With each recovered pass, an unwavering hope is reborn.”

After fleeing Kabul amid the chaotic return of the Taliban regime in 2021, numerous Afghan female footballers sought refuge in England, where they now find in football a space for freedom, identity, and rebuilding. In particular, Elaha Safdari, who was the national team goalkeeper at just seventeen, was forced to burn her sports gear and erase her digital presence for her safety. But four years later, their reunion at a FIFA-organized camp in St. George's Park became a profoundly symbolic experience: more than training, it was a reclaiming of her voice and her right to play. Reuters

Sport, in this case football, becomes a bridge of resistance. Between tactics and dribbling, these women rebuild their confidence and take firm steps toward reclaiming their stolen identity. Athletes like Najma Arefi express this rebirth with the conviction of representing, from exile, all the Afghan women who are silenced today. Reuters

The challenge they face transcends the sporting arena. They battle against barriers such as family separation, culture shock, and language, while grappling with trauma and uncertainty. Even so, in every training session, with every ball played, a narrative of rebuilding unfolds, where sport emerges as a vehicle for healing and visibility.

These players' appeal is not solely about sports: they are calling for FIFA to recognize them as representatives of their country from exile, so they can compete internationally and take their story beyond the playing field. This recognition offers a real possibility of amplifying their struggle and revitalizing their public presence.

For us, as readers and committed women, this story resonates with feminist urgency. It is a testament to how sport can redefine identities, open spaces of freedom, and give voice even in contexts of brutal repression. It challenges us to keep alive global solidarity with women who, as in this case, find refuge and a platform in football.

May this text inspire not only admiration but also action: to share, support and promote visibility for these athletes who are remaking their destiny, ball by ball, in a scenario where the rules were imposed, but they have chosen to play with their dignity first.