It is a group of 35 footballers between the ages of 13 and 19 and their families.

The offer from the British comes just in time: tomorrow the visa of the commitment team with which they could stay in Pakistan expires. The girls had to return to Afghanistan if another country refused to take them in.

Exercise prohibited

Since the Taliban took power, women in Afghanistan have been banned from exercising. Therefore, the Afghan women’s national soccer team fled to Australia earlier and the women’s youth teams were cared for in Portugal. Only for the engagement team, a solution had not yet been found. Until today.

The British authorities are still busy doing the paperwork, writes the BBC. “We look forward to welcoming the Afghan Women’s Development Team soon,” said a British government spokesman.

Decision that saves lives

The footballers have been on the way for a while. Until now, no other country was willing to accommodate Afghan talents. “This is fantastic news. We thank Prime Minister Boris Johnsen and Home Secretary Priti Patel for this important decision,” said Siu-Anne Marie Gill, director of the British philanthropic organization Rokit Foundation.

She talks about a decision that saved lives: “70 percent of the soccer girls in Afghanistan had already received death threats.”

English clubs want to help

The Rokit Foundation plays an important role in organizing and financing the flight of soccer players. The engagement team was supposed to flee to Qatar with their families and coaches at the end of August with the help of the organization, but that trip was cut short due to an attack at the Kabul airport. They were later taken to Pakistan by bus.

Several English football clubs, including Leeds United and Chelsea, have said they want to help the girls.