Hong Kong women’s football team happy to be home after anxious wait in Dubai
Team withdrew from tournament following joint US-Israel attacks on Iran but players and staff were stuck in Dubai for days
Twenty-seven players and staff landed in Hong Kong via Bangkok, where they had transited earlier in the week. One player flew from the Thai capital to Boston in the United States, while another is scheduled to leave Dubai for Manchester in Britain at midnight on Saturday.
Captain Ma Chak-shun said the team was relieved to be home.
“Everyone – players, coaches and staff – is really happy to be back,” she said. “In Dubai, things changed very quickly and information kept shifting, but we received a lot of support from different people and departments. We are very grateful to be home safely.”
Ma, who turned 30 on Monday while stuck in Dubai, said the experience was both unsettling and unforgettable.
“It was my birthday wish to return home smoothly and that wish came true,” Ma said. “It made me realise how lucky we are in Hong Kong. Back home, we don’t have to face sudden dangers like that. It makes us value life and safety even more.”