(FILES) Former Afghan football player Khalida Popal, founder and director of Girl Power Organization, speaks during the She Is Global Forum in Medellin, Colombia on August 9, 2024. A FIFA rule change allowing Afghanistan's women footballers to compete in official matches is a "historical moment", former captain Khalida Popal told AFP on April 30, 2026. (Photo by JAIME SALDARRIAGA / AFP via Getty Images)