Kuala lumpur: The 2026 World Cup fever has now spread to local media practitioners, with a replica of the iconic trophy emerging as the top prize at the SPxSAM Goal and Smash World Cup Fiesta 2026 held today.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the inaugural event was organised through a strategic collaboration between the Sports Writers Association of Malaysia (SAM) and SP Sports Parks. It aimed to bring together media practitioners for sports and recreational activities amid the festive atmosphere surrounding the World Cup.
SAM sports Exco member Firdaus Hashim stated that the tournament was part of the association's annual initiatives. This year's edition was made more special to give media personnel an opportunity to experience the excitement of the world's biggest football tournament. He mentioned that the fiesta was organised to create a lively atmosphere among media practitioners, as it was the right time to gather journalists who spend their days gathering news. Participants could also watch matches on a giant screen provided at the venue.
The event received an overwhelming response, with participation from eight media organisations including Bernama, Media Prima, RTM, Utusan, and Kosmo, along with four of SAM's strategic partners competing in futsal and pickleball events. Firdaus added that the programme served as a casual platform for media personnel working around the clock due to match time differences, ensuring sports fans in the country continued to receive timely news reports.
SP Sports Parks representative Daniel Wong expressed pride in collaborating with SAM to provide top-notch facilities for the media community, which has long supported sports development. He emphasized the importance of building a community passionate about both playing and watching football together.
The replica of the World Cup trophy, which drew considerable attention, was specially sponsored by SP Sports Parks to provide maximum impact for the winners of the futsal competition. The futsal champions would take home RM800 in cash, medals, and the World Cup trophy replica. Meanwhile, the pickleball champions would receive RM300 in prize money along with a special trophy reflecting the sport's identity.
The pickleball competition added its own excitement when the debut pairing of Ahmad Nazrin Syahmi Mohamad Arif and Ahmad Syabil Sultan Noordin Ahmad clinched the championship title. Competing under the name 'Mexico,' the Bernama journalist duo displayed an energetic performance to secure a victory over the TV3 representatives, representing 'Argentina,' in the final. Ahmad Nazrin Syahmi expressed gratitude for the victory and appreciated the opportunity to meet and strengthen ties with fellow SAM members.