Tajikistan, the Central Asian country where protests are de facto banned, has organised a march of around 10,000 people in its capital to support a proposal by the authoritarian leader's son to create a "World Football Day".
Rustam Emomali, 36, is the son of President Emomali Rakhmon, who has ruled the mountainous country since the fall of the Soviet Union.
A former professional football player, he holds several important posts including chairman of the parliament, mayor of the capital Dushanbe and head of Tajikistan's football federation.
"A procession of around 10,000 people marched in the capital of Dushnabe in support of the proposition by Rustam Emomali, the president of the Tajik Football Association, for the UN to adopt a World Football Day," state news agency Khovar said Thursday, a day after the demonstration.
The news agency published photos of the marchers, primarily young people, holding national flags and portraits of the president and his son.
Emomali called on the United Nations to adopt a special football resolution in a speech shortly after Tajikistan's team made history by reaching the quarter finals at the Asian Cup earlier this year.
"I suggest that the role of football be recognised at the global level and the UN officially proclaim World Football day through a special resolution," he said this month.
Tajik football players at the Asian Cup were greeted as heroes upon their return to the country, one of the poorest in the region.