A recent government report found that disadvantaged students were more likely (8.8%) to drop out of university in their first year than their advantaged peers (6%). So, it’s perhaps understandable that Yasmin dropped out to start another course in London where she felt more encouraged.

After joining Goldsmiths, she joined the women’s football team, which was an “amazing” experience. But, once again, Yasmin faced similar barriers that she experienced because of being a sportsperson who wears a hijab.

“I loved all the girls but, because I’m Muslim, if we had a match or training or whatever, the initial meeting point for everyone to just talk and chill and stuff would be at the pub - like, all the time. Because I wear my headscarf, there were certain things I just couldn’t do. The hijab is like a whole identity, so it comes with certain rules. I felt like I was trying to practice my religion a bit more seriously but being in that environment wasn’t going to help me.”

It was thanks to what happened at a Ramadan event run by her university that Yasmin had an idea on how to make football more inclusive for herself and other Muslim women. After meeting a group of girls there, they were surprised to learn that she played on the football team – because of her headscarf. They then asked Yasmin if she could start up and coach a team specifically for hijab-wearing women, and so Sisterhood FC was born. She now manages 40 Muslim football players and has created a space for them to confidently play while wearing the hijab.

Hijab-wearing players finally have a future in football, thanks to Sisterhood FC