DesiBallers joined West Ham United and Inclusive Irons at Riverside East in Stratford for a South Asian Heritage Month event focused on representation.
More than 100 supporters and guests attended on Monday evening, with London Stadium looming nearby and the question of who feels welcome in the game placed centre stage.
A Stratford gathering with a wider purpose
Interim chief executive Karim Virani opened the event, casting inclusion as part of West Ham’s identity rather than decoration.
“As a Club we are proud of being truly United. West Ham is a unique family made up of people of all ages, backgrounds and walks of life, and events like this tonight provide us with a great opportunity to share experiences and celebrate the cultures that make East London and the Club so special.
“Personally, it makes me extremely proud to hear about the work of Inclusive Irons over the last six years and I’m excited to work closely with them to support our shared commitment in football is for all.”
Film, football and the people behind both
The programme included Our Game, Ethan Dahanayake’s World Cup-inspired short film, before Apu Vyas, Zohaib Rashid and Sky Sports News journalist Dev Trehan revisited the British South Asians in Football Team of the Season 2025/26.
Academy Link Mentor Rashid Abba discussed the Foundation’s work, including the Pakistan Street Child Football Team’s visit with Muslim Hands.
Vyas said: “It was a fantastic night; two of our main goals at Inclusive Irons are that we want the West Ham United fanbase to represent our local community and secondly, we’re really passionate for the local community to get involved with West Ham. Whether that’s playing, being a part of it or just supporting, we want to welcome everyone.
“This South Asian Heritage Month theme is unity and diversity; there was diversity, but it was West Ham that brought us all together. This is what the Club can do and this what football can do, it can bring people together. Tonight’s event was absolutely superb for that.”
Representation beyond the first team
Foundation community captain Tayyab Hayat told how the club’s charitable arm helped him become a schoolteacher and mentor to hundreds of Newham children. Matt Jarvis then joined Bobby Seagull for the closing Q&A.
Jarvis said: “It was a real privilege to come down to the event this evening, I felt it optimised what the Club is all about, we’re a family and it’s great to celebrate South Asian Heritage Month with Inclusive Irons.
“These types of events are really important to strive for further representation of all sections of the community in football, whether that’s on the pitch, in the stands or in other roles, so it’s great to see the Club continuing to support this important work.”
A game that should leave the gate open
Seagull’s test was simple: inclusion is not who appears in the photograph, but who believes the game has room for them.
“We had so many people from across the community and the Club here today to talk about how we can make West Ham United and football is inclusive for everyone; ultimately, football is a game for everyone.
“Football, in a way that no other thing can, really unites people, so we’re using that as many as people can feel like they can be a footballer. Even if they don’t become a footballer, it just means that the sport becomes truly inclusive; you could feel the energy in the room and there was such buy-in from the local community.”
DesiBallers sees a signal from the top
Rashid said Virani’s presence showed senior attention, while highlighting the West Ham Foundation’s reach.
“This was the second successive Summer Social; first of all I want to say a big thank you to the Club and everyone who has been involved in making this happen. We learnt a lot about what’s happening on the pitch but also off it too, particularly with West Ham Foundation’s work and how far it reaches, not just in the UK, but globally as well.
“It all starts from the top; we had Karim Virani [West Ham United, Interim Chief Executive Officer] down to open the event. If you want to know a signal of intent of a Club wanting to work with its community, that is it. From my perspective it means a lot to see the community come out to support the event; it shows how much progress we are making and there’s lots of exciting work to come.”
Inclusive Irons has amplified underrepresented West Ham supporters since 2020; DesiBallers champions South Asians in football. No trophy was lifted. The point was larger: a badge works best as an invitation, not a border.
