As global celebrations begin for the World Cup, former Afghanistan women's national team captain Khalida Popal is asking a critical question: how much of the spotlight will reach vulnerable girls and refugees outside the stadium gates?
Popal fled Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power in 2021, effectively erasing women from sport and public life. Now in Mexico City, she is organizing football clinics for refugee children, pressing host nations to deliver a lasting social legacy beyond the tournament.
"The World Cup is happening in a very short time," Popal said. "But what about after the World Cup? The community needs the focus and support."
She praised Mexico's progress in women's football, citing the growth of Liga MX Femenil and the appointment of Katia Garcia as the first Mexican female referee to officiate a men's World Cup match.
Popal dismissed the notion that sport and social issues are separate. "Everything about football is politics. It's business and it's politics."
She warned that Mexico continues to grapple with high levels of gender-based violence. According to the UNHCR, 70,500 people requested asylum last year, mostly women and children. Without long-term support, she cautioned, cycles of violence and exclusion persist.
Popal also warned that increasing commercialization threatens the activist roots of the women's game. "The more brands you have on your chest, the more you lose your power of having a voice."
Through her organization, Girl Power, Popal aims to build sisterhood and resilience, proving that football belongs to everyone, not just the privileged elite.