Afghan women refugees find freedom and a voice through football after fleeing Kabul during Taliban takeover
Elaha Safdari was 17 and had just earned her maiden call-up as a goalkeeper for Afghanistan’s women’s football team when she was forced to flee Kabul during the Taliban takeover in 2021. Safdari was given chilling instructions to burn her kit and trophies, and erase her social media profile—anything that could link her to playing…