Syrian children in Idlib take part in own World Cup

Mouneb Taim

Dec 4, 2022

Children wearing the uniforms of national soccer teams playing at the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup line up during the opening ceremony of the "Camps World Cup" at the newly reopened Idlib Municipal Stadium, Idlib, Syria, Nov. 19, 2022. — Omar Haj Kadour / AFP via Getty Images

Hundreds of children aged 10 to 14 from the camps for internally displaced persons (IDP) and industrial zones in northwest Syria kicked off their own World Cup tournament at the municipal stadium of Idlib Nov. 19, which the Syrian Salvation Government affiliated with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham inaugurated a few days before.

The event, dubbed “Camps World Cup,” will run in parallel with the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

The Violet Organization, a humanitarian nongovernmental relief organization, organized the event in Idlib with the aim of shedding light on the difficult living conditions of children in northwest Syria, specifically in the IDP camps.

A total of 32 teams will wear the official jerseys of the national teams currently participating in the Qatar World Cup. The first game in Idlib stadium was held between the children's teams representing Qatar and Ecuador, the same as the opening match in Qatar.