Joy, togetherness and belonging at Eid celebration at Stamford Bridge

The event, attended by almost 400 guests included speeches, Quran readings and learnings, as well as mind-bending performances by Dawad, the Magician; all while providing an opportunity for Chelsea FC’s Muslim community to come together and celebrate Eid-al Adha, one of the most important events on the Islamic calendar.

The evening began with a congregational prayer, before an introduction from long-time host Aatif Nawaz and a welcome speech by group host, Zoheb Gaj, who described the event as ‘truly special’.

‘Seeing so many members of our community coming together to celebrate Eid al-Adha at the home of Chelsea FC is a magical experience,’ he added.

‘There is a real sense of joy, togetherness and belonging.’

‘It is a truly memorable occasion’, added Michael Cornall, Chelsea’s head of supporter relations.

‘We have worked closely with the Muslim Supporters Group over the years and to have an event such as this is fantastic.’

After Gaj’s welcome, Mikhaeel Mala took to the stage; a Quran reciter artist, who captivated the audience with a number of nasheeds.

He was followed by world-renowned artist Egzon Ibrahimi, who, having arrived from Norway to perform earlier that day, treated the audience to a moment of spiritual reflection during his Quran recital.

Attendees also heard from sports performance nutritionist and Football Week writer, Ayesha Qadir, who delivered an inspiring talk sharing her experiences at the intersection of football and high-performance sport, faith and personal development.

After some time for food and drink and for guests to catch up, Imam Sheikh Abid Khan delivered an insightful address on the significance of Eid.

After the celebrations ended, Gaj spoke positively of the group’s work with the club, observing that ‘Chelsea FC continues to set the standard when it comes to engaging Muslim supporters.

‘To my knowledge, there is no other club offering an Eid experience quite like this one.

‘The support, trust and commitment shown by Chelsea has enabled us to build something truly special, and it’s a partnership that everyone involved should be incredibly proud of.’

The Muslim Supporters Group was founded in 2024, after the club held the first-ever Open Iftar in a Premier League stadium in April 2023.

Since then, the group has hosted the first Supporters’ Cup against Manchester United Muslims in November 2025 and held annual Ramadan celebrations with the Academy as they continue to be the voice for the Muslim identity and faith at Chelsea.

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