The future of the Afghanistan women’s refugee team is expected to come under renewed focus next month as cricket’s global leadership prepares to discuss what comes next for the exiled group. According to a report by BBC Sport’s Matthew Henry, the International Cricket Council is expected to consider the team’s long-term support arrangements during its annual conference in Edinburgh, with the current funding programme approaching its conclusion.
The discussion comes at a significant moment for the squad, whose existing backing is scheduled to end in August. Last year, the ICC, together with the cricket boards of England, Australia and India, established a joint initiative to support players who left Afghanistan after the Taliban returned to power in 2021 and female participation in sport was effectively prohibited.
Funding future set for ICC agenda
The ICC’s annual conference will begin on 8 July and is expected to include discussions around the future of the refugee programme. The issue extends beyond immediate financial support, with broader conversations also anticipated around cricket’s approach to refugee participation and integration.
The timing is particularly notable as the Afghanistan women’s refugee team continues to increase its visibility on the international stage. The squad is scheduled to attend the Women’s T20 World Cup final at Lord’s three days before the ICC gathering gets underway.
Calls for a long-term solution
Questions over what happens after the current funding cycle have prompted calls for a more sustainable framework.
Addressing the issue earlier this month, England and Wales Cricket Board Managing Director of Women’s Cricket and Deputy Chief Executive Clare Connor told the Stumped podcast: “It would be a pretty significant abdication of responsibility, given the timing immediately after a Women’s World Cup and at the end of this funding period for the Afghan refugee women’s team, if there wasn’t a senior ICC discussion about what next and what the international cricket community should be doing.”
Clare Connor: An “abdication of responsibility” if ICC fails to consider a sustainable model for Afghan women refugees to continue beyond this development tour to England. Full int: https://t.co/eu5sCh54AM#afghanistan #afghanwomen @pitchourfuture pic.twitter.com/HIeFX6U78t
— Alison Mitchell (@AlisonMitchell) June 1, 2026
The comments reflect growing attention on how the sport intends to support displaced female cricketers beyond the current programme.
Team continues to build international presence
Despite being unable to represent Afghanistan internationally, the group has continued to develop opportunities to play and train together. The team played its first competitive fixture in Melbourne in January 2025 and also travelled to India during last year’s Women’s Cricket World Cup.
This summer, the players are touring England for a series of developmental T20 matches as they continue to build experience and maintain competitive opportunities.
Recognition remains a key objective
More than 20 members of what was previously Afghanistan’s national women’s team remain in exile. Alongside securing long-term support, the players have also expressed a desire to gain recognition for international competition, although no agreement has yet been reached on that front.
The issue comes against the backdrop of wider discussions around displaced athletes in global sport. In April, FIFA approved Afghanistan’s return to international women’s football competitions, a development that has added further attention to ongoing conversations about pathways and recognition for Afghanistan’s women athletes.
With the current support programme nearing its end, the upcoming ICC conference is likely to play an important role in determining how cricket approaches the future of the Afghanistan women’s refugee team and the broader question of refugee participation within the sport.
