Islam and association football

Some association football players are Muslims, and their clubs have made changes to respect their beliefs. Football is very popular in the Arab world, where many people follow Islam.

In 2013, a journalist noted that Muslim players were bringing new traditions to English football. For example, during Ramadan, some players find it hard to train and play because of their religious practices. Some players also choose not to wear shirts with sponsors that support gambling or charge interest, as these actions are not allowed in Islam.

Sadly, some Muslim players have faced unfair treatment because of their faith. Clubs that sign Muslim players have sometimes been targeted too.

Popularity and conflict

Football was brought to Iran by British oil workers and became popular during the rule of Reza Shah in the 1920s. Even though playing and watching football sometimes goes against religious rules in Iran today, many people still love the game.

In 2011, a women's football team named Girls FC was formed with both Muslim and Christian players. Some people had concerns about women wearing shorts and playing football, but the team became very popular anyway.

Ramadan

In 2010, Iranian player Ali Karimi was let go by his Tehran-based club Steel Azin for drinking water during a training session while fasting for Ramadan. He was later allowed to return after paying a fine.

Even top football players continue to fast during Ramadan, though it can affect their energy. In 2019, players Hakim Ziyech and Noussair Mazroui from AFC Ajax fasted during a big match and broke their fast right after sunset.

During the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Tunisian goalkeeper Mouez Hassan used a rule about injuries to pause the game after sunset. This let his teammates break their fast and have dates and drinks. This helped Tunisia tie two tough matches.

Some players from Saudi Arabia chose to delay their fasting until after the World Cup because of long daylight hours in Russia. They received special permission to do this.

In April 2021, Leicester City player Wesley Fofana broke his fast during a match.

In the 2023 season, Major League Soccer added a special break after sunset for players to refresh during Ramadan.

In March 2025, during Ramadan, Dango Ouattara said that his faith was more important than football.

Prayer

Some football players who follow Islam have had to balance their religion with their sport. For example, some players need to pray and fast, which can sometimes cause disagreements with their coaches. To help, some clubs have created special rooms where Muslim players can pray. These rooms are not just for players but can also be used by fans and staff.

Players have also shown their faith in other ways, like wearing special messages under their shirts after scoring goals. In some countries, fans even change their usual cheering to respect religious days. Many clubs in the English Premier League now have places for players, fans, and staff to pray, showing support for all religions.

Islam and English football

The Premier League, England's top-tier football league, started in February 1992. In its first season, only one player, Nayim, followed Islam.

By the 2018–19 season, more than 50 Muslim players were in the Premier League, and 19 out of 20 teams had at least one. Well-known players include Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané, Paul Pogba, Mesut Özil, N'Golo Kanté, Kurt Zouma, and Riyad Mahrez.

As football became more global, clubs and fans grew more understanding of players' religious needs. The league now has a Muslim chaplain, and some clubs have special rooms for prayer.

Even though some unfair treatment still happens, having Muslim football stars in the Premier League might be helping to reduce negative attitudes toward Muslims in society.

In June 2021, Premier League clubs agreed to balance sponsorship deals with players' beliefs. In March 2023, three Football League clubs also joined this agreement.

In March 2022, it was announced that during Ramadan, players could have a break to eat and drink. This break happened again in April 2023 and February 2026.

As of April 2023, Bradford City's women's team had Muslim coaches.

In September 2025, Djed Spence became the first Muslim player called up by England. On 9 September 2025, Spence played his first match for England, helping the team win 5-0 against Serbia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

During a break in play for Ramadan in March 2026, some fans booed Muslim players from Manchester City. The Leeds management spoke out against this behavior.

Kits and sponsorship

Muslim leaders in Malaysia have asked Muslims not to wear football shirts with crosses on the badge, such as FC Barcelona and Brazil, because they see these symbols as focusing more on Christianity. They have also warned against Manchester United shirts, which show a devil.

In 2012, Real Madrid took a cross off their club crest on some ads. This happened because they were building a big sports area in the United Arab Emirates, where Islam is practiced.

Frédéric Kanouté used to change his Sevilla shirt to cover up a sponsor that was an online casino called 888.com. Later, the club agreed that he didn’t support gambling just by wearing the shirt, so he didn’t have to be in ads with the sponsor.

In July 2013, Papiss Cissé, a player for Newcastle United, didn’t want to wear a shirt sponsored by Wonga.com, a company that gives quick loans with high interest, because charging interest isn’t allowed under Islamic law. After some time, he agreed to wear the shirt again after being seen in a casino.

Dress code

Some Muslim football players follow special clothing rules that can sometimes clash with the usual football uniforms. In 2011, the Iran women's football team couldn’t play a game because their uniforms, which included full tracksuits and head coverings, broke a rule by FIFA. This rule said players couldn’t show religious messages on their uniforms. But by 2012, FIFA changed its mind and allowed women to wear hijabs during big games.

In 2023, a campaign started in England to let schoolgirls wear hijabs while playing football. That same year, Nouhaila Benzina became the first player to wear a hijab in a World Cup. Later in 2024, Iqra Ismail wasn’t allowed to play because she wanted to wear tracksuit bottoms instead of shorts, which she felt was important for her beliefs while playing for Regent's Park’s United Dragons FC.

Abuse

Some Muslim football players have faced unkind words and actions from fans because of their beliefs. For example, in 2005, an Egyptian player named Mido was teased by fans who made rude comments about his background. Similar things happened to him again in 2007, and later to Muslim fans praying during games.

Over time, attitudes have been changing. Football clubs have made efforts to be more respectful. For instance, they stopped giving out champagne for awards when a Muslim player often won, switching to a trophy instead. Players like Mohammed Salah have helped increase understanding and respect for Islam among fans.

Unfortunately, there are still incidents where players face hurtful comments. In 2019, Mohamed Salah experienced abuse from some fans, which led to investigations and consequences for those involved. Clubs and authorities continue to work on creating a more welcoming environment for everyone.

In film

The 2006 film Offside shows a story about football in Iran. After the 1979 Iranian Revolution, women were not allowed to watch football games. Some girls tried to watch a big match by dressing up like boys. The film was not allowed to be shown in Iran.