New Delhi, June 4 -- With determination, courage and lots of support, refugee players who form the Afghan women's soccer team are getting another chance to advance their international careers, one that they say was denied them when the Taliban returned to power in 2021.

Among them is Fatima Yousufi, who fled her country and arrived in Australia with a backpack and a burning ambition to play international soccer.

Yousufi and others like Mona Amini had been able to study and to play soccer until the Taliban took over and shut down all women's sports. The national team players left Afghanistan, fearing persecution.

After a frantic evacuation, 13 of the players settled in Australia where for five years they lived, played and trained in the...