FIFA helps Afghanistan’s football family
Following the collapse of the Afghanistan government in August 2021 and the mass evacuation that followed, FIFA – with the help of FIFA World Cup 2022 host country Qatar – immediately got to work on helping as many of the nation’s sporting fraternity find their way to safety, in what became an increasingly unstable and volatile situation. By the end of the year, FIFA and its partners had evacuated 163 people.
President Infantino visits first group of refugees
In early October 2021, the first FIFA-organised flight out of Kabul took off with over 100 refugees from the Afghan football community. They reached Doha safely and following stringent COVID-19 tests at the port of entry, all were escorted to their temporary accommodation in Doha – a residential compound built for fans at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 with sporting facilities that anyone could use.
President Gianni Infantino, who had visited the camp before the first FIFA-organised group arrived, returned to the compound and emphasised the important role that football can play in tough times. Speaking from the Park View Villas complex, he said: “The fact that this compound – something that was thought to be useful for the FIFA World Cup – has been able to be transformed into a home for people from Afghanistan for a transitional period is something that, of course, fills us with joy.”
The FIFA President was joined by HE Lolwah Al Khater, Assistant Foreign Minister and spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and HE Hassan Al Thawadi, Secretary General of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, in visiting the facility.
“The fact that this compound – something that was thought to be useful for the FIFA World Cup – has been able to be transformed into a home for people from Afghanistan for a transitional period is something that, of course, fills us with joy.”
President calls on global football community to show solidarity
Later in October 2021, a further 56 displaced football and basketball players were also able to make their way safely to Qatar, thanks to the combined efforts of FIFA and the Qatari authorities. President Infantino paid the newly-arrived group another visit, and used the occasion to put out a call to other nations to step up and show solidarity with the relatively small number of countries who had so far stepped up and offered to help.
“The first one who jumped in was Prime Minister Edi Rama from Albania; I want to thank him as well. But we need more countries, we need more governments, we need more football family members to help – not just to talk about solidarity orto talk about helping but to do it with real action,” said President Infantino.
“We will continue to knock on all the doors around the world, and we hope that some will listen and hear this plea, this call for help, and will open the doors to these girls, who all have an amazing life story to tell.”
Among the evacuees staying at the compound were players from the senior, U-23, U-17 and U-15 Afghan women’s teams, together with their family members. There are also female match officials, administrators and women’s football coaches within the group.
Temporary settlements established
In November 2021, a coach education course was delivered in conjunction with the Generation Amazing programme, and the female players were also given an opportunity to play at a FIFA World Cup venue when they took on the Qatar national team at Khalifa International Stadium.
The next month another seven people were evacuated out of Afghanistan and given safe passage into Doha, thanks to the continued efforts of FIFA and its partners in Qatar, another seven people had been evacuated out of Afghanistan and given safe passage into Doha, thanks to the continued efforts of FIFA and its partners in Qatar.
By the end of the year, the entire group had made its way to new homes under temporary protection status in Albania. The refugees were due to remain there until securing third-country visas and being provided with accommodation and meals in a secure location. They also received healthcare services at an on-site clinic, benefited from crèche facilities and were provided with educational support (including English language lessons) together with immigration experts with a view to obtaining permanent settlement status. By year-end, seven members of the group had been granted permanent resettlement status in Canada, with discussions ongoing for more to follow in 2022.
FIFA remains committed to working with all members of the football family to secure the permanent resettlement of all refugee athletes – those already evacuated, and those still at risk in Afghanistan.
163 000
people evacuated in October and November
72.5 00.0 %
of FIFA evacuees were women and children
22 00
women’s national and regional basketball players also among evacuees
129 000
evacuees were directly connected to organised women’s football in Afghanistan
“We need more countries, we need more governments, we need more football family members to help – not just to talk about solidarity or to talk about helping but to do it with real action.”