NFL Introduces Muslim Appreciation Week Ahead of 2026 Season

The National Football League will hold its first Muslim Appreciation Week in December, one week before Christmas, Commissioner Roger Goodell announced. All players, coaches, staff members and stadium personnel must take part.

“Everyone is required to participate. We are looking into maximizing fines for anyone who refuses to celebrate with our Muslim community,” Goodell said. “This is not optional. The league will treat noncompliance the same way it treats other mandatory on-field and workplace standards.”

The week will feature league-approved end-zone messages, designated locker-room prayer space and expanded halal options at concession stands. Teams must display the required signage during games that week and include recognition moments on video boards and public-address systems.

“We expect full alignment from every club,” said NFL executive vice president of social responsibility Anna Torres. “The messaging will rotate through approved language that recognizes the Muslim community inside the NFL family. Clubs that fall short on display or programming will hear from the league office.”

The new week will run alongside the league’s existing social-justice end-zone campaign. Those messages already include "End Racism," "Stop Hate," "Choose Love" and "Inspire Change," with "It Takes All of Us" painted in the opposite end zone for every home game.

“This is nothing new,” Torres said. “We already dedicate specific weeks to specific causes. Muslim Appreciation Week follows the same structure.”

December games have long included Christmas decorations and promotions. League officials said those elements will be reduced that week so the new campaign is not overshadowed by the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

“We are adjusting the holiday presentation to give the Muslim community the respect they deserve,” Goodell said. “Stadium operators have been instructed to confirm the changes in signage, food service and locker-room arrangements.”

Players will also be required to wear approved helmet decals matching the campaign. Failure to participate in the designated activities or to follow uniform and messaging rules will result in fines. Goodell said the league is reviewing current penalty schedules for unsportsmanlike conduct and uniform violations with the goal of increasing the amounts.

“We want the consequences to be clear and significant,” Goodell said. “The standard is participation. Clubs and individuals who choose otherwise will face the maximum available financial penalty under the existing framework, and we are examining whether that framework needs to be raised.”

Only a small number of current NFL players identify as Muslim. Past on-field prayer after scores has previously prompted official review of celebration rules. The league framed the new week as an extension of its broader inclusion efforts across 32 clubs.

Teams will receive detailed compliance guidelines before the December games. Stadium operators must document that food service, signage, and locker-room space meet the requirements.

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