When the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, women’s rights were stripped away overnight. Sports for women and girls were banned. Education beyond Grade 6 became forbidden. For the members of Afghanistan’s youth women’s national football team — girls aged 14 to 16 — staying in the country meant the end of their futures.
Farkhunda Muhtaj, captain of Afghanistan’s senior women’s national team, was in Canada when the crisis unfolded. Within hours, she became the single point of contact for a desperate rescue mission. Working with former US military officers, international allies, and humanitarian groups in what became known as Operation Soccer Balls, she helped coordinate the evacuation of over 300 Afghans — including 26 members of the youth national team and their families.
It’s this combination of on-field excellence and off-field impact that makes Muhtaj the perfect choice as Ambassador for the Female Leaders Gathering at WFS Riyadh 2025.
From Refugee to Captain
Originally from Afghanistan, Muhtaj’s own story begins with displacement. She immigrated to Canada at age two and grew up in Scarborough, Toronto. Football became her pathway — from York University varsity captain to Afghanistan’s national team captain by 2018, and now a professional midfielder with Calgary Wild FC in Canada’s Northern Super League.
But her impact extends far beyond the pitch. In 2020, during COVID-19, she co-founded Scarborough Simbas — a non-profit offering free football programming for refugee and newcomer children.
“Refugees and newcomers have always been very dear to my heart because I know the challenges that they face,” she explains.
The organisation has supported over 200 families in five years, providing not just football but mental health support, community check-ins, meals, and quality coaching to help ease the settlement journey.
From Mexico to Riyadh
Muhtaj’s first experience at WFS was during WFS Americas in Monterrey in 2024, where she participated in a panel on inclusion and women’s sport development.
“It was such an impressive experience meeting bold women that are changing the landscape of sport,” she recalls. “I learned a ton from my fellow panelists.”
Now, as Ambassador for the Female Leaders Gathering in Riyadh, she’s looking forward to creating the same kind of meaningful connections.
“I think there’s something impressive about women coming together, collaborating, and then also finding solutions together,” she says. “I genuinely just get inspired when I hear others’ insights and their storytelling.”
She’s particularly excited about the regional focus.
“I’m looking forward to seeing all those beautiful faces from a region that is very much unappreciated at times. Women in the Middle East are just as smart, just as ambitious, and the growth of football specifically has been immense in Saudi Arabia — that’s an opportunity to actually use the platform to share what’s happening.”
Stay in Sport
Her message to young women entering the industry is simple but powerful: stay in the game.
“Whether you become a professional footballer or not, there are so many ways to stay in the game — as a referee, as an administrator, as a founder. You never know where the game will take you.”
She shares one statistic that underscores the point:
“90% of female C-suite executive leaders come from a sporting background. Sport is going to empower you to be the bravest version of yourself.”