In a first for the team and a Premier League stadium, the Chelsea Foundation will host an open iftar along the side of the field on Sunday, March 26. This will take place during Ramadan, the Islamic holy month in which Muslims fast from sunrise till dusk and from Friday, April 21, through Wednesday, March 22.
Open Iftar, the UK’s largest community event in Ramadan, allows Muslims observing Ramadan the opportunity to gather to break their fast together as well as providing a safe space for mutual dialogue and engagement.
Ramadan will be recognised at Chelsea FC and the Chelsea Foundation as part of the No to Hate campaign, which is a club-wide equality, diversity, and inclusion programme that targets hate and discrimination and aims to educate all stakeholders inside and outside of Chelsea FC and football.
The Open Iftar will be run in collaboration with the Ramadan Tent Project, an award-winning charity established in 2013 with a mission of bringing communities together and developing the understanding of Ramadan.
Omar Salha, founder and CEO of the Ramadan Tent Project, said: ‘For the past decade, the Ramadan Tent Project has connected and convened over half a million people from all backgrounds through its annual Ramadan Festival and flagship initiative, Open Iftar.
‘We are honoured to bring Open Iftar to Stamford Bridge, on the occasion of our 10-year anniversary and our 2023 theme of “Belonging”, and work in partnership with Chelsea FC, who have been driving inclusivity in football. To such an extent, the “Pride of London” will be the first Premier League club in history to host an open Iftar event.
Simon Taylor, head of the Chelsea Foundation, said: ‘I’m delighted to announce our open iftar alongside the Ramadan tent project, and we are extremely proud to be the first Premier League club to be doing so. Recognising Ramadan and our Muslim community is a crucial aspect of our work in promoting religious tolerance, and I look forward to welcoming everyone on Sunday, March 26.’
