Where Muslims meet

When Djed Spence was named to represent England in FIFA World Cup 2026, it was more than just another international debut. For many fans, it was a football story: a talented player earning his place on one of the biggest stages in the game after years of hard work. But for many Muslims across Britain, it can feel like something more meaningful.

But football didn’t suddenly became diverse overnight. Muslim communities have been part of British football culture for generations, filling stadiums, debating line-ups, playing Sunday league football in the rain, and spending countless hours arguing over goals. Football has long been woven into the fabric of Muslim life in Britain. Yet seeing someone who shares your faith take the field for your country carries a different kind of significance. It serves as a reminder that Muslims belong, and belonging is a powerful thing.

Djed Spence has become the first openly Muslim player to feature for England’s senior men’s team, marking a significant moment for representation in English football. Tonight, England will play against Croatia in their first Group Stage match at Dallas Stadium in Texas, with the highly anticipated match kicking off at 9:00pm GMT (3:00pm CT).

The Tottenham Hotspur defender earned his first England cap after coming off the bench in the Three Lions’ 5-0 World Cup qualifying win over Serbia. Reflecting on the achievement, Spence described the opportunity as a blessing and said he hopes his journey can inspire the next generation of young Muslims pursuing their dreams in sport.

Spence has spoken openly about the importance of Islam in his life, regularly sharing messages of gratitude and faith with his followers. His England debut was widely celebrated across the football community, with many highlighting the impact his visibility could have for young Muslim athletes who rarely see themselves represented on the international stage.

The conversation around representation often focuses on visibility. The phrase “you can’t be what you can’t see” has become a familiar one, and for good reason. When young people see someone who shares aspects of their background succeed, it expands their sense of possibility. But representation is about more than aspiration – it’s about familiarity and feeling at home.

For years, many British Muslims have supported England while simultaneously navigating questions around identity, culture, and belonging. They have celebrated England victories, suffered through England heartbreak, and grown up immersed in football culture just like everyone else. Yet there are moments when seeing yourself reflected back in a national story can make all the difference.

Djed Spence’s England debut is one of those moments. Not because he represents every Muslim experience, or that his journey mirrors anyone else’s exactly, but because his presence reflects a reality that has long existed across Britain. Muslims are not just watching from the sidelines anymore, they are part of the story.

Belonging is one of those things we rarely think about until we don’t feel it. It shapes confidence, identity, and the way people move through the world. When people feel accepted within a community, they are more likely to participate, contribute, and thrive. When they feel seen, they feel more comfortable showing up as themselves.

Football offers one of the clearest examples of this. The sport has an extraordinary ability to bring together people from different cultures, backgrounds, and experiences. For ninety minutes, strangers become teammates and entire countries move in sync. A shared passion creates a common language that transcends differences. That sense of connection is one of the reasons football remains so beloved within Muslim communities around the world.

Long before football became a global business, it was a community activity. It was a reason for people to gather, socialise, and connect. In many ways, that remains true today. Ask someone about their favourite football team and chances are they won’t simply tell you about the club. They’ll tell you about the parent who introduced them to the game, the cousins they watched matches with growing up, or the neighbourhood where they first kicked a ball around. They’ll tell you about memories.

Football is rarely just about football. It is family, friendship, identity, and culture all rolled into one. Within Muslim communities, this becomes especially visible during major tournaments. World Cups transform living rooms into fan zones, and family or friend group chats into tactical think tanks. Suddenly, everyone has strong opinions about formations, substitutions, and who should be starting up front. The football itself matters, of course, but the conversations surrounding it often matter just as much.

One of the most interesting things about football is how often it acts as an introduction. It is a conversation starter, a bridge between people who might otherwise never have spoken.

At Muzz, football consistently appears as one of the most popular interests people choose to highlight on their profiles. Football remains one of the most popular interests among Muzz users, with 1 in 4 listing it as a hobby on their profile. The sport is particularly popular among men aged 26–35, who make up half of all football fans on the app. Football enthusiasm among users in the UK is strongest in London, Birmingham and Manchester, reflecting the sport’s popularity within Britain’s Muslim communities.

At first glance, that might seem like a small detail, but it reveals something important about how people connect. Shared interests give strangers something familiar to talk about. They provide an easy way into someone’s world. A simple question like “Who do you support?” can quickly lead to stories about childhood memories, family traditions, favourite players, travel experiences, and personal identity. Before people discover whether they are compatible in bigger ways, they often connect through smaller things first.

Football is one of those things – not because the sport itself is the most important part of a partnership or marriage, but because shared passions create opportunities for conversation, which is where connection begins.

As the World Cup captures attention across the globe, those connections become even more visible. Suddenly everyone has predictions. Everyone has a favourite player. The debates become louder, the group chats become busier, and the viral TikTok videos become impossible to avoid.

