Kawala FC: A Somali Team’s Remarkable Debut Season in Birmingham

Few football teams achieve a league and cup double in their inaugural season of competition. Kawala FC has attained a level of immediate success that even clubs like Real Madrid or Manchester City could not anticipate. On a stormy December night in Smethwick, West Midlands, the team trained under floodlights. This squad, comprising players and coaches from Somalia, Yemen, Eritrea, and Poland, was preparing for an upcoming weekend match in the Birmingham and District League, Division One. The wintry conditions posed no challenge. A significant number of the squad members had, as children, escaped violence and corruption in their home countries. Salah Aliderie, the club’s chairman and founder, stated, “Football speaks all languages.” Mr. Aliderie personally financed the club in 2023 following his relocation to the UK from Somalia. The club originated with a small group playing five-a-side on a confined pitch. However, news of the new football team quickly circulated within the Somali community, leading to an overwhelming influx of prospective players. Faced with some players’ inability to cover weekly subscription fees, Mr. Aliderie and his coaching staff personally contributed funds to assemble a full squad for 11-a-side football. “Kawala FC is so special to me because you see youth flourish,” he commented. He added, “Some of them don’t have jobs, and basically, there’s a high crime rate in Birmingham; youth clubs are shutting down, and I knew I had to do something.” During the initial phase of last season, the team’s support base consisted of a modest yet enthusiastic group, primarily comprising parents, friends, and housemates. By the season’s conclusion, following their victories in the Bill Hill Cup and a league title, hundreds of fans from Birmingham’s Somali community were attending matches to experience grassroots football. As of the present, Kawala FC has recorded 21 goals across their most recent five matches. Coach Abdek Abdi, who relocated from Djibouti, situated on the Gulf of Aden, to the Midlands with his family at the age of four, remarked, “It’s deeper than just football.” He further elaborated, “The team has become a safe space for everyone.” He added, “It’s like we’ve known each other for years, an unshakeable bond. We’re more like brothers here.” The celebratory mood persists, and a strong sense of community flourishes. Sudeys Moalim, aged 20 and among Kawala’s youngest players, commented, “It’s great to be part of this – and all the time I think about my parents.” He continued, “They came to the UK from war-torn Somalia, they came here to make a better life. For me, to take my nationality onto the football pitch each week is a big thing for me. It’s almost beyond words.” The players acknowledge the chairman for providing them with the chance to participate in team football. Mr. Aliderie characterized himself as a leader experiencing a surge of euphoria, unburdened by football bureaucracy, yet driven by an ambition to expand the club, establish an academy, and a youth centre. Presently, beneath the Smethwick floodlights, a sense of limitless possibility prevails. Should Football Association officials observe even the most challenging training sessions, characterized by cold and wet conditions, they would likely conclude that the grassroots game is in excellent health. Mr. Aliderie stated, “We’d like to think one day we make Premier League stars…that Kawala FC was the start of something big.” He continued, “I believe in the boys, and it’s all about their smiles and happiness and their mothers coming to congratulate them; that’s amazing to see.” For their second season, Kawala’s objective is to achieve a high divisional ranking and advance towards the Somali British Champions League, which is the Somali British equivalent of Europe’s premier competition, acknowledging leading teams of Somalian heritage. For further updates, follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X, and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.