Former French International Jessica Houara Slams FFF's 'Free to Play' Campaign Over Headscarf Ban

Jessica Houara d'Hommeaux, a former French international footballer, has publicly criticized the communication campaign launched by the French Football Federation (FFF) for the unveiling of the new national team jerseys. She argues that the campaign's slogan, 'Libres de jouer' (Free to Play), is misleading, asserting that not all women in France, particularly those who choose to wear head coverings, are truly free to participate in football.

Houara d'Hommeaux, aged 38, who earned 64 caps for France between 2008 and 2018, expressed her surprise on social media, stating, "I am surprised to read that. It's false... Unfortunately in France, NO, we are not all free to play." While not explicitly mentioning the hijab, her choice of emoji clearly referenced the FFF's 2024 ban on head coverings and leggings, which the federation deemed could signify religious adherence, thus contravening Article 1 of its statutes. This article prohibits "any wearing of signs or attire ostentatiously manifesting a political, philosophical, religious, or union affiliation."

Since ending her playing career, Jessica Houara d'Hommeaux has chosen to wear a headscarf and has been a vocal opponent of the FFF's decision. In a June 2024 interview, she lamented, "For me, it's really complicated to push players away just because they have a headscarf on." She recalled conversations with former international players at FIFA, all of whom were shocked that wearing a hijab was not permitted in France. Houara highlighted that in countries like England, there are no such bans, making it a "non-issue." She also questioned the FFF's safety justifications, stating, "I feel very safe with a hijab on a field."

Since 2025, Houara, a two-time Champions League winner (with PSG in 2015 and Lyon in 2017), has been a member of FIFA’s Players’ Voice Panel, a group of 16 former players working to combat racism in football.