Zakho Sport Club supporters have been awarded the FIFA Best Fan Award 2025, marking a historic first for the Kurdistan Region and placing Kurdish football supporters on the global stage.
FIFA announced the award following a widely shared show of solidarity during a May Iraqi Premier League match, when Zakho SC fans threw thousands of teddy bears onto the pitch ahead of kickoff. The gesture was organized to support children battling cancer and serious illnesses, transforming a football match into a powerful moment of compassion and community action.
In a video message, FIFA President Gianni Infantino congratulated Zakho SC supporters, praising the initiative as an expression of empathy and humanity that transcends sport. The campaign earned Zakho SC a place among FIFA’s top three global fan bases before ultimately winning the award through international online voting.
The achievement sparked widespread pride across the Kurdistan Region and beyond. Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani congratulated the fans, calling the award a message of peace, love, and life that reflects Kurdish values. Prime Minister Masrour Barzani described the recognition as a major win for sports fans across Kurdistan, while senior Kurdish leaders emphasized the unity and solidarity behind the victory.
A Club Rooted in Community and History
Founded in 1987, Zakho Sport Club is based in the city of Zakho, Iraqi Kurdistan, near the Turkish border. Football in Zakho dates back to the early 1920s, when informal matches and school competitions laid the foundation for a strong local sporting culture. The club formally emerged from the Zakho Youth Sporting Center and was officially registered on June 3, 1987.
Zakho SC rose through Iraq’s football ranks in the early 1990s, winning the Iraqi Third Division championship in the 1991–92 season and earning promotion to higher levels of competition. Over the decades, the club has become a fixture of Iraqi football, known not only for its on-field performance but also for its passionate and loyal supporters.
In 2015, the club celebrated the opening of Zakho International Stadium, a major milestone that reinforced its growing profile. More recently, Zakho SC finished third in the 2024–25 Iraqi Stars League season, recording one of the strongest campaigns in the club’s history.
Zakho SC is also known for its fierce regional rivalries, particularly with Duhok SC in the “Badinan Derby,” and with Erbil SC in the widely followed “Kurdish Derby,” matches that highlight football’s deep cultural significance in the Kurdistan Region.
More Than Football
The FIFA Best Fan Award represents more than a sporting achievement. It reflects how football in the Kurdistan Region serves as a platform for unity, generosity, and global engagement. Zakho SC’s supporters demonstrated how collective action can turn a local initiative into an international message of compassion.
For the Kurdistan Region, the recognition underscores the growing visibility of Kurdish society on the world stage, not only through politics and economics, but also through culture, sports, and community values.
As Zakho SC fans celebrate this historic honor, their achievement stands as a point of pride for Kurdistan and a reminder of the power of sport to connect people across borders.
