Football Player Changing Inclusivity

Iqra Ismail, a young British-born Somali footballer, has made it her mission not only to play the game but to reshape it so more people feel welcome. At 19, she became the youngest person ever to win a Black List award celebrating excellence in English football. She captained Somalia’s national team and served as Director of Women’s Football at Hilltop Football Club in London, where she welcomed players from underrepresented groups and created inclusive spaces. Today, she works at the Female Refugee Football Project, running programs to give refugee women the opportunity to play the sport. She coaches, advocates for safer, more welcoming football environments, and challenges norms—she even spoke out when she was barred from playing because she refused to wear shorts, citing her religious beliefs. Iqra is helping turn football into a sport where more identities and voices belong, not just by asking for inclusion but by actively building it. 

Image via Positive News

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