Khalida Popal

Background

About Khalida Popal

I’m Khalida Popal — an award-winning football pioneer, activist, and founder of Girl Power Organisation. My life’s work is dedicated to empowering refugee and marginalised girls and women through the transformative power of sport, leadership, and community. As a founder & former captain of the Afghanistan Women’s National Football Team, I’ve spent over a decade advocating for gender equality and using football as a tool for resistance, healing, and change. After fleeing persecution, I turned my struggle into a mission: to create safe spaces, leadership opportunities, and visibility for girls and women who have been silenced or sidelined through @Girl Power. Through Girl Power, we support young women in marginalised communities, refugee camps, underserved communities, and diaspora settings across Europe and globally, providing football, futsal, mentorship, and gender transformative education that builds confidence, resilience, and hope. I believe in- Investing in grassroots, women-led initiatives - Trusting refugee and migrant girls as leaders and changemakers - Changing narratives through representation and visibility - Creating sisterhoods that heal and uplift Whether it's through advocacy on global stages, speaking engagements, or hands-on work in communities, my mission is clear: every girl deserves the right to play, lead, and belong. Let’s connect if you’re working in sport-for-development, gender equality, refugee empowerment, or community leadership — or if you simply believe in the power of girls to change the world.