |
| 2010 | First T20 World Cup |
| 2001 | ICC affiliate membership |
The contradiction is plain. ICC rules expect Full Members to field a women's side. Afghanistan does not, and keeps its status. Australia and England have declined bilateral series against the men's team while still playing them at ICC events (Dawn). The men's team still plays its "home" internationals abroad, mainly in the UAE and India.
Football
- Republic era: the Afghan Premier League started in 2012 and the men won the South Asian championship in 2013.
- Abuse scandal: in 2018 players on the women's team accused federation president Keramuddin Karim of sexual abuse. FIFA banned him for life in 2019. This happened under the Republic and showed how weak athlete protection was.
- After 2021: FIFA helped evacuate more than 160 at-risk players and officials. It approved a refugee team, Afghan Women United, in May 2025. The team debuted in Morocco in October 2025 against Tunisia, Chad and Libya (FIFA).
- April 2026: the FIFA Council changed its rules so the exiled players can represent Afghanistan in official matches without approval from the Kabul federation. Support covers nearly 90 players (Reuters via NST).
What continued or improved
Men's cricket, football, futsal, taekwondo and buzkashi all continue with government backing. Stadiums are no longer bombing targets. The cost is that half the population is excluded, male athletes face dress and grooming rules, and federations lost donor funding.
AFM's Position
All of Afghanistan's peoples, languages and faiths are one nation. No Afghan stands above another.
Women and girls must regain access to education, employment and public life.
Research & References
Small numbers beside a figure link to its source. Figures from Taliban ministries are reported as claims and cannot be independently verified.
