Melbourne Victory FC AWT

Melbourne Victory FC AWT is an Afghan Australian women's soccer team affiliated with Melbourne Victory FC and Football Federation Victoria. Founded in March 2022, the club plays in the FFV State League 4 West, which is the seventh tier of football in the country.

Melbourne Victory FC AWT
Full nameMelbourne Victory Football Club Afghan Women's Team
Short nameAWT
FoundedMarch 2022 (2022-03)
GroundRon Barassi Senior Reserve
ChairmanAnthony Di Pietro
ManagerHelen Winterburn
LeagueFFV State League 4 West
2022FFV State League 4 West, 3rd of 8
Active departments of Melbourne Victory FC
Football
(Men's)		 Football
(Men's Youth)		 Football
(Women's)		 Football
(Women's AWT)

History

In August 2021, following the takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, former national team captain Khalida Popal who was based in Denmark, urged players to delete their social media accounts, erase public identities and burn their kits for safety's sake as they are again under Taliban rule.[1] On 25 August, the Australian government announced they had evacuated 75 Afghan women athletes including football players. FIFPro and Popal worked with authorities in six countries, including Australia, the US, and the UK, to get athletes and their families airlifted out of Afghanistan. FIFPro general secretary Jonas Baer-Hoffmann described the evacuations as "an incredibly complex process".[2][3]

Establishment

The Afghanistan women's national team were able to regroup in Australia by early 2022. They secured a partnership with A-League club Melbourne Victory enabling the team to continue operating and train at the Darebin International Sports Centre. It is unclear if they would be allowed by FIFA to play official international matches.[4]

In March 2022, the national team was admitted into Football Victoria's state league.[5] They were placed in State League 4 West, the seventh tier of Australian women's football and sixth in the Victorian structure.[6]

Players

Current squad
As of March 2022[7]
No. Pos. Nation Player
2 DF  AFG Adeba Ganji
7 FW  AFG Nilab Mohammadi
9  AFG Saleha Rezaei
10  AFG Manizha Sadat
12  AFG Bahara Samimi
13 GK  AFG Fatima Yousufi (captain)
16 DF  AFG Frishta Shaikhmiri
17  AFG Shamsia Amiri
No. Pos. Nation Player
18  AFG Montaha Moslih
20 FW  AFG Manozh Noori
40 DF  AFG Fatema Mursal Sadat
42  AFG Oranos Haidary
44  AFG Arezo Mohammadi
50 MF  AFG Farida Mohammadi
—  AFG Roona Yadegar

References
  1. "Former Afghan women's captain tells players to burn kits, delete photos". Reuters. August 18, 2021.
  2. "Afghan women footballers removed from danger and taken to Australia". Sky Sports. United Kingdom. 25 August 2021. Archived from the original on 25 August 2021.
  3. Woodyatt, Amy; Snell, Patrick. "Safe and alive, but 'traumatized,' the future of these Afghan women footballers is very uncertain". CNN. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  4. Lynch, Joey (5 February 2022). "Afghanistan women's football team reunite with hopes of competing in Australia". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
  5. Lynch, Joey (18 March 2022). "Afghanistan Women's National Team to play in Victorian leagues". ESPN. Retrieved 27 March 2022.
  6. "Fixture For Women's State League 4 West - GameDay". GameDay. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  7. "Players". GameDay. Football Victoria.
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