Hundreds of Somali spectators cheered as they watched two teams of young women play football in a Mogadishu stadium — a scene unimaginable in this conservative, conflict-ridden country just a few years ago.
Until recently, such events were heavily threatened in the Somali capital by the militant group Al-Shabaab, affiliated with Al-Qaeda, which disapproves of entertainment like football, especially when played by women.
But while Al-Shabaab still exerts a strong behind-the-scenes influence in Mogadishu, the security situation has clearly improved.
During Tuesday's match, the main stand was largely separated, but still had some men and women sitting together.
The Ilays women's team finally crushed their opponents from Nasiib 5-0, but this did not dampen the good spirits.
"If you had been in Mogadishu a few years ago, an event like this, with two women's football clubs competing, would not have been possible... but with time, things are improving," said Ali Muhidin, one of the spectators.
The women's football championship was created in 2024 and initially had only 80 players. But just two years later, 600 players participate in 10 teams — mainly from Mogadishu, but also from other regions of the country.
“No one could have imagined that one day Somali women would play football in their country, where even men were forbidden from playing by fighters who had declared football ‘un-Islamic’,” said Ali Abdi Mohamed, president of the Somali Football Federation.
"But what we wouldn't even have dared to dream of has become reality," he told AFP.
He admitted that not everyone in this largely conservative Muslim country allowed his daughters to play, but that they had not received any serious complaints.
Somalis have long been passionate fans of European football, but local teams have been neglected. Somalia currently ranks 200th in the FIFA men's rankings, ahead of only a handful of microstates.
Her women's team, which played its first friendly match in October in Djibouti, is not listed by the international federation.
But that should soon change, as the "Ocean Queens" are preparing for their first ever international tournament: an under-17 competition to be held in May in Tanzania.
"For women, playing football is neither shameful nor taboo," said Ramas Abdi Salah, midfielder for Ocean Queens, who, like her teammates, wears thick tights and a long-sleeved t-shirt under her sportswear, as well as a black headscarf to cover her hair.
"As you can see, I am fully covered, except for my face and hands. I have not received any derogatory comments," said the 17-year-old, who added that she had the approval of her family.
Goalkeeper Najma Ali Ahmed had a difficult match on Tuesday, conceding five goals.
But it will take much more to make him lose his love of the game.
"I am sending a message to female footballers to work towards achieving their dream of joining the national team," she said.
