Morocco defender Benzina becomes 1st player to wear hijab at FIFA Women's World Cup

By Can Erozden

Morocco defender Nouhaila Benzina went down in history books on Sunday as she became the first football player to wear a hijab in a FIFA Women's World Cup match.

Atlas Lionesses' Benzina, 25, the only hijabi athlete in the Women's World Cup, played against South Korea that Morocco won 1-0 in a Group H match in Australia's Adelaide, wearing a white hijab.

Moroccan forward Ibtissam Jraidi scored an early goal, which was the winning goal for her nation.

Morocco made their debut at the 2023 Women's World Cup co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

Benzina was an unused substitute for Morocco's opening match at the tournament that Germany hammered them 6-0 on July 24 in Melbourne.

In a 2014 meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB), world football's governing body FIFA authorized Muslim players to wear hijab during matches.