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Women’s football team changes the game in Jordan

How a handful of female football players shaped country’s perception of the popular game and won its heart.

Jordan''s pioneer team - how a handful of women changed Jordan''s society
Jordanian forward Anfal al-Sufy, 22, shares the green almonds and loquats, which she brought from her mother's garden. [Maja Hitij/Bongarts/Getty Images]
By Victoria Schneider
Published On 3 May 2018

Amman, Jordan – About 20 years ago, a few girls were playing football in the streets of their neighbourhoods in Jordan.

Most of them played with the boys, as football was not considered a girls’ thing by the conservative society in the kingdom. There was no club, no coach – in fact, no kind of infrastructure existed for female football players.

“It was very difficult in the beginning,” remembers Stephanie al-Naber, who used to play in the streets when she was little.

The society widely rejected the idea of girls playing football, an obstacle for many, but not all.

For some like Stephanie, the passion for the game was bigger than the obstacles.

“When you come to play football and you see there are 20 girls in the same situation it motivates you.”

Slowly, things started to change.

One, then two, clubs formed women’s teams, then a league was initiated and in 2005 the first women’s national football team was founded.

There were only about 30 players in the country the coach could choose from. But it worked. That same year, the team brought home the West Asian Football Federation Cup.

The journey just began.

After 13 years, women’s football is an established sport in Jordan, backed by His Royal Highness Prince Ali bin Hussein.

Although prejudices remain, popular perceptions have changed and a framework facilitating women’s football has been established.

In 2016, Jordan was the first country in the Middle East to host a FIFA Under-17 World Cup. This year, the first senior women’s football event followed with the Asian Cup, the qualifying tournament for the World Cup.

“These women have carved the rocks for future generations,” says Samar Nassar, a former Jordanian Olympic swimmer and the CEO of the 2016 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Organising Committee.

“The story about how women who cover their hair are changing stereotypes in the Middle East was fine 10 years ago – but now they are competing on an international level!”

Check out the Game of Our Lives podcast from Al Jazeera’s podcast studio, Jetty.

Some of the players who founded the national team in 2005 still form the heart of it. Their big dream was to qualify for the World Cup in France next year.

Losing all three of the group games, the dream did not come true.

But this story was never about the World Cup.

This is a story about women who persevered and by this, broke popular gender perceptions in their society paving a way for future generations.

The research was partly supported by Bread for the World, the German protestant church development service.

