Building Foundations – Football in Afghanistan (Part 1)

Taliban soldiers on a tank outside Kabul (Getty Images)

Over the course of a few months, Johnny and me had numerous conversations about football. The Champions League was a particular focus and obviously this run ended in disappointment for Johnny when Bayern Munich, the eventual champions, ended Barca’s journey. “Bayern deserved to win. They’re the best team in the world right now.” Tough words for any Cule to utter but other words come much easier to Johnny. “For me, Real Madrid are the same as the Taliban.” While this might be a bit of hyperbole, it demonstrates just how important football is to many Afghans.

This is just one of many quotes disparaging Real Madrid, Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe and any other Madridista who dared talk football anywhere near Johnny. I enjoyed his hate for Real Madrid as I have a soft spot for Barca. This was because of a trip I took to Barcelona in the summer of 2011. Visiting the Nou Camp was like visiting a football cathedral and it’s an experience I’ll always remember. For Johnny, the mere fact I had been there was unbelievable. Given the setting, and the state of football in Afghanistan, the Nou Camp seemed far off indeed.

The Afghanistan Football Federation was founded in 1922 and joined FIFA in 1948. The first match for the Afghan men’s national team came in 1941 when they played Iran in a friendly in Ghazi Stadium in Kabul. It ended in a 0-0 draw. Shortly after joining FIFA, the team entered the 1948 Olympic Games in London, where they played European minnows Luxembourg and suffered a heavy 6-0 loss.

The Asian Games offered a better competition and in 1951 they finished fourth in that competition. They were one of the founding members of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) in 1956. Despite this, the national team is evident of the state of football in the country. From the time they have been founded, much of the competition’s history includes decades of “did not enter” records, competitions missed and through those competitions, opportunities missed. While football grew and grew in popularity across the world, Afghanistan’s national team struggled to make a mark.

In December of 1979, Soviet tanks and troops rolled into Afghanistan to support the failing Communist government led by Babrak Karmal. The war between the Soviets and the Afghan Mujahideen raged for nine years, one month, and twenty-two days. During that time, sport in Afghanistan was practically non-existent. The country was embroiled in Civil War and the fighting continued after the Soviets ended their involvement. In 1996, the Civil War was finally ended but the outcome would do no favors for Afghan football either.

This was the year that the Taliban had risen to power. It was formed in 1994 under the supervision of a Kandahar native named Mullah Omar. After nearly two years of fighting, they gained control of Kabul and established the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan. The Taliban’s strict interpretation of Islam led to a ban on football for several years in the country. The Ghazi Stadium in Kabul ceased to be a football stadium. It was used by the Taliban for public executions of those who were deemed to be enemies of the Taliban regime. This harsh rule continued until one fateful day in September 2001.

September 11, 2001 is a day that needs no explanation. Suffice to say, that the tragedy on that day sparked a United States military response in order to remove Al-Qaeda and their Taliban hosts from Afghanistan. With support from the US, Afghan forces known as the Northern Alliance, led by current President Hamid Karzai, retook Afghanistan from the Taliban. With this came the current period of shaky security and reconstruction, both of the country, and of football as well.

The story continues in:

Part II: Rebuilding foundations – The Lions of Khorasan

Part III: Fortifying Foundations – The Afghan Premier League