A New Pitch for Displaced Afghan Stars
Afghan female footballers who fled the Taliban after the 2021 regime change are now training with the Houston-based amateur team Shine FC. Yet, behind the daily drills, these athletes report a widening gap between the high-profile promises made during their evacuation and the reality of their lives in the United States.
While organizations including FIFA facilitated their escape and transit through Qatar and Albania, the athletes state that subsequent pledges regarding family reunification and resettlement support remain unfulfilled.
From Kabul to Houston via Albania
When the Taliban reclaimed power in August 2021, members of the national women’s team faced immediate, life-threatening danger. A complex international effort involving various humanitarian bodies and FIFA moved the players through two months in Qatar and nearly two years in Albania before they were granted United States visas.
By the summer of 2023, approximately a dozen of these international players arrived in Houston. They were forced to balance full-time jobs with the demands of education and training. To offer a lifeline, advocate Sarah Labowitz founded Shine FC in May 2025. The club now acts as more than a sports team; it is a vital hub for English classes, financial guidance, and career assistance.
The Growing Rift Over Family Reunification
The players express gratitude for their initial extraction, but characterize FIFA’s long-term follow-through as insufficient. They point to the stalled promises of aid for family reunification—a priority for athletes like Zahra Hassani, who has been separated from her parents for five years.
Tensions spiked following the May 2025 launch of the “Afghan Women United” initiative. Intended to provide welfare, protection, and education access for Afghan players, the program effectively locked out those living in Houston. According to the athletes, FIFA cited the challenging landscape of U.S. migration policy as a reason for their exclusion, even though the players have already secured legal green cards.
Barriers to the International Stage
On April 29, 2024, the FIFA Council cleared the “Afghan Women United” team for international competition. While this offers a path for some, it remains closed to those based in the U.S. Current regulations suggest that rosters for tournaments, including the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, may be restricted to refugees living outside the U.S.
For the players training at Blue Ridge Park in Houston, this policy serves as a wall against professional reintegration. Despite FIFA’s September 2025 commitments to provide further welfare and integration support, the members of Shine FC state they are still waiting for those measures to reach them.
Summary of Refugee Athlete Challenges
- Logistical Hurdles: The transition from Afghanistan involved multi-year stays in transit countries like Albania before final resettlement in the U.S. occurred in 2023.
- Current Training Status: Shine FC, founded by Sarah Labowitz, provides the primary competitive outlet for the players in the Houston area.
- Policy Barriers: FIFA’s “Afghan Women United” initiative currently excludes U.S.-based refugees, citing concerns over migration policy, a decision that has stalled the international playing prospects of those in Houston.
- Outstanding Pledges: Players are calling for the fulfillment of promised resettlement support and assistance with family reunification, which they claim were part of the original support framework.