53rd Edition of Kutija šibica: Futsal Tournament as a Sign of December
This year there are interesting news regarding the futsal tournament Kutija šibica, but it continues to bring sport appeal, enthusiasm of competitors and affection of spectators.
The 53rd edition of the futsal tournament Kutija šibica (“matchbox” in Croatian) traditionally starts in late November and lasts until the end of the year. In addition to the central competitions, it also encompasses the tournaments of veterans and that of women. This year, it will start on 23 November at five sports halls in Zagreb. An exciting final part will start on 21 December and this year, it will take place at the Dražen Petrović Basketball Club due to the renovation of its usual venue, Dom sportova Sports Hall. The finale itself will this year take place from 28 to 30 December.
Even though the participation in the tournament is always linked to sporting challenges and prestige, it is certainly good news that the overall prize fund this year amounts to 40 000 EUR, which is 60 per cent more than last year.
This is one of the three longest running sporting events in Zagreb and it attracts a host of spectators. In addition to more than 20 000 spectators watching the tournament live, several thousand will watch the three-day finals via public television broadcast, and more than 28 million of sports fans around the world will watch the games via Sofascore app.
It is interesting to note that the tournament was named Kutija šibica after the sports hall in neighbourhood Trešnjevka in Zagreb. In 1971, when the tournament was established, it was the largest hall in the city but at the same time it was so small that this illustrative name was very fitting. However, the number of teams and spectators has continued to grow since and in record 1985 there were 648 teams. The permanent enthusiasm as well as the name of the tournament, which is extremely popular among citizens of Zagreb, are reminder of the past times.