Khalida Popal, the former captain of the Afghanistan women’s national soccer team, experienced a terrifying panic attack two years ago when the Taliban were gaining control of Afghanistan. Female soccer players on the national team were desperate to leave the country out of fear of being killed by the Taliban for playing sports. Popal, who had spent years encouraging Afghan girls to participate in various aspects of society, felt a tremendous responsibility to help these players. Despite her panic attack, she continued working to coordinate their evacuation from Kabul. Utilizing her network and activism, she was able to rescue 87 people, including the senior national team, and later another 130 individuals. However, the struggle continues as Popal now endeavors to convince FIFA to allow players from the Afghan women’s national team to represent their country again after the Taliban prohibited girls and women from participating in sports. The players are currently living in Australia after escaping with Popal’s assistance, but FIFA refuses to recognize them as a national team because the Afghanistan Football Federation denies their existence. Popal has been sharing the team’s story, organizing a petition, and garnering support from politicians and influential individuals. She also arranged a match between the exiled Afghan team and a team of migrants and refugees in Melbourne, named the Hope Cup. Despite the sacrifices Popal has made in advocating for the team, she remains dedicated to helping others and raising awareness about the situation in Afghanistan.
