Musandam schoolgirls break barriers through football

The first pass was simple. The first shot may not have been perfect. But for a group of schoolgirls in Lima, a remote community in Oman’s Musandam Governorate, every touch of the football carried a meaning far greater than the game itself. For years, football had been widely viewed in their surroundings as a sport for boys.
Then, during the 2025–26 academic year, a group of girls from Lima School, which caters for students from Grades 1 to 12, stepped onto the pitch to challenge that familiar perception and begin a new sporting journey. Their ambition was not to win a major championship or attract the attention of a national audience. At first, it was simply to play. What followed was the establishment of the first schoolgirls’ football team in Musandam, an initiative that offered more than an opportunity to compete. It gave the girls a chance to discover their abilities, build confidence and show that a football pitch could also be a place for them.
The team was formed through the school football competition organised under the Oman School Sports Association, with the General Directorate of Education in Musandam and the governorate’s school sports committee coordinating the local competition. After the initiative was announced at the school and the target age group identified, players were selected to represent Lima School. It was a modest beginning, but one that carried the promise of something bigger.
WINNING TRUST
The first challenge was not necessarily learning how to pass, defend or score. It was convincing some parents that football was an appropriate sport for their daughters. The idea of girls joining a football team initially raised concerns among families, reflecting a familiar perception that the sport belonged primarily to boys. For the players, the journey therefore began with a challenge beyond the touchline: earning the trust and support of the people closest to them.
As training progressed, however, the girls’ commitment began to speak for itself. Their enthusiasm, discipline and willingness to learn gradually helped ease their families’ concerns. What began with hesitation increasingly became encouragement, as parents and the school saw how seriously the players approached the opportunity.
For Haneen bint Mohammed bin Sulaiman al Shihi, becoming a footballer was never something she had expected. “I never imagined that I would become a football player, but my passion and love for sport from an early age led me to this experience,” she said.
Her words reflect the way the team opened a door that some of the girls had never considered walking through. Football became an opportunity to explore an interest, test their abilities and discover a new side of themselves.
Mahra bint Ahmed bin Hassan al Shihi also experienced surprise from her family when she announced that she wanted to play football. Their initial reaction, she said, eventually gave way to support. “My family were surprised at first, but they later encouraged and supported me,” she said.
That change mattered. Behind every player taking part in training was a family learning to see the game differently. The growing support helped create an environment in which the girls could pursue their interest with greater confidence.
BEHIND THE DREAM
Experience also demanded adjustments to everyday life. For young students, the opportunity to play came with the responsibility of managing their time and maintaining their studies alongside sport.
Al Reem bint Khalid bin Mohammed al Shihi identified this balance as one of the most difficult aspects of joining the team. “Organising my time between sport and personal commitments was one of the biggest challenges at the beginning,” she said.
Yet the difficulties did not diminish her optimism about what could follow. “I see a promising future for women’s football in Musandam, with plenty of talent and potential for support,” she added.
Her hopes extend beyond the present team. The girls want the opportunity they have received to become a starting point for others, allowing more students to experience football and develop their abilities.
For them, the future is not defined solely by how far one school team progresses. It is also about whether another group of girls will be able to join a team without facing the same questions and uncertainty.
NATIONAL LESSON
The team’s first competitive outing brought an encouraging result. Lima School secured first place at governorate level, marking a significant achievement for a group of players at the beginning of their football journey. The girls then advanced to compete at national level. Although they did not progress beyond the group stage, the experience gave them an opportunity to test themselves against teams from outside their governorate and understand the demands of a wider competition. This was their first participation in the schoolgirls’ football competition, and reaching the national stage was itself an important step for the newly formed team. For Lima’s players, the national competition was not the end of their story. It was an introduction to the level they hope to reach.
WIDER OPPORTUNITY
The team’s emergence was made possible through the school sports system and the support of education and sports bodies in Oman represented by the Oman Football Association (OFA). Those involved in the initiative also highlighted the role of Hajar al Mazini, OFA board member and head of the women's football. She introduced the Lima’s girls team to Fifa, in helping bring the team’s story to wider public attention in Oman.
For a newly established school team from a community far from the country’s main sporting centres, visibility can be important. It allows the players’ efforts to be recognised and brings attention to the potential of school sport to identify talent in different parts of the country.
But recognition alone cannot guarantee continuity. The next step will depend on whether the girls can continue training, take part in further competitions and receive the resources needed to improve. A clear pathway from school football to more advanced opportunities would help ensure that the experience becomes more than a one-season achievement.
Those behind the initiative hope the team will be the beginning of a larger project for women’s football in Musandam. They acknowledge that resources are limited, but believe the girls’ passion, commitment and willingness to train provide a foundation on which to build. The challenge now is to turn a promising beginning into a sustainable opportunity.