In an election year already beset with political fatigue and bitter divisions, Georgians found common ground in a historic sporting victory. 

On March 26, Georgia became the first country in the Caucasus to qualify for the European Championship tournament by winning a playoff against Greece decided by penalties. Tbilisi erupted in a cacophony of cheers, car horns and fireworks after Nika Kvekveskiri’s penalty kick sealed the victory at Dinamo Stadium.

“Pro-government or anti-government, everyone was genuinely happy,” said Rati Shubladze, a self-admitted fan and head of the sociology program at the Georgian Institute of Public Affairs. “I was jumping in front of the TV.”

The victory provided a rare moment of shared celebration for a nation that has become culturally and politically polarized in recent years. A parliamentary vote poised to exacerbate those divisions is scheduled for October.

In one corner of Tbilisi, the reverie was interrupted by a reminder of the partisanship that has marked politics in recent years. Minutes after the win, at Republic Square in central Tbilisi, the city’s mayor, Kakha Kaladze, a national flag wrapped around his shoulders and with a microphone in hand, appeared on a stage. By his side was another official from the ruling Georgian Dream party, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze.

Intent on associating the party’s leadership with the football team’s success, Kobakhidze began to deliver a speech, but his words were soon drowned out by a chorus of boos. The euphoric crowd was in no mood for politics to intrude on athletic accomplishment.

Opposition politicians were quick to criticize Kobakhidze for spoiling the moment. “That’s the only poll you need to see,” Devi Chankotadze, an MP for the opposition United National Movement faction, wrote on X, referring to the booing.

Being booed didn’t deter Kobakhidze or his Georgian Dream allies. The day after the win, Kobakhidze announced that national team members would receive one of the country’s highest awards, the Order of Honor. “History was truly written yesterday,” he said.

Kaladze, meanwhile, got to work making sure Georgians knew to whom, besides the players, they owed the victory, claiming that the Georgian Dream coalition created the societal conditions for on-field success. “If it wasn’t for peace, if it wasn’t for calmness, this result wouldn’t have happened,” he told pro-government Imedi TV. “Therefore, it is also important what policy the government pursues, what kind of attitude it has towards sports, what kind of approach it has towards Georgian football.”

All of this has some Georgians shaking their heads. But it’s not surprising, according to Shubladze, who said that he expects both pro-Georgian Dream and opposition forces to use the tournament this summer to try to score political points. Meanwhile, many just want to forget about politics, he added.

“People have been waiting for this for so long,” he said, referring to the national team’s success. “In general, …people are very tired and people are not so optimistic in political terms.”

The Euro 2024 tournament begins in mid-June in Germany. The Georgian squad, ranked 77th in world, was one of the last countries to qualify for the tournament, but got comparatively lucky in the group stage draw. Georgia will face stiff competition in Portugal, ranked seventh. But they will also play less fearsome opponents in Turkey and the Czech Republic, ranked 35th and 40th respectively – relatively equal in ranking to two teams Georgia bested during qualification, Norway and Greece.

While it’s clear Georgians don’t want politics to meddle with football this summer, Georgia’s participation in the Euro 2024 tournament is sure to call greater attention to the country’s European Union membership bid.

“Competing alongside the best football countries in Europe will be significant for all Georgians, but it will also put them on the map,” said Joel Rookwood, a lecturer on sport management at University College Dublin. On the international stage, he added, Georgia will have an opportunity to showcase its national identity. “This event will also provide some connections and insights for Europeans as to what Georgian people are like.”

The extra attention could prove challenging for Georgian Dream, highlighting a dichotomy between the party’s words and actions concerning EU membership.

Georgian Dream says it embraces the prospect of EU accession while, at the same time, pursuing policies at odds with EU values. For instance, the day before the football team qualified for Euro 2024, a top Georgian Dream official proposed constitutional changes that would dramatically curtail rights for members of the LGBTQ community. In justifying the proposed changes, Georgian Dream officials are casting themselves as the defenders of “family values.”

“It is inevitable that politicians will attempt to co-opt any of the team’s achievements at Euro 2024,” Rookwood said, “but few will see the success of the national team as a reflection of government support.”