VIDEO SHOWS: MUSLIM FEMALE SOCCER PLAYER IN HIJAB TRAINING AND PLAYING / SOUNDBITES ON CHALLENGES OF PLAYING IN RELIGIOUS DRESS / MOSQUE SCENES / TEAM PLAYING AT A YOUTH TOURNAMENT. SHOWS: ILORIN, NIGERIA (AUGUST 30, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) 1. VARIOUS OF MARYAM MUHAMMED WEARING HER HIJAB 2. VARIOUS OF MUHAMMED LACING HER BOOTS 3. DRONE VIEW OF SCHOOL SOCCER PITCH (MUTE) 4. VARIOUS OF MUHAMMED PLAYING SOCCER WITH TEAM 5. MUHAMMED WALKING OUT OF THE SOCCER PITCH 6. VARIOUS OF MUHAMMED WASHING HER SOCCER BOOTS AT HOME 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOCCER PLAYER, MARYAM MUHAMMED, SAYING: ‘’Some members of the community…they will just see me and say unfortunate fellow, where are you going to, you are supposed to be helping them at home with house chores or go to where you will be learning some handwork, so where are you going to, what are you doing there, you have nothing to do there, at the end of the day nothing will happen, you will just come back. They will just be telling me that I will not be able to achieve anything from that thing that I am doing which I believe I will achieve something big,’’ 8. VARIOUS OF MUHAMMED AND HER TEAMMATES JOGGING 9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOCCER PLAYER, MARYAM MUHAMMED, SAYING: ‘’Sometimes it will feel like I want to open the hijab but I don’t need to because I must not expose my hair I have to cover my hair all the time as a good Muslim, and leggings as well…it is not convenient to wear leggings because of that same heat.’’ ILORIN, NIGERIA (SEPTEMBER 26, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) 9. DRONE VIEW SHOWING THE MOSQUE AND ACTIVITIES AROUND (MUTE) 10. NAME ON MOSQUE BUILDING READING (English): ‘’SHEIKH SULU GAMBARI GATE’’ 11. WOMEN PRAYING 12. WOMEN IN HIJAB CHATTING AFTER PRAYERS 13. ROAD / CARS AND PEOPLE PASSING 14. GIRLS IN HIJAB ILORIN, NIGERIA (AUGUST 30, 2025 (REUTERS – Access all) 15. VARIOUS OF MUHAMMED’S MOTHER LOOKING AT HER MEDAL 16. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARYAM MUHAMMED’S MOTHER, KEHINDE MUHAMMED, SAYING: ‘’So many people discouraged me that how can you leave a daughter, a small girl like this, but to me I do respect my children’s decision to whatever they want to do, all I need to do is to support them and keep on praying for them.’’ 17. VARIOUS OF MUHAMMED’S TEAMMATES MASSAGING HER FOOT 18. (SOUNDBITE) (English) MARYAM MUHAMMED’S MOTHER, KEHINDE MUHAMMED, SAYING: ‘’I still make sure that any type of colour of their jersey, I will make the hijab for her because I don’t like her to expose her body as a lady. Sometimes I do counsel her that this is the normal way she is supposed to be dressed as a Muslim.’’ 19. DRONE MOVING THROUGH THE GOAL POST TO GIRLS TRAINING (MUTE) 20. VARIOUS OF GIRLS TRAINING 21. COACH MUYHIDEEN ABDULWAHAB WALKING ACROSS THE FIELD WITH CONE 22. (SOUNDBITE) (English) COACH, MODEL QUEENS FOOTBALL ACADEMY, MUYHIDEEN ABDULWAHAB, SAYING: ‘’The use of hijab is being approved, the use of the long inner trousers so that the various parts of their bodies will not show, despite the fact that we provide them with evidence, we still have some that it is a no for them.’’ 23. VARIOUS OF BASHIRAT OMOTOSHO HELPING HER MOTHER TO FRY AND SELL YEASTED DOUGH SNACKS LOCALLY CALLED PUFF-PUFF 24. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOCCER PLAYER, BASHIRAT OMOTOSHO, SAYING: ‘’Sometimes my teammates will have to go for a road walk, they will meet me here, but I don’t have a choice, I cannot leave my mother alone because this is where I am getting my money…everything, so sometimes training will be in the morning and I will not be able to go.’’ 25. VARIOUS OF BASHIRAT’S MOTHER SCOOPING DOUGH INTO POT OF HOT OIL 26. (SOUNDBITE) (Yoruba) BASHIRAT’S MOTHER, TITILAYO OMOTOSHO, SAYING: "Seeing other Muslim girls succeed, like Asisat, encouraged us to let her play," ILORIN, NIGERIA (AUGUST 29, 2025 (REUTERS – Access