ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Kurdish football team Zakho SC has been named one of the world’s three best fanbases and is a nominee for FIFA’s 2025 Fan Award after fans threw thousands of stuffed toys onto the pitch earlier this year to be donated to children with cancer.

The International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) on Thursday announced that the prominent Kurdish football team, is one of three nominees for the 2025 Fan Award and opened voting.

On May 13, Zakho SC fans showed their support for children struggling with illness by throwing thousands of stuffed teddy bears onto the pitch before their Iraqi Stars League match against Al-Hedood at Zakho International Stadium.

“​The selection of our supporters by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) demonstrates that correct work in the service of humanity is being accomplished,” Zakho SC said in a statement on Friday.

The Kurdish team expressed gratitude and hoped that “the recognition will provide a stronger impetus for the realization of even greater endeavors within the humanitarian framework in the future.”

The voting for the 2025 edition is set to be open until November 28. 

In July, Zakho and Duhok SC reached the Iraq FA Cup final, marking the first time two Kurdish teams have faced each other in a major football final in Baghdad, with Duhok coming up on top.

The victory was celebrated with widespread support from Kurds around the world.

Founded in 1987, Zakho SC is a professional football team based in the northern city of Zakho in the Kurdistan Region's Duhok province.