Afghan footballers evacuated to UK with help from Kim Kardashian

A long journey that ends in London. Thirty-five young Afghan national team footballers and their families – 130 people threatened in their country by the Taliban’s return to power – arrived in the UK on Thursday on a flight funded by American star Kim Kardashian.

The players, who narrowly missed the airlift in Kabul in August, fled to Pakistan with their families after the Taliban took power, but only had a 30-day visa. They landed very early Thursday at London Stansted Airport, according to the ROKiT Foundation, which helped them in their flight. According to UK news agency PA, they were evacuated to the UK on a flight funded by reality star Kim Kardashian.

Siu-Anne Gill, CEO of the ROKiT Foundation, said “extremely touched by the courage of these girls”, saying hope that “the football family” would help them in “that second chance in their life”.

The young footballers have notably received support from Leeds United football club, whose owner, Andrea Radrizzani, said in a statement. “delighted” of arrival in the UK. “It demonstrates the power of football, and sport in general, as a force for good and how the football community is able to collaborate and mobilize to save lives.”, he added.

Whilst I am grateful for @KimKardashian for covering the flight cost, it is worth noting that the flight was charted by a Jewish aid organization & the extraordinary 11 week rescue effort was led by Siu-Anne Marie Gill, CEO of the ROKIT Foundation. https://t.co/S6uMOv0pHB

– Shabnam Nasimi (@NasimiShabnam) November 18, 2021

Leeds United had offered to welcome the players to the junior teams in order to give back to these girls “a prosperous future”. “Like the others we have brought from Afghanistan to the UK, the girls of the Afghan team’s women’s team will receive a warm welcome, support and accommodation.”, has developed a spokesperson for the British government.