The 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations kicked off earlier this month, after being postponed for 12 months due to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, as hosts Morocco battled Zambia to a 2-2 draw. But beyond the significance of this tournament, where women’s football continues to take leaps and bounds, one particular story comes to the fore. 

Player expression on the field is usually limited to sock length, headbands, hairstyles, wrist tape, and boots. And while some may perceive this as purely aesthetic, many footballers argue that the modifications they make on the pitch are targeted at making them as comfortable as possible, ultimately aiding performance. But for some, their presentation on the pitch is not just a reflection of their true self, rather a continuation of their everyday life.

Nouhaila Benzina, who plays her club football in Morocco’s domestic league with AS FAR, made history as the first player to wear a hijab at a senior international tournament during the 2023 World Cup. The 27-year-old is a regular feature at the heart of the Moroccan defence, and she achieved global recognition when she wore the hijab on the biggest stage in world football. For her it was no more than a continuation of her daily commitment to her faith, a symbol of her religion. However, the impact this had on the footballing world was seismic. 

A symbol of her unwavering faith and love for the game, the hijab represents a core facet of her identity. The hijab is a head-covering worn by Muslim women which serves as an identity which reflects their modesty and faith, ‘Iman’, and is an outer manifestation of their inner commitment to worship God. Despite not publicly speaking about her decision, just wearing  it on the biggest football stage was a major milestone in widening visibility and participation and making the beautiful game accessible to all. 

However, a closer look at football’s relationship with the hijab reveals a chequered past. 

In 2007, 11-year-old Canadian Asmahan Mansour attempted to wear a headscarf on the pitch but was refused permission to play by the referee, and rather than removing it, her and her team opted to withdraw from the tournament. The issue was initially picked up by the Canadian Soccer Association and was then accelerated to FIFA, who upheld the decision and banned all head coverings on the premise that they posed ‘a safety risk’ for players — entrenching the referee’s justification for excluding her. 

Despite FIFA initially citing “religious symbolism” as the reason for banning head coverings, the prevalence of tattoos, signage of the cross and goal celebrations by prominent male footballers meant the ruling would be challenging to enforce. As a result they stuck with their arbitrary justification of  “health and safety,” consequently preventing a significant community of footballers from playing even at grassroots level — forcing them to pick between their faith and the sport. 

Many across the globe rose against the ban, including Moya Dodd, formerly of the Asian Football Confederation, and Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, the then vice-president of FIFA and head of the Jordanian Football Association. 

Eventually, in 2014, FIFA chose to lift the ban, enabling female players to wear head coverings for religious reasons. But unfortunately, despite the governing body’s decision to reverse the ban, numerous countries and federations have persisted with the ban on head coverings.

France in particular has received criticism, as the FFF continue to uphold the ban on head coverings. In October 2024, United Nations experts condemned the ban that prevented “any sign or clothing clearly showing political, philosophical, religious or union affiliation,” as “disproportionate and discriminatory.”

The justification of the ban seems to be rooted in the French principle of laïcité, or secularism, which is embedded in the French constitution as the principle of secularism that ensures the separation of religion and state. It emphasises the neutrality of the state towards all religions and the freedom of individuals to practice their beliefs, or not, as they choose.

However, given the disproportionate impact on Muslim female players, numerous organisations have contested the ban, with local collective Les Hijabeuses campaigning against the FFF’s decision. In 2023, they took the FFF to court to challenge an outright ban on the hijab, introduced in 2020, but they were ultimately unsuccessful in their appeal as the French courts declared the regulation “suitable and appropriate.”

As women’s football continues to grow, efforts to make the game more accessible must focus on the infringement of religious freedoms and expressions if the game is to be truly inclusive and accepting of all. Not only do the restrictions marginalise a large community from being able to play the game, but raises the question of who is truly included in the sport at the elite level.  

Benzina’s decision to wear the hijab has continued to be a major source of inspiration for millions of young Muslim female footballers around the globe, as she becomes a symbol of what the game should be — inclusive and accessible. Such was the impact of her appearance at the World Cup, cemented as EA Sports released an update in FIFA 23, which added the hijab to the game for Benzina.

At just 27 years old, the defender has forged her legacy in the beautiful game. Unwavering in her faith and her love for the game, she epitomises the importance of self-expression in football. And as she chases glory with the national team throughout WAFCON 2024, there can be no doubt that shifting perceptions and inspiring millions with every appearance, she is already a winner.