The FA’s first-ever Interfaith Summit took place at Wembley Stadium on Monday 9 November, supporting Inter Faith Week 2026’s theme of ‘Lighting the Way for a Shared Future’.
The event brought together club Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) leads, faith organisations, representatives from County FAs and the grassroots game, and others from throughout football for an enlightening schedule featuring panels, presentations, planning and detailed discussions that aimed to build connections and understanding between those of different faiths. Hosted by journalist and broadcaster Remona Aly and conversationalist and head of brand Mayowa Quadri, the day featured an action-packed agenda.
Arthur Wharton’s contributions to football – as the world’s first black professional player – and to faith – as a Christian Methodist preacher – were celebrated. Shaun Campbell, founder of the Arthur Wharton Foundation, paid homage to his achievements as a footballer, cyclist, cricketer, athlete, rugby player, and trailblazer of faith in sport, before being presented with a commemorative trophy to mark the anniversary of Arthur Wharton’s 160th birthday by FA Chair Debbie Hewitt MBE.
During a session focused on the current landscape in football, Dal Singh Darroch, FA Head of EDI Strategic Programmes, updated on the work being undertaken to evolve our faith and football offering to bring people from different faiths together more regularly through The FA Faith & Football Fund. Alan Darfi, FA Senior Behaviours & Discipline Manager, then shared an overview of our work to tackle discrimination in football, highlighting the reduction of the gap between known and reported incidents, the increased, stronger sanctions given to perpetrators, and the education programmes delivered to them.
Our event hosts then chaired a panel featuring FA EDI Director Yasir Mirza, Carrie Alderton (CEO of The Faith and Belief Forum), The Rt Rev’d Dr Helen-Ann Hartley (the Lord Bishop of Newcastle), Yashmin Harun (Chair of Muslimah Sports Association), and professional footballer Mal Singh Benning, who discussed the important role his faith has played throughout his career spanning over 500 professional games.
Michael Wakelin, Executive Chair of the Religion Media Centre, explored the similarities between media reporting of faith and football, before multiple organisations provided examples of best practice and learning of faith and football projects within their communities across the country.
A number of projects and initiatives were highlighted during the day, including Lancashire County FA’s football opportunities for the Muslim community, and BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha discussing the tournaments their charities host for the Hindu community. Maccabi GB talked through their pathway for the Jewish community that starts from 18 months old and runs through schools and universities all the way up to walking football, and Huddersfield Town FC explained how they used data to underpin their faith work, helping them win the EFL Fan Engagement Award and earn Gold recognition from the EFL’s Equality Code of Practice. The Sikh Games shared the remarkable growth they’ve experienced over the past three years, and Sporting 87 FC showcased how Christianity underpins their offering to each of their teams and players to help them develop spiritually. Katherine Clarke, FA National Development Manager (Women and Girls), also talked through our Made for this Game campaign and its work with Nike to remove the unique barriers to football that Muslim females face.
To close the day, attendees shared their feedback around how they can be supported to engage faith communities across the game to continue to drive our ambition of delivering football for all.
Debbie Hewitt MBE, Chair of The FA said: "Football has a unique power to unite people and communities, and it was wonderful for me to see so many people join us at Wembley Stadium for our Interfaith Summit. This important event provides such a valuable opportunity for football to bring people of all faiths together, to share our own experiences and to learn from others. Today is a reminder of the positive power of football to unite and of our goal to build a game that reflects the rich diversity of our society. You could feel the momentum in the room to support our shared ambition of delivering football for all."
Yasir Mirza, EDI Director at The FA, said: "We are committed to delivering a game free from discrimination and events like our Interfaith Summit are important in helping us shape new ideas and share best practice from all levels of football. Through our EDI Strategy, we are working to unite leaders from across the game and it was pleasing to see so many people come together at Wembley Stadium to support the summit and be actively involved in these important topics of conversation. My thanks go to all who joined us."
Dal Darroch, Head of EDI – Strategic Programmes at The FA, said: "Our Interfaith Summit was a first event of its kind and a signal of our commitment to interfaith collaboration as we look to improve representation, visibility and accessibility for people of all faiths across football. It was fantastic to hear about all of the different interfaith opportunities and for groups to learn from one another throughout the day. Inspirational examples of best practice were shared, alongside other excellent ideas of how to celebrate faith in football which, through the power of our game, have the ability to affect change in wider society as well."
To continue the Inter Faith Week celebrations, hundreds of young people were welcomed to Wembley Stadium later that evening for a ‘Young Leaders Light the Wembley Way’ event, in partnership with The Faith and Belief Forum.
A showcase of creativity, the evening involved poetry recitals by the winners of Inter Faith Week 2025’s poetry competition, who were presented with certificates by Debbie Weekes-Bernard, London’s Deputy Mayor of Communities and Social Justice. Later, discussions took place around the ‘Bricks of Hope’ designed by other young people, demonstrating their ideas for a more cohesive society.
A panel then explored the importance of youth voice and encouraging young leadership in football which featured FA Youth Council Member, Tayla Woodhouse, before a performance from London International Gospel Choir brought the evening to an end at pitch side.
Carrie Alderton, CEO of The Faith and Belief Forum, added: "Football is woven into British life in a way almost nothing else is. It brings people together across every background, every faith and belief, and none. For The Football Association to promote interfaith work and give it this spotlight, and to put young people at the heart of it, is an incredible step towards platforming the work of togetherness. Today gave us a glimpse of the shared future for which we hope and work: at the home of English football, we saw people from across generations, of all faiths and none, united, holding space for each other and celebrating a national identity rooted in diversity."
