{"id":621746,"date":"2026-04-21T16:38:09","date_gmt":"2026-04-21T16:38:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/621746\/"},"modified":"2026-04-21T16:38:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T16:38:09","slug":"richmonds-zainab-alema-to-launch-muslim-womens-rugby-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/621746\/","title":{"rendered":"Richmond\u2019s Zainab Alema to launch Muslim women\u2019s rugby team"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AZainab Alema pitchside at a 2023 men\u2019s Rugby World Cup match in Paris. Photograph by Adam Pretty\/World Rugby\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Richmond\u2019s Zainab Alema, the first visibly Muslim woman to play in the premiership, hopes to launch Muslimah Rugby in the summer<\/p>\n

\"Aisha<\/p>\n

Richmond rugby player Zainab Alema<\/a> has announced plans to launch what could become the UK\u2019s first Muslim women\u2019s team in the sport, with a 10-a-side debut fixture expected in London<\/a> later this summer.<\/p>\n

Alema, who plays as a loose-head prop with the south-west London team, said her goal was to create a dedicated space for Muslim women<\/a> in a sport where they remain underrepresented.<\/p>\n

It is a shift from playing to building something more lasting. She is the first<\/a> visible Muslim woman to play in the Premiership Women\u2019s Rugby competition, the top level in England \u2014\u00a0but health challenges have pushed her to think beyond her own playing career.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe buck cannot stop with me,\u201d she said. \u201cNow that I\u2019m not playing in the premiership at the moment, there\u2019s no one else. I need to build something that hopefully will open doors for other Muslim women to climb up the ladder.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The team, set to be called Muslimah Rugby<\/a>, is in its early stages. Alema plans to launch the team in the summer with a friendly match against Black Girls Ruck<\/a> \u2014 a group creating space for Black women in rugby. She hopes to recruit up to 20 players who will rotate on and off the pitch to maximise participation.<\/p>\n

Asked about concerns that a Muslim women\u2019s team could be seen as divisive, Alema said it would serve as an entry point rather than a divide.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think any two communities experience things the same way,\u201d she said. \u201cIf you call yourself a Muslim, you\u2019re a woman, and you love rugby, or you want to get into rugby, this space is for you. We support you and we want to celebrate you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her own experience in rugby has shaped her approach. She described feeling isolated in the sport, particularly as a Black, hijab-wearing Muslim woman in a male-dominated sport \u2014 something she hopes the team will address by fostering a sense of belonging.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I can get more women to pick up a rugby ball because of this team,\u201d she said, \u201cit\u2019s a win-win situation for the rugby community as a whole.\u201d<\/p>\n

Announcing the team on 10 April on Instagram<\/a>, Alema \u2014\u00a0who had no budget for the project \u2014\u00a0called for not only players but also kit sponsors, photographers and videographers, brands and community supporters.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been inundated with messages,\u201d said Alema. \u201cNow I think my issue is actually going through the messages and deciding who I want to be a part of it all, which is a fantastic place to be in.\u201d<\/p>\n

She is currently in talks with potential sponsors and venues, stressing the importance of working with partners who align with the team\u2019s values. There has also been early interest from rugby\u2019s governing body, the Rugby Football Union, with representatives approaching Alema to ask how they can support the project, and she has the backing of her club, Richmond RFC.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Looking ahead, Alema\u2019s ambitions for the group are not limited to a single match. She hopes to build a pathway into the sport, with training sessions, future fixtures and even international connections.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe plans I have for this thing are huge,\u201d she said. \u201cI want us to be able to go on tour and do it in a halal way.\u201d<\/p>\n

For those unsure whether they belong in the sport, her message is clear: \u201cCome and join. Even if you feel you\u2019re not a rugby player, you\u2019ll still have a space.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alema spoke on stage at the Hyphen Festival<\/a> in November, where she highlighted barriers to access for Muslim women in sport \u2014\u00a0including funding and lack of inclusive spaces.<\/p>\n