Players Sarah Abu Sabbah, Rozbahan Frej and Mai Sweilem are sitting together after a training session of the “Nashmiyat”, as the national team is affectionately called in Jordan. The distinctly Jordan
Players Sarah Abu Sabbah, Rozbahan Frej and Mai Sweilem are members of Jordan's national women's team. [Maja Hitij/Bongarts/Getty Images]
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Yasmeen Khair, 30, is one of the first girls playing football in Jordan. She dropped her career as a world class gymnast in order to pursue the sport she loves most. The reception room in her family’s
Yasmeen Khair is one of the first women playing football in Jordan. She dropped her career as a world-class gymnast in order to pursue the sport she loves the most. [Maja Hitij/Bongarts/Getty Images]
Another crucial factor was the support of the families, says Midfielder Shahnaaz Jebreen, 25, who is sitting in the reception room of their home with her mother Khoula Jebreen and sister Lojain Jebree
Midfielder Shahnaaz Jebreen, 25, credits her family for their support for her. However, she was unable to obtain her degree in physical therapy because of the extensive international travel with the team. [Maja Hitij/Bongarts/Getty Images]
The team during a recovery session after a test match against Jordan’s U-15 the night before. There were many challenges to overcome for the women who were serious about football. “People were asking
The team stretches during a recovery session after a recent test match against Jordan's U-15 team. [Maja Hitij/Bongarts/Getty Images]
At age 18, Defender Rozbahan Frej is one of the youngest players in the team. If it wasn’t for some of her teammates her career might have taken a different path. “Players like Yasmeen Khair, Stephani
At age 18, defender Rozbahan Frej is one of the youngest players in the team. She was discovered through the scouting system established by the clubs. [Maja Hitij/Bongarts/Getty Images]
Anfal Al Sufy and her mother in her uncle’s house in south Amman. Al Sufy is from a bedouin village located in the outskirts of Amman, and often stays at her uncle’s house as it is difficult to reach
Anfal al-Sufy and her mother in her uncle’s house in south Amman. She is from a Bedouin village located on the outskirts of the Jordanian capital. [Maja Hitij/Bongarts/Getty Images]
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The Shebab Al Ordon Club now has 4 girls teams, U-15, U-17, U-19, and seniors, as well as a football academy. ”Sport is a very powerful tool for a woman to be empowered”, says Yasmeen Khair’s father,
Jordan's Shebab Al Ordon Club now has four girls teams, U-15, U-17, U-19 and seniors, as well as a football academy. [Maja Hitij/Bongarts/Getty Images]
One of the girls playing for the U-15 team at the Shebab Al Ordon Club is taking a selfie with one of the players of the team’s senior team whose training sessions precede the girls’.
One of the girls playing for the U-15 team at the Shebab Al Ordon Club takes a selfie with a player from the senior team. [Maja Hitij/Bongarts/Getty Images]
In the weeks leading up to the Asian Cup, giant billboards showing the Jordanian players were put up on Amman’s busiest intersections. This one depicts Tala Al Barghouti and reads “Because she is the
In the weeks leading up to the recent Asian Cup, giant hoardings showing Jordanian players were erected at Amman's busiest traffic junctions. [Maja Hitij/Bongarts/Getty Images]
Stephanie Al Naber, 30, the Captain of the team is one of the core players of the team. “No one thought we can do it”, she says about the early days when the society didn’t accept girls playing. Many
Stephanie al-Naber, 30, the captain, is one of the core players of the team. [Maja Hitij/Bongarts/Getty Images]
This year, for the first time ever, the women received jerseys tailored especially for them. Until a few weeks ago, the Nashmiyat were wearing the adidas kits provided for the men’s teams, which they
This year, for the first time ever, the women received jerseys tailored especially for them. Until a few weeks ago, the Nashmiyat were wearing the Adidas kits provided for the men's teams. [Maja Hitij/Bongarts/Getty Images]
Shahnaaz Jebreen during the opening game of the Asian Cup against the Philippines in Amman Stadium, which Jordan lost 1:2. An obstacle Jebreen and a few other players faces was when FIFA banned the Hi
Shahnaaz Jebreen during Jordan's opening 1:2 loss in the Asian Cup against the Philippines in Amman Stadium. FIFA lifted the ban on the use of hijab for the 2018 games. [Maja Hitij/Bongarts/Getty Images]
One of the biggest dreams since the day the team was founded, especially for the pioneer women, was to qualify for a World Cup. When their top striker Maysa Jbarah, 28, scored the first goal for Jorda
One of the biggest dreams since the day the team was founded, especially for the pioneer women, was to qualify for a World Cup. When their top striker Maysa Jbarah, 28, scored the first goal for Jordan against the Philippines in the opening match, the dream was tangible. In the end, Jordan lost 1:2 and lost its two other group games, as well, crushing their hopes of reaching the World Cup. [Maja Hitij/Bongarts/Getty Images]
But this doesn’t diminish the achievements of the Nashmiyat. After being the first country in the Middle East to host the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2016, the Asian Cup this year was the first senior foot
After being the first country in the Middle East to host the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2016, the Asian Cup this year was the first senior football event organised by the kingdom. [Maja Hitij/Bongarts/Getty Images]
“13 years is nothing. From zero to where they are today is truly an achievement”, says Samer Nasser when looking back at the development of women’s football in Jordan. Over the years, more and more cl
'Thirteen years is nothing. From zero to where they are today is truly an achievement,' said Samer Nasser, looking back at the development of women's football in Jordan. [Maja Hitij/Bongarts/Getty Images]