The soccer fans of the Kurdish club Zakho SC have been awarded the FIFA Fan Award 2025. The award recognizes a moving gesture during a Premier League game in May, when thousands of teddy bears were thrown onto the field as a sign of support for children with cancer. The campaign attracted worldwide attention. FIFA President Gianni Infantino personally congratulated the fans in a video message on Instagram: “For this gesture and the emotions it evoked, you deserve the Best FIFA Fans Award 2025.”
International solidarity contributed to victory
Zakho SC president Ammar Farhad was overwhelmed after the award was announced: “My feelings cannot be put into words … now we know that we have won.” He thanked the Kurdish community worldwide, which, he said, had contributed significantly to the success through online voting.
FIFA nominated Zakho SC as one of three finalists in November. Also on the shortlist were Spanish cult fan Manuel Cáceres, who accompanied the national team as a drummer for decades, and Argentine supporter Alejandro Ciganotto. The latter is known for his walks across South America to follow his club, Racing Club.
Political support from Kurdistan and Iraq
The president of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq (KRI), Nechirvan Barzani of the KDP, had publicly called for support in mid-November. Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and the chairman of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), Bafel Talabani, also actively campaigned for votes. Zakho SC was founded in 1987 and plays in the Iraqi first division.