Football fans representing all 32 qualified nations for FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ took part in the Fans’ Cup held on the sidelines of the official FIFA World Cup™ matches.

The four-day tournament, held at the FIFA Fan Festival™ in Al Bidda Park, was organised by the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) as part of its fan engagement activities.

The five-a-side tournament followed the same format as Qatar 2022, with the teams drawn into the same eight groups. All participants were nationals of their respective countries. This included hosts Qatar, who reached the quarter-finals of the tournament before falling to Poland.

The final was an all-European affair between Poland and Serbia, with the Poles lifting the trophy after a convincing 4-0 victory. The trophy presentation took place on the main stage at the FIFA Fan Festival™, with Qatar Legacy Ambassadors Cafu and Ronald de Boer handing out the trophies.

Raising the bar for the next World Cup

Lifting the trophy was a moment to savour for Poland’s Adrian Dalek who said their team felt amazing after winning the World Cup for fans, and that while it was a fans’ cup, there were some very good teams and a high level of football played.

Serbian goalkeeper Bogdan Sokolović added that the companionship they have had with other people from different cultures has been extraordinary.

I think Qatar raised the bar for the next World Cup by staging this tournament. It was really wonderful.

According to SC Fan Engagement Manager Samantha Sifah, fans are central to the success of FIFA World Cup™, especially now as it was being held here for the first time in the Middle East. She said that the first 32-team Fans’ Cup created an exciting atmosphere and united fans from across the globe through their shared passion for the beautiful game.

We hope the legacy of this historic tournament, delivered for the first time in Qatar, sees fan tournaments at all major football events in the future.

For more FIFA-related news and updates, visit our special Qatar 2022 page.

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