FIFA 'working with' FIFPro to help evacuate Afghan players

FIFA and the player's union FIFPro are co-operating to evacuate male and female footballers who wish to leave Afghanistan, the global body's secretary general Fatma Samoura told AFP on Sunday. Last week, hardline Islamist militants the Taliban took control in Kabul with tens of thousands of people trying to leave in what has been dubbed one of the most difficult airlifts in history.

"We're in the process of working with FIFPro," Samoura said. She added the body had "already done it in the past, we should be able to do it again."

On Friday, FIFPro said on Twitter it had "been liaising with governments to establish an evacuation plan for athletes at risk".

"Central to this rescue effort, is the ambition to bring as many people to safety as possible," it added.

On Thursday, the player's body paid tribute to young Afghan national teamfootballer Zaki Anwari, who reportedly died falling from a US plane last week at Kabul airport.