More than a club, more than a game: the case of Diverse City

Rationale: In 2014, the prohibition of the hijab in sporting competition was abolished by FIFA. In response, an initiative designed to encourage and support the participation of Muslim women in football was launched in Dublin. This paper seeks to understand the experiences of some of those young women who play with Diverse City FC. Approach: This paper utilises a cultural studies approach bolstered by a theoretical framework focussed on cultural and social capital and micro-level interactions in order to explore the politics of participation when that participation may be policed by community members monitoring behaviours in accordance with the groups preferred norms. Findings: Our discussions with the young women that play for Diverse City provide rich insights on issues relating to female participation in sport, their experiences of racism; cultural and religious barriers; and the resolve and determination of the players to challenge and overcome these barriers–thanks in no small part to the support of parents, coaches and each other. Research contribution: The paper demonstrates that the Diverse City project delivers inclusion in and inclusion through football and underscores the importance of understanding the experiences of our participants when developing strategies for inclusion in sports management and in wider society, particularly in an international context where securitised practises and discourses are discouraging the socio-civic participation of young Muslims.