Stuffed toys thrown onto the pitch by Zakho SC fans before their May 13 match against Al-Hudood, later donated to children with illnesses. (Photo: Zakho SC)
PM Al-Sudani urges Iraqis to back Zakho SC in FIFA award vote
BAGHDAD — Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al-Sudani urged Iraqi sports fans and club associations to support Zakho SC fans, who have been nominated for the 2025 FIFA Fan Award in recognition of their solidarity with sick children, especially those suffering from cancer.
The nomination marks the first time fans of a Kurdish or Iraqi soccer club have been shortlisted for the honor, which celebrates exceptional moments of passion or solidarity by soccer supporters.
In a statement released by the Prime Minister’s Media Office on Monday, Al-Sudani emphasized the role of Iraqi sports institutions in uniting behind the Zakho supporters.
The nomination follows a match on May 13 in the Iraqi Stars League against Al-Hudood, when thousands of Zakho fans threw toys onto the pitch as part of a coordinated campaign to donate them to sick children — a move that was widely shared across social media and praised for its compassion and community spirit.
Al-Sudani encouraged Iraqis to cast their votes through FIFA’s official portal. Zakho fans join two other nominees: Argentine supporter Alejandro Ciganotto and the late Spanish national team fan Manuel Cáceres, known as “Manolo the Drummer.”
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani on Sunday announced he has voted for Zakho SC supporters in the FIFA Fan Award and called on people across the region and the Kurdish diaspora to join him in backing their nomination.