Non-FIFA international football is the segment of international football that is not overseen by FIFA. FIFA is the international governing body of association football, overseeing football globally and with running international representative matches. However, some international football takes place outside its purview. This often consists of matches involving sub-national entities such as islands, colonies, or autonomous regions. Representative matches also occur involving states with limited international recognition who are unable to qualify for FIFA membership. There are also a limited number of states whose representative teams are not affiliated to FIFA. Historically, a number of competitions occurred outside FIFA's auspices. [1] [2] Member associations are national associations, usually affiliated to continental confederations which are subordinate to FIFA. [3]
Broadly speaking, non-FIFA national teams can be categorised as one of the following:
Teams representing eight small sovereign states – the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Monaco, Nauru, Palau, Tuvalu, Marshall Islands, and the Vatican City – have played international football but are not affiliated to FIFA. Two of those states – Kiribati and Tuvalu – are Associate Members of Oceania Football Confederation, but not its parent organisation.
The United Kingdom is represented in FIFA through its four constituent countries (England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland). During the 1940s and 1950s, a United Kingdom national football team was assembled on a few occasions to play friendly matches: these are not considered full internationals by FIFA.
A second category encompasses regions of larger nations which have a history of autonomy. They may have already achieved a degree of self-governance (for example the autonomous communities of Spain including Catalonia, Galicia, and the Basque Country which usually play just one game a year, traditionally at Christmas), or be seeking it (like for example the French region of Brittany). However, it is necessary to distinguish the Basque team from the others, as it has come to represent not just the Basque autonomous community of Spain, but the greater Basque region, also incorporating Navarre and the French Basque Country. The Republic of Srpska as a state entity with a high degree of autonomy, has ever since it was established in 1992 had its own football federation and national teams Republika Srpska national football team who play friendly matches. The Dayton Peace Treaty recognizes it as a constitutive part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and in 2002 both FIFA and UEFA accepted FA Republic of Srpska as one of two cofounders of FA BIH.
Alternatively, some unrecognised states may have national teams. Some established members of FIFA still fall into this category, such as Chinese Taipei. Current non-FIFA heavyweights Northern Cyprus are the best example of this category of non-FIFA football team.
Several teams which represent the regional associations of established footballing nations. These oversee local football in their respective regions and are part of a network of associations that contribute to the national association as a whole. A good example of this would be Jersey, who hold county status within the Football Association. These regional associations often enter representative teams into international non-FIFA matches.
Another group of teams are representative sides of ethnic groups that are without a home state, or are drawn from an ethnic diaspora. The Sami people of Lapland live in a distinct area of northern Fennoscandia, yet fall under the control of four states. Nevertheless, they have organised a football association and a representative team. Similarly, the Romani people—having been strewn across Europe for centuries—have a fledgeling footballing organisation to represent them in international competition. Other people who were stateless, such as the Palestinians have been welcomed into FIFA and despite their state, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) only more recently[ when? ] recognised them in international football. The Esperanto football team represents the worldwide community of Esperanto speakers.
Football tournaments at international multi-sports events, such as the Olympics, Pan-American Games and Francophone games are without FIFA's jurisdiction, but are, for the most part, operated with the acknowledgement of that body. These events typically involve age restricted teams, to avoid direct competition with the World Cup and continental championships.
The UNPO Cup was organised by the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization and NF-Board, and took place in The Hague in June 2005. The tournament, which coincided with UNPO's 7th General Assembly, featured four teams. The South Moluccas won the cup, beating Chechnya in the final. A second UNPO football cup took place in June 2017, with the Chameria team winning the tournament. [6] [7]
Host Nation | Year | Winners |
---|---|---|
Netherlands | 2005 | South Moluccas |
Netherlands | 2017 | Chameria |
Host Nation | Year | Winners |
---|---|---|
Sápmi | 2014 | County of Nice |
Abkhazia | 2016 | Abkhazia |
Barawa | 2018 | Kárpátalja |
North Macedonia | 2020 | N/A † |
Iraqi Kurdistan | 2024 | N/A ‡ |
† 2020 CONIFA World Football Cup cancelled due to COVID-19 Pandemic. ‡ 2024 CONIFA World Football Cup postponed until 2025 due to security concerns.
