Farkhunda Muhtaj is an Afghan-Canadian professional footballer and social activist. She is the Captain of the Afghanistan Women’s National Team and plays for Fortuna Sittard in the Dutch Eredivisie. In 2021, she evacuated 300 + Afghans including the Afghanistan Youth National Team and Afghanistan Football Federation Staff to Portugal after the Taliban regime came into power in August.

She is the co-founder of Scarborough Simbas, a non-profit organization that uses sport to help ease the settlement journey of refugees and newcomers to Canada, the Director of Culture and Conscience at the Respect Group, a humanitarian ambassador for Penny Appeal Canada and UNHCR Netherlands, a global ambassador for Womenforwomen International, and also sits on the board of League 1 Ontario’s women’s soccer committee. 

Muhtaj was recognized as a Top 30 YorkU Alumni under 30 in 2022 for her active dedication to social justice. She has also been the recipient of many accolades including the World Football Summit Positive Impact Award, the Canadian Premier League Game Changer Award, the Community Leadership Award by the Office of the Mayor in the City of Clarington, the Women Who Inspire Award by the Canadian Council of Muslim Women, and the Community Involvement Award by the Canadian Afghan Sport Association among others.  

Muhtaj earned two degrees from York University; a BSc degree in Kinesiology and Health Sciences (2019) and a B.Ed degree in Science and Physical Education (2021). She captained York University’s Women’s Soccer Team where she was a USPORT Academic All-Canadian, OUA First-Team All-Star and an OUA Gold Medalist.