Fans of the Kurdish football club Zakho SC have been named among the three nominees for the FIFA Fan Award 2025, FIFA announced on Thursday.

The FIFA Fan Award, established in 2016, honors an exceptional moment or gesture by a football fan or group of fans that embodies the spirit of the game. Nominees are selected by a panel of experts, and the winner is chosen through a public vote on the FIFA website.

Prior to their side’s Iraqi Stars League match with al-Hudood on May 13, Zakho SC fans threw thousands of stuffed toys onto the pitch, the FIFA website reads, which were then collected from the field before the start of the match and donated to children suffering from illnesses.

The nominees for The FIFA Fan Award! ? #TheBest

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 6, 2025

“Throwing children’s toys inside the stadium showed exemplary humanitarian spirit, recognized by the sports community in Kurdistan, Iraq, and Asia," a club statement read. “Our fans are the backbone of the team and consistently draw attention with their creative activities. We hope their support continues as we strive for greater success.”

Read More: How a Kurdish Club is Redefining Iraqi Football

Zakho FC was founded in 1987 in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and has grown into a powerhouse in Iraqi football, reaching the top of the Iraq Stars League, led by the Qatari coach Talal al-Bloushi.

“I feel their love everywhere I go, whether in the market or on the streets. I will fight until the last moment to make these fans happy,” al-Bloushi earlier told Kurdistan Chronicle.

In July, Zakho SC finished as runners-up in the Iraqi Cup after being defeated by Duhok SC in the final. Following the match, Kurdistan Regional Government Prime Minister Masrour Barzani congratulated both teams for reaching the championship stage.