all) 27. VARIOUS OF MUHAMMED AND TEAM PLAYING FINALS AT A YOUTH TOURNAMENT 28. VARIOUS OF SPECTATORS 29. VARIOUS OF MUHAMMED AND TEAM POSING FOR PHOTOS ILORIN, NIGERIA (AUGUST 30, 2025 (REUTERS – Access all) 30. (SOUNDBITE) (English) SOCCER PLAYER, MARYAM MUHAMMED, SAYING: ‘’I really love this thing (soccer) and I have passion for it, and since my parents support me, I don’t have any…there is nothing stopping me, so I have to pursue my dreams because football is my dream’’ 31. VARIOUS OF MUHAMMED IN HER SITTING ROOM, WATCHING HER HERO – SPANISH SOCCER PLAYER SERGIO BUSQUETS ON A PHONE STORY: When Maryam Muhammed laces up her boots and heads to soccer training at a local school in Ilorin, central Nigeria, she has to overcome the sweltering heat made worse by her hijab and leggings as well as scorn from some in the local community. In central Nigeria's Muslim-majority state of Kwara, where religious traditions shape daily life, a group of girls are challenging cultural norms by playing soccer. They've embraced the game's team spirit, competitive thrill, plus the highs and lows of winning and losing, all whilst trying to ignore the disapproval of those who consider it unsuitable for women who choose to dress modestly. Muhammed, 17, regularly hears taunts as she walks to her training sessions with the Model Queens Football Academy. "They tell me I won't achieve anything. But I believe I will achieve something big," she said. Despite the discomfort, it is important to her to cover up when she plays rather than wear shorts and a t-shirt. "Sometimes it feels like I want to open the hijab, but I must not expose my hair," she said. "I have to put it on as a good Muslim." Hijabs, which cover the head and neck, were barred by soccer's world governing body FIFA on safety grounds in 2007, a move which led to the Iranian women's team being banned from a qualifying match for the 2012 Olympics. The ban was relaxed in 2012, and the hijab fully permitted in 2014. Nouhaila Benzina of Morocco became the first player to wear a hijab at a senior women's tournament in 2023. Muhammed's mother, Kehinde Muhammed, has faced criticism for allowing her daughter to play. "So many people discouraged me," she said. "But I respect my children's decisions. I support her and keep praying for her." She sews hijabs to match team jerseys. "I counsel her that this is the normal way you're supposed to be dressed as a Muslim," she said. Model Queens coach Muyhideen Abdulwahab is trying to change perceptions. "We go out to meet parents, to tell them there are laws in place for modest dressing," he said. "Despite that, some still say no." Team member Bashirat Omotosho, 19, is passionate about the sport but cannot always attend training because she has to help her mother sell puff puff, a fried dough snack, at a roadside stall in order for the family to make enough money. Sometimes the team jog past the stall as part of their training, which is frustrating for her. "Training is often in the morning, but I have to be here," she said, handing snacks to customers. "I can't leave my mum – this is how I earn money." Her mother, Titilayo Omotosho, was initially hostile to the teenager's sporting ambition. "Why would a lady choose football?" she asked. But after her husband gave his blessing, the mother relented. "Seeing other Muslim girls succeed, like Asisat, encouraged us to let her play," she said, referring to Nigeria star Asisat Oshoala, the record six-time African Women's Footballer of the Year. Oshoala, who does not wear a hijab on the pitch, comes from Lagos, in southwest Nigeria, where Islam is less conservative. On August 29, Muhammed captained the Model Queens in a youth tournament final. They lost. At the whistle, she high-fived teammates and cheered as they received runners-up medals. Later, alone in her room, she broke down in tears over the defeat. But the support of he…
(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)
