Brandon Khela becomes first British South Asian to represent Birmingham City's men's first team

Brandon Khela has been with Birmingham since 2014.

Brandon Khela, a talented Punjabi teenager, made history by becoming the first British South Asian player to represent Birmingham City’s men’s first-team in the Carabao Cup victory against Cheltenham Town.

Birmingham City made a notable substitution in their recent match, as Khela entered the field late in the game. Contributing to Birmingham’s 2-0 victory, Junior Bacuna showcased his skills by scoring both decisive goals.

Following their initial draw against Swansea, Birmingham displayed a dominant performance, comfortably advancing to the second round of the Carabao Cup.

Brandon had the opportunity to showcase his skills on the football field for Birmingham City’s U-23 side during the previous season. Additionally, he secured his initial professional contract with the club approximately one year ago.

He began playing football at the age of three and had the option of joining his hometown club Coventry City, but instead decided to transfer to Birmingham after being noticed by the team. Since then, he’s participated in every age-group team.

The momentous debut of the young individual, coinciding with the celebration of South Asian Heritage Month, serves as a beacon of inspiration and optimism for a community that regrettably continues to face significant underrepresentation within the English football landscape.

With a Sikh-Punjabi background, this promising young player has been an integral part of the Birmingham City family since 2014. Notably, he has proudly represented the club in various age categories and has already demonstrated his talent on the international stage by representing England at the youth level.

According to the most recent data from the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA), a mere 0.45 percent of professional footballers in the highest four divisions of English football hail from a South Asian background, despite the fact that British South Asians constitute the largest single ethnic minority group in the nation.

In the post-match interaction, Brandon expressed his immense delight and pride, stating, “I’m buzzing, I’m over the moon. It was a really proud moment for me and my family. I’m just happy we won the game as well. It was a great night really.”

Brandon’s father Dov Khela said, “Naturally, it is a really proud moment for the family. We’re delighted to see Brandon rewarded for his efforts with this historic debut for Birmingham City.”

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