For a few weeks, millions of people are participating in the same conversation. That spirit extends beyond living rooms and WhatsApp groups. Within Jamaa, Muzz’s social community space, football has become one of the many ways Muslims connect with one another beyond matchmaking. Members are seen celebrating surprise results or passionately defending their chosen teams.

Some conversations are thoughtful and analytical. Others are completely biased. Most sit somewhere in between. But that is exactly the point. Community is not built exclusively through major life moments. It is built through everyday interactions, shared interests, friendly disagreements, inside jokes, and the small moments that make people feel part of something larger than themselves.

Djed Spence’s England debut will be remembered as a significant global moment in English football, but perhaps its greatest significance lies beyond the statistics. Moments like this remind us that representation is not about ticking boxes. It is about expanding the story. It is about ensuring that more people can see themselves reflected in the communities, institutions, and cultural spaces they care about.

For young Muslims watching England this World Cup, seeing someone who shares their faith wear the national shirt may feel meaningful. For the generation growing up behind them, perhaps it will feel completely normal. And maybe that is the greatest sign of progress. Not that the moment is remarkable, but that one day it won’t be.

Until then, football will continue doing what it has always done best: bringing people together, creating conversations, building communities, and reminding us that sometimes the things we have in common matter more than the things that make us different. Whether it’s supporting the same team, debating the same match, or finding someone who shares your interests, connection often starts in the simplest of places.

Cover photo credits: BBC

“Muslims don’t date, we marry.” It’s a phrase you’ve probably heard a dozen times when referencing Muslims finding a spouse, but often the phrase is misunderstood. The reality isn’t that Muslims skip getting to know someone; it’s that they do it with a clear intention from the start, which is marriage.

That intention changes everything! Instead of casual, undefined dating, the focus is on finding your realistic life partner. You’re not “seeing where it goes”; you’re seeing if you’re aligned. This is often what people mean by “halal dating”: getting to know someone in a way that’s intentional, respectful, and with a clear set goal in mind.

Conversations usually happen in comfortable, public settings, with clear boundaries. Family may be involved early, never to pressure, but to signal seriousness. It removes ambiguity and makes intentions clear from the start. Instead of vague questions like “what are we?”, people ask what actually matters: where do you see yourself in five years, how many kids do you want, what does modesty mean to you? These aren’t intense, but they’re necessary. The goal at the forefront is always marriage and completing half your deen.

This approach also cuts out something many people are tired of: wasted time. There’s no months of confusion or emotional limbo. If you’re aligned, you move forward. If you’re not, you move on. So when people say “Muslims don’t date, we marry,” what they really mean is this: they get to know someone with intention and clarity, because the end goal has always been to find your life partner.

As Muzz closes its 2026 Ramadan campaign, where the goal was to raise $500,000 to rebuild and equip a hospital in Sudan, Shahzad Younas, CEO and Founder of Muzz, wanted to share some interesting stats on how donations came in, along with some of the trends and patterns seen this year.

As always, transparency and providing updates to the community remain a key part of how Muzz runs its campaigns.

The campaign began a little slowly, with a subdued effort at the start, which caused some concern internally. By around mid-Ramadan (6th March), things became noticeably quieter. This coincided with patterns often seen at mosques, where attendance for night prayers typically tails off midway through Ramadan, resulting in smaller congregations.

By the midpoint, only around 15% ($75K) of the total campaign goal ($500K) had been reached. Other charities also mentioned experiencing quieter Ramadans this year, raising questions around whether people were experiencing donation fatigue or had already given earlier in the year due to the large number of ongoing global crises, including Gaza.

Momentum shifted on 9th March as the campaign approached the last ten nights of Ramadan. At this stage, Muzz began matching donations. Each year, the company commits to matching and donating whatever it takes to ensure the gap is filled and the $500K campaign goal is achieved. This is when donations began to increase rapidly.

The 27th night of Ramadan, known as the Night of Power (though it falls within the last ten nights), saw the biggest spike, with over $45K donated on that night alone.

A breakdown of donation sources showed that the largest portion ($100K) came directly from the app itself. A custom in-app screen was built so that as users used the app, they were reminded about the campaign and encouraged to donate. Each year, the Muzz community continues to contribute meaningful amounts through this feature.

The next largest portion came from donations made via a personal fundraising link shared during the campaign, followed by internal communications, push notifications, emails, and website traffic.

Muzz also hosted several iftars globally, with all ticket sales going directly toward the campaign.

This became one of the most thorough campaigns delivered from both a technology and communications perspective, with engineering, product, and marketing teams working together to ensure every effort was made to reach the target.

At present, $283K of the $500K target has been raised, with over 5,000 people donating. Alhamdulillah.

Muzz will now contribute $217K of its own funds to match donations made during the last ten nights and ensure the campaign reaches its goal.

From everyone at Muzz, alongside charity partner Sudanese American Physicians Association (SAPA), and from the people in Sudan who, Insha’Allah, will benefit from this campaign, a huge thank you.

By Shahzad Younas, CEO of Muzz