Fifa has approved a rule change allowing Afghan ⁠women footballers to play official international matches in its competitions, giving players exiled since the Taliban's return to power a route back. The Afghan women's national team has not played an official competitive international since before the Taliban ⁠returned to power in 2021. The Taliban ​authorities ⁠have imposed sweeping restrictions on women and girls, including restrictions affecting education, work and sport, forcing many female athletes to ⁠flee the country or abandon competition. The rule change builds on Fifa’s Strategy ​for ⁠Action for Afghan Women's Football, ‌endorsed by the Fifa Council in May last year, and follows the creation of Afghan Women United , a Fifa-supported team providing structured playing ‌opportunities for Afghan women footballers living outside the ‌country.…