From soccer field to volleyball court: Emirati athlete Marwa’s phoenix rise

When Marwa Abdulla first stepped onto a volleyball court at the age of 24, few would have predicted she would soon be competing for an Arab title.

Even fewer would have expected her to return stronger after a serious knee injury. Today, the Emirati athlete is doing both.

Marwa is representing Al Wasl Club at the Arab Women Sports Tournament (AWST 2026), currently taking place in Sharjah. The tournament brings together leading Arab clubs in one of the region’s most prominent platforms for women’s sport, and Marwa has quickly made her presence felt.

Her journey to this stage has been far from conventional. Before volleyball, Marwa was a football player. The switch came relatively late, but she adapted quickly, finding her rhythm and excelling in her position. With Al Wasl, she has collected several domestic medals, building a reputation for consistency and determination.

Marwa suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in 2022, one of the most challenging setbacks for any athlete. The recovery period tested her physically and mentally, but quitting was never an option. She returned to competition with focus and confidence, earning her place back on the court and, eventually, a spot in the squad competing in AWST 2026.

On the opening days of the competition, Marwa played a key role in Al Wasl’s comeback victory over Iraq’s Akad Ankawa, after her team dropped the first set before turning the match around to win 3–1. It was an early statement of intent in a tightly contested tournament.

Beyond the results, Marwa’s story resonates for a different reason. Starting a new sport in adulthood, surviving a major injury, and still competing at a high level is rare. She sees that journey as a message to other young women across the region.

“Sport gives you confidence,” Marwa says. “When you compete, you discover your strength, your character, and your belief in yourself. Volleyball gave me that.”

As Al Wasl continue their push for a podium finish, Marwa’s ambition is clear: to help her team reach the latter stages of the tournament and to prove that it is never too late to begin - or to come back stronger.