A soccer tournament hosted by a nonprofit organization that brings together the Muslim community through sports will come to the Grand Park Sports Campus in Westfield this summer.
The Umoja Games, hosted by the Umoja Outreach Foundation, will host its 10th annual Umoja Games soccer tournament July 7-9 and will feature soccer games for boys and girls of all ages. The tournament brings thousands of families from across the U.S. and beyond that allows them to build new relationships, officials said.
“Umoja Games has created a united Umoja family, using soccer as a driving force that transcends cultural, ethnic or geographic differences that otherwise exist in Muslim communities,” said Mustafa Dinani, co-founder of the Umoja Outreach Foundation. “Our focus at each tournament is to create a unique and inclusive experience for everyone so that they want to return year after year.”
The event, which started in 2012 with 100 individuals participating in an adult men’s tournament, has grown to an annual event with more than 1,000 participants. The youth and women’s divisions have seen the largest growth in population, officials said.
Organizers said the Umoja Games is the largest Muslim girls and women soccer tournament in North America. It will mark the first time the city of Westfield and Grand Park have hosted the event.
“Westfield is honored to host the Umoja soccer tournament, and we welcome the games to the nation’s finest youth sports facility,” Mayor Andy Cook said.
The Umoja Games is free to attend and is open to all spectators. Officials encourage visitors to learn more about different cultures participating in the tournament by visiting a special bazaar that will feature various goods sold by members of the Umoja community.
“In all our interactions with the Umoja team, it’s clear how unique and passionate this community is,” said Hamilton County Sports Authority Director Karen Radcliff. “We look forward to welcoming Umoja participants to Hamilton County this July.”
For more, visit umojaoutreach.org/games.
