Layla Banaras
|
Layla playing for Wolves in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Layla Banaras | ||
| Date of birth | February 11, 2006 | ||
| Place of birth | Birmingham, England | ||
| Position(s) | Defender / Midfielder | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Wolverhampton Wanderers W.F.C. (dual registration with Birmingham City W.F.C.) | ||
| Number | 5 | ||
| International career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2025– | Pakistan | 2 | (0) |
Layla Banaras (born 11 February 2006) is a British-Pakistani footballer who plays as a defender or midfielder for both Birmingham City W.F.C. and Wolverhampton Wanderers W.F.C. She stands out as one of the few British South Asian women to reach the senior ranks of English football.
Early life
Banaras was born in Birmingham to a British–Pakistani family. She joined the Birmingham City F.C. academy at the age of eight and progressed through the club’s youth system.
Club career
Banaras made history in January 2023 as the first South Asian heritage woman to appear for Birmingham City in the professional era, debuting in a Women's FA Cup match against Huddersfield Town.
In February 2024, she joined Wolverhampton Wanderers W.F.C. on dual registration from Birmingham City.[1]
International career
Being of Pakistani descent, Banaras was invited to join Pakistan’s national team setup. She was named in the 21‑player squad for the 2026 AFC Women's Asian Cup qualification round held in Jakarta as a defender. [2]
In Pakistan's second qualifier, the team beat Indonesia 2–0—her first tournament appearance.
Personal life
Layla Banaras is of Pakistani descent and a practicing Muslim. She was born in Birmingham to a Pakistani father and an English mother.
As a teenager, Banaras became aware of the lack of tailored guidance for Muslim athletes fasting during Ramadan. At just 15, she worked with Birmingham City’s nutritionist to develop a Ramadan-specific meal planner and hydration strategy designed to help players maintain performance during training and matches while fasting.[3]
In 2025, she expanded this initiative into the "Ramadan Nutritional Guide and Planner", a comprehensive resource created in collaboration with industry experts to optimize nutrition, hydration, and recovery for Muslim athletes observing the fast.[4]
References
- ^ "Banaras joins Wolves Women on dual registration". Wolves.co.uk. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
- ^ "Banaras named in Pakistan squad". geo.tv. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
- ^ "Football and fasting during Ramadan". Sky Sports.
- ^ "Layla Banaras Launches 2025 Ramadan Nutritional Guide & Planner". ADDMgmt.