The second edition in Soshanguve welcomed eight community teams and concluded with a live Madrid Derby watch party
Fire Sniper FC were crowned champions of the second edition of the LALIGA Madrid Derby Fan Festival after defeating Bakoneba FC 1-0 in the final at Shaka Stadium, securing the R100,000 winner-takes-all prize.
Held on 19 and 20 September, the Fan Festival returned with an expanded eight-team tournament after its inaugural four-team edition. The two-day programme brought together community football, local entertainment, fan engagement and a live viewing experience for the LALIGA clash between Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid.
The knockout tournament delivered closely contested football throughout the weekend. Fire Sniper FC reached the final after a 1-1 draw with Cry Eleven FC, winning the resulting penalty shoot-out 4-2. Earlier in the competition, Shaka United FC progressed after a goalless draw against Swidi Wodwa, advancing 3-1 on penalties.
Trésor Penku, Managing Director of LALIGA in Africa, said: “The response to the second edition of the Madrid Derby Fan Festival has been extremely encouraging, with teams from different townships eager to take part in the tournament. This growing interest reflects the strong appetite among local clubs and supporters to engage with LALIGA and the brands connected to our football experiences. Expanding the competition from four to eight teams enabled us to involve more clubs, deliver a more competitive tournament and showcase more stories from across the community. We want to continue creating platforms that bring LALIGA closer to local fans while providing community teams with meaningful opportunities to compete, connect and gain recognition.”
The festival also placed local music talent at the centre of the fan experience. T-Man Xpress proved a crowd favourite with a performance ahead of the prize presentation, forming part of an entertainment line-up that also included BigBaller CEO and Zelaa Force.
Following Fire Sniper FC’s triumph in the tournament, supporters turned their attention to the live Madrid Derby watch party, where they saw Atlético de Madrid claim a 2-1 victory over Real Madrid. The event brought the day’s activities full circle, connecting grassroots football in the Soshanguve community with one of LALIGA’s most iconic rivalries in Spain and creating a shared football experience for local fans.
The event demonstrated how a major international football fixture can provide a platform for local teams, talent and supporters. Through its partnership with SportyBet, Shaka Sports, LALIGA brought community football, music, entertainment and fan culture together in an experience that extended beyond the 90 minutes.