Breaking down walls: Muslim women connect over shared love of football
Since the inception of the sport, women have faced many barriers to playing football.
The challenges whether they are cultural, financial or geographical, can hinder opportunities and make it difficult for women to find teams to play with.
One of the organisations working to lower these barriers is the Muslimah Sports Association (MSA).
MSA is a volunteer non-profit organisation that is dedicated to providing opportunities and empowering Muslim and minority women through sport.
The organisation gives a place for Muslim women to engage in new activities or rediscover sport from their youth.
Their football team is partnered with Frenford FC and competes weekly in the Super 5 league in Hackney, and brings in new players consistently.
In the space of a few years, the team has grown from just six players to 14 and come together each week embracing their competitive spirit and culture.
I spoke to the team at their first match of this season to find out more about their community and their love of football:
