Bara’a Jali

Raqqa – Football is one of the most popular sports in the world, but in Syria, it has struggled to develop due to corruption and favoritism. Moreover, it has long been dominated by men, supported by a society that frowns upon women wearing sportswear and running across green fields.

Since 2012, in North and East Syria, there has been no longer any legal distinction between which professions, activities, or sports are “suitable” for women. The concept of exclusivity has ended legally; what remains is for society itself to change its mindset about women, their bodies, and what they can or cannot do.

In Afrin, this equality once existed- but in the spring of 2018, the city was occupied by Turkey. Instead of returning home and reclaiming their stolen lands, its people were displaced again- from Shahba to other parts of North and East Syria- by renewed Turkish offensives. Yet the young women refused to surrender to despair. A group of them formed a women’s football team in the displacement camps of Raqqa Canton.

Despite the harsh humanitarian conditions faced by thousands of displaced people from Afrin, these young women resisted continuously, strengthened cooperation and solidarity among women, and encouraged each other to overcome the psychological pressures of life in tents. Beyond its health benefits, football became a powerful tool for emotional and social support.

We Decided to Move Forward”

Coach Aliya Mamo, 23 years old, spoke of her deep love for the sport and her determination not to give it up despite displacement:

“I used to play football before we were forced to flee Afrin. Displacement stopped me for a while, but after the second displacement, I decided to keep going. Within three months, I founded a women’s football team in the camp where we live.”

She faced many obstacles, including opposition from families, but managed to convince them that women should never abandon their dreams:

 

“I told them that we have a goal to achieve”

Aliya added “When we were displaced to Shahba, we stayed there for eight years, but we never gave up our passion for football. After our second displacement, we moved to Tabqa Canton, where I gathered the required number of girls of different ages and started training them.”

Aliya emphasized the vital role of women in all fields:

“We strive to represent women in sports—to show that despite pain and hardship, we never give up our dreams and goals. We are here to express ourselves not only in sports but also in art and every other field.”

She continued:“We go through many challenges, but we keep them off our path because when you truly want something, you must face difficulties to reach it. We once played against the Raqqa team and didn’t win, but that didn’t stop us. Football helps me release my stress and negative energy; it gives me mental and physical strength.”

“Society Is Harsh”

Aliya said her main goal in forming the team shortly after their second displacement was to prevent young women from falling into despair or social isolation:

“I encourage them to progress in sports, spend their time in healthy activity, and not remain confined to their homes or tents. This way, they can better cope with life’s challenges.”

She pointed out that: Traditional customs and outdated social norms can be unforgiving. But this is my passion, and I will never give it up.”

She called on all women to follow their dreams: “Every woman who loves a certain profession or sport should pursue it. Let the women of Afrin be a role model—despite being displaced twice due to Turkish attacks, we continue to chase our dreams. Each time we start from zero, and we will never lose hope.”

Aliya concluded with determination: “We will keep going, hoping to return one day. My team and I will play in Afrin again, and there we will advance even more.”

 

We Started Working Toward Our Dream

Young trainee Aya Ismail, 16 years old, recalled the hardships her people from Afrin endured: “When the attacks began, we fled Afrin to Shahba, and later, due to renewed offensives, we were displaced again to Tabqa Canton in North and East Syria. We now live in displacement tents, where we’ve faced many challenges during the scorching summer. But despite everything, we started working toward our dream—and we’re still going.”

She explained that the real challenge is displacement itself, not the sport: “Football is fun and helps us become stronger so we can face difficulties. The hardest thing is losing our homes.”

Aya added: “We, the people of Afrin, are resilient and will continue pursuing our goal through football. We live with the hope of returning to Afrin—the city of olives. No matter what Turkey does to us or how many times we are displaced, we will never abandon our dream.”