A newly reunited Afghan women's football team, Afghan Women United, gathered in New Zealand for the first time since FIFA ruled in April that they could represent Afghanistan in official matches. The 23-player squad, made up of Afghan players now living abroad after fleeing Taliban rule, no longer needs approval from the Afghanistan Football Federation, which had barred women from sport since the Taliban returned to power. The gathering marks a significant step for players who had been evacuated and resettled in countries such as Australia, the UK and Portugal after Afghanistan's national women's team, formed in 2007, was forced to disband.

The squad travelled to Auckland for a training camp and two unofficial friendly matches against the Cook Islands, having previously struggled to train together due to travel document issues as asylum seekers scattered across different countries. The team, born out of years of campaigning that led to the creation of a refugee side, now hopes to pursue qualification for international competitions including the World Cup and the Olympics. Players such as midfielder Fatima Haidari and Manozh Noori, who secretly played football in Kabul before fleeing, describe the reunion as an emotional milestone after years of restrictions and personal risk.