Zohran Mamdani, New York City’s first Muslim mayor, marked the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha on Wednesday afternoon by joining worshippers in the Bronx wearing a custom robe that paid homage to his favourite English football club, Arsenal.
The garment, known as a kurta — a traditional knee-length robe with a collar and long sleeves commonly worn by Muslims — had been modified to incorporate the design of Arsenal’s away jersey. The outfit featured a dark blue shirt with a zig-zag pattern and red lines running along the sleeves, effectively turning the football kit into a ceremonial robe.
The fashion choice quickly drew attention online, with some commentators drawing comparisons to a controversial robe worn by Mamdani’s predecessor, Eric Adams. But for the mayor, the garment was a natural expression of a fandom that stretches back more than two decades.
A fan shaped by Africa and Arsène Wenger
Mamdani, who was born in Kampala, Uganda, and moved to New York City at the age of seven, has frequently spoken about his deep connection to the north London club. In a 2025 interview with Vulture, he detailed how his love for Arsenal began in the early 2000s, when his uncle introduced him to the team.
“I was born in Kampala, Uganda, in East Africa, and my dad’s family is from East Africa,” Mamdani said. “Arsenal was one of the first teams to have a number of African players: Lauren, Kolo Touré, Nwankwo Kanu, Emmanuel Eboué, Alex Song. Over the years, [then-manager] Arsène Wenger transformed what English soccer looked like.”
His support for the club has been enduring and well-documented. Old tweets unearthed by observers reveal his long-standing fandom, including past backing for Dutch striker Robin van Persie and a more complex, ambivalent relationship with midfielder Granit Xhaka. He has also been identified as an “Arsenal Fan TV enjoyer,” referring to the popular fan-run channel that covers the club.
Mamdani’s attachment to Arsenal reflects a personal connection that goes beyond mere sporting interest, rooted in the club’s history of signing African players during a period when English football was beginning to open its doors to talent from the continent. Wenger, who managed the club from 1996 to 2018, was widely credited with reshaping the Premier League’s approach to recruitment and tactics.
A long-awaited title and a Brooklyn celebration
The mayor’s decision to wear the Arsenal-themed robe came shortly after the club secured its first Premier League title in 22 years, winning the 2025-26 season. Arsenal clinched the crown with one game to spare after Manchester City drew at Bournemouth, ending a drought that stretched back to the club’s famous “Invincibles” season of 2003-04. That triumph, Arsenal’s 14th league title overall, was achieved under manager Mikel Arteta, who had guided the team to three consecutive second-place finishes before finally breaking through.
This season’s winning campaign was noted for its tactical discipline and efficiency from set-pieces, with a record 18 Premier League goals scored from corners. Arteta’s management was praised for transforming a side that had often fallen short into champions.
Mamdani was among the supporters celebrating Arsenal’s title victory at a packed bar in Brooklyn. He was spotted alongside film director Spike Lee and actor Jason Sudeikis, the trio marking the historic win together. That celebration occurred just days before the Eid al-Adha event where he appeared in the custom robe.
A mayor with a celebrity-infused approach
Mamdani, a member of the Democratic Party and the Democratic Socialists of America, was sworn in as the 112th mayor of New York City on 1 January 2026, succeeding Eric Adams. He is the city’s first Muslim and Asian American mayor, and the first to hail from Queens. His mayoral platform included policies such as free city buses, a rent freeze, universal childcare, and increasing the minimum wage.
His tenure has been marked by a high level of public engagement and a self-consciously celebrity-infused style of governance. In his first 100 days in office, Mamdani implemented initiatives such as a bracket-style competition for community repairs and a jingle contest for his childcare programme, enlisting the help of figures like basketball player Natasha Cloud and musician Cardi B. He has also been praised for his efforts to make the 2026 FIFA World Cup more accessible to New Yorkers, securing 1,000 tickets at $50 each.
Backlash over AOC’s hijab
The Eid al-Adha celebration in the Bronx also drew Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the congresswoman for New York’s 14th district, who attended the event and wore a hijab. A short clip of Ocasio-Cortez speaking at the celebration, with Mamdani standing behind her motionlessly looking forward, has been circulating widely on social media, garnering hundreds of thousands of views and thousands of comments.
Conservative observers have criticised the congresswoman as hypocritical for donning the religious garment. “AOC wearing a hijab exposes the total moral bankruptcy of the radical left,” one user wrote on X. The backlash has been characterised by some commentators as an accusation of “performance” by Ocasio-Cortez, who has previously defended fellow progressive congresswoman Ilhan Omar against Islamophobic attacks and boycotted events with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over concerns about treatment of religious minorities.
The controversy surrounding Ocasio-Cortez’s hijab has unfolded alongside the discussion of Mamdani’s Arsenal-themed robe, but the mayor himself has focused his public attention on the celebration itself and his long-held passion for the club that helped shape his identity — from a childhood in Kampala to the mayoralty of America’s largest city.
