Brussels hosts "Sugovushan" mini-football tournament honouring Azerbaijan’s Independence Day PHOTO

The "Sugovushan" mini-football tournament, symbolically named in honour of May 28—Azerbaijan’s Independence Day—has concluded in the Belgian capital of Brussels, with the team representing NATO Headquarters claiming victory.

The MADANI Heroes team took second place, Caliber.Az reports, citing local media.

The success of this year’s tournament was evident, with the number of participating teams doubling compared to the previous year.

According to Emin Aliyev, head of the Azerbaijani cultural centre "Madani," the participants and guests came not only to play football.

"This tournament is a testament to our enduring tradition of unity, sporting spirit, and international friendship—something we take great pride in," he said.

Aliyev added that Sugovushan is more than just a geographical name—it has become a symbol of hope, resilience, and victory.

"The tournament was first held last year with 12 teams. Today, it has grown significantly and now features teams not only from Belgium but also from Azerbaijani diaspora communities in Germany, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and France. We are especially proud to have the participation of diplomatic missions based in Brussels, and we are grateful to everyone who accepted our invitation," he emphasised.

Among the teams competing this year were those from the embassies of Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Azerbaijan, as well as a team from Strasbourg representing the Azerbaijani mission to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

Emin Aliyev also expressed special gratitude to the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Belgium, Luxembourg, and the European Union for its continued support in organising the tournament for a second consecutive year.

The tournament was officially opened with a ceremonial kick-off by the ambassadors of Azerbaijan and Kyrgyzstan, Vagif Sadigov and Aidit Erkin.

Azerbaijan’s ambassador in Brussels, Vagif Sadigov, in turn, thanked the MADANI platform for organising this excellent event, welcomed his colleagues from the embassies of brotherly and friendly countries—Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan—and their teams, and wished everyone success in the competition. He also made special mention of the NATO team’s participation.

The tournament also included matches between children’s teams, who were awarded trophies, medals, and commemorative gifts featuring Azerbaijani symbols.

By Khagan Isayev