TEHRAN – An international exhibition of cartoons on the FFIA World Cup will open on Sunday in Tehran at the same time as the football tournament in Qatar is scheduled to take place.

The exhibition will be held at the galleries of the Art Bureau of the Islamic Ideology Dissemination Organization, showcasing a selection of works submitted to the International World Cup Cartoon and Caricature Contest organized by the bureau.

A call for the contest was published in the spring, and the organizers received 1736 works by 579 artists from 72 countries.

Iranian artists sent 600 cartoons and caricatures to the competition. 

Football in general is the theme of the cartoon section and the players and coaching staff of the participating teams in the 2022 World Cup are the subjects of the caricature category.

The best work in each category will receive $2,000 and runners-up will be awarded $1,500. Winners in third place will receive $1,000.

Iran has been drawn in Group B of the World Cup along with England, Wales and the U.S.

The country will meet England on November 21 in their opening match.

Iran’s team is among 32 teams that will be competing through 64 matches during the World Cup, which will be played from November 20 to December 18 in Qatar.

Football and sports have always been regarded by Iranian cartoonists, including Kambiz Derambakhsh, who passed away in 2021 at the age of 79 after a severe battle with COVID-19.

His collection inspired by the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany was held simultaneously at the bookstore of Saless Publications in Tehran.

He also celebrated the London 2012 Olympic Games with his sports cartoons in an exhibition held at Tehran’s Seyhun Gallery at the same time.

Photo: A poster for an exhibition of the International World Cup Cartoon and Caricature Contest. 

MMS/YAW