‘It’s heartbreaking’: Malala Yousafzai meets exiled Afghanistan women’s football team

Football must fight against gender discrimination, says the Nobel peace prize winner – or future generations of women will suffer

The Women’s World Cup may be over, but the many issues underpinning the women’s game remain. From the fight of the Nigeria players to be paid for their participation and South Africa’s team boycotting a warm-up match in protest at pay and conditions, to England’s Lionesses battling for performance‑related bonuses as well as Spanish players withdrawing before the tournament over frustrations with the culture around the team, players used the biggest stage to push for change.

One team unable to do that, though, denied the right even to have a chance at competing on the world stage, should not be forgotten. The Afghanistan women’s national team was evacuated from the country after the withdrawal of US and Nato troops and the Taliban takeover in 2021. Since then, those players, women that fought for their survival, left their families and were resettled in Australia, have rebuilt their lives and their team in Melbourne. Football put them at great risk; it also saved them.

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