Mexico World Cup legacy must include women beyond the stadiums, Afghan activist Popal says

MEXICO CITY, July 3 : As the World Cup brings cameras, money, and global celebration to Mexico, former Afghanistan women's national team captain Khalida Popal is asking a critical question: how much of that spotlight will reach the vulnerable girls and refugees outside the stadium gates?

Popal, a founder of the Afghanistan women's national team, fled the country after the Taliban returned to power in 2021 and effectively erased women from sport and much of public life.

Now in Mexico City, she is working with local organisations to run football clinics for refugee children and marginalised communities, using the World Cup to press host nations to deliver a lasting social legacy beyond the tournament.

"The World Cup is happening in a very short time," Popal told Reuters in an interview. "But what about after the World Cup? And how the community needs to get the focus and support."

Popal said Mexico had made significant progress in women's football, pointing to the growing strength of Liga MX Femenil and the appointment of the first Mexican female referee, Katia Garcia, to officiate in a men's World Cup match.

"I watched the woman stand there. That's the Mexico we want to see," Popal said, adding that visible female leaders on the pitch inspire girls to believe they belong in football.

'FOOTBALL IS POLITICS'

Popal firmly dismissed the notion that sport and social issues should be kept separate. "Everything about football is politics. It's business and it's politics," she said, noting that women's football, in particular, is intrinsically tied to activism. 

As the sport historically lacked financial backing, players were driven purely by a love for the game, Popal added, empowering them to lead major global campaigns tackling the