The Football Association (FA) has reaffirmed that women in English football are allowed to wear attire respecting their religious beliefs. This statement comes after former Somalia captain Iqra Ismail was recently barred from a Greater London Women’s Football League (GLWFL) match for not wearing shorts.
Ismail Denied Play Over Clothing Choice In a video on Instagram, Ismail shared that she was stopped from entering the field as a substitute for United Dragons because she was wearing tracksuit bottoms. Ismail, 24, who is also a coach, mentioned she’s played in similar clothing for five years in the GLWFL. She expressed her frustration, noting, “Every year, they’ve made it harder for women like me to play; now they’ve outright banned me until I compromise my beliefs.”
Pushback Against Clothing Rules The referee informed her that the rule required shorts, saying, “If we don’t wear shorts, we cannot play.” Ismail, a passionate advocate for Muslim women in sports, emphasized that this restriction limits accessibility. She criticized the GLWFL’s stance, stating, “The priority should be making football accessible, yet the Greater London Women’s Football League has done the exact opposite.”
Ismail shared that the experience left her in tears, feeling isolated. “This is why football lacks diversity,” she added, “and why it’s hard to find women who look like me in the competitive game.”
FA Steps In to Address the Issue In response, the FA clarified that it had informed all county FAs and match officials earlier in the year to allow clothing in women’s grassroots football that aligns with faith or religious beliefs. An FA spokesperson confirmed they are working with Middlesex FA to resolve this incident swiftly.
GLWFL Updates Guidelines Following the backlash, the GLWFL issued a statement on X, saying they previously believed players were required to wear shorts over leggings or tracksuit bottoms. The league added, “We have since been informed that shorts on top of tracksuits or tights are not required and will provide this updated guidance to all match officials and members.”
