- The club has players from Somaliland, Pakistan, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea, and Morocco.
- It aims to inspire younger generations to follow in the footsteps of Muslim players in the Premier League.
With its combination of adrenaline-pumping excitement, it’s no wonder that football comes on top as one sport that pretty much the whole world can agree on.
Giving people energy, passion, and enthusiasm, a football club aims to change the lives of the Arab and Muslim communities in Cardiff, the capital of Wales.
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As a melting pot of nationalities, the tight-knit community gave birth to Cardiff Bay Warriors club.
“Cardiff Bay Warriors emerged from the community,” Ahmed Noor, Warriors manager, told Arab News.
“The players live and breathe the community, from attending primary school, faith classes, and sports clubs in the community,” he added.
“The fans are mainly neighbors from the local community and family members.”
Dreams
The club was first established in 2005 but disbanded after a few years. It, however, returned in 2019 and played in the Somali British Champions League for the past three years.
The league allows three non-Somali players to play at any one time. The Warriors have players from Pakistan, Guinea-Bissau, Eritrea and Morocco. It is their Islamic faith that brings them together.
“The mosque plays a huge part in the lives of the team as many of the players are practicing Muslims,” Abdi said.
“There are two mosques in Butetown and one particularly, the Noor El Islam, is one of the oldest mosques in the UK and the oldest masjid in Wales with a rich history and a strong sense of community.”
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The club managers hope the Warriors could help unearth a local Muslim player from the community who could play for a top club and the Welsh national team.
“Watching Muslim players in the Premier League, such as (Mohamed) Salah, has definitely inspired our younger generation into believing they too can follow in their footsteps, especially as the players hold on to their faith and actively practice it,” the club secretary Ali Abdi said.