The Island Games, which are held every two years, features a competitive football tournament, won on the first two occasions by now-established UEFA and FIFA member, the Faroe Islands, and again in 2007 by now UEFA members, Gibraltar. Many of the competing nations are affiliated to larger national FAs – the Jersey Football Association, for example, is governed by the FA.
† Ynys Mon hosted an unofficial 2019 Inter Games Football Tournament as Gibraltar did not have enough pitches. [8] Ynys Mon won the men's tournament and Isle of Man won the women's.
‡ 2021 Island Games postponed until 2023 due to COVID-19 with all previously announced host moved back 2 years. [9]
First held in 1979, the Indian Ocean Island Games have been held every 4–5 years since.
Team | Champions | Runners-up | Third-place | Fourth-place | Participation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Réunion | 5 (1979, 1998, 2007, 2015, 2019) | 3 (1985, 1993, 2003) | 1 (2011) | 8 | |
Mauritius | 2 (1985, 2003) | 3 (1990, 2011, 2019) | 2 (1993, 2015) | 3 (1979, 1998, 2007) | 9 |
Madagascar | 2 (1990, 1993) | 2 (1998, 2007) | 2 (1985, 2015) | 7 | |
Seychelles | 1 (2011) | 1 (1979) | 3 (1990, 1998, 2003) | 2 (1993, 2019) | 8 |
Mayotte | 1 (2015) | 2 (2007, 2019) | 1 (2011) | 3 | |
Comoros | 2 (1979, 1985) | 2 (1990, 2003) | 8 | ||
Maldives | 3 | ||||
The Arabian Gulf Cup or Gulf Cup is a bi-annual competition that started in 1970 with 8 countries competing organised since 2016 by the Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation
Team | Winners | Runners-up | Third place | Fourth place | Semi-finalists (no 3rd Place Match) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kuwait | 10 (1970, 1972, 1974*, 1976, 1982, 1986, 1990*, 1996, 1998, 2010) | 1 (1979) | 2 (2002, 2013) | 1 (2004) | 1 (2009) |
Iraq | 4 (1979*, 1984, 1988, 2023*) | 2 (1976, 2013) | – | – | 3 (2010, 2017–18, 2019) |
Saudi Arabia | 3 (1994, 2002*, 2003–04) | 7 (1972*, 1974, 1998, 2009, 2010, 2014*, 2019) | 7 (1970, 1979, 1984, 1986, 1988*, 1992, 1996) | 1 (1982) | 1 (2007) |
Qatar | 3 (1992*, 2004*, 2014) | 4 (1984, 1990, 1996, 2002) | 2 (1976*, 2003–04) | 5 (1970, 1972, 1974, 1986, 1994) | 3 (2009, 2019*,2023) |
United Arab Emirates | 2 (2007*, 2013) | 4 (1986, 1988, 1994*, 2017–18) | 5 (1972, 1974, 1982*, 1998, 2014) | 3 (1984, 1992, 1996) | 1 (2010) |
Oman | 2 (2009*, 2017–18) | 3 (2004, 2007, 2023) | – | 4 (1990, 1998, 2003–04, 2014) | – |
Bahrain | 1 (2019) | 4 (1970*, 1982, 1992, 2003–04) | 3 (1990, 1994, 2004) | 5 (1976, 1979, 1988, 2002, 2013*) | 3 (2007, 2017–18, 2023) |
Yemen | – | – | – | – | – |
Note:
The ConIFA European Football Cup was originally announced to be held in Douglas, the Isle of Man, but this was later changed to include games in Farnborough and Woking, England. However, it was later moved entirely to Székely Land, Romania. The tournament took place from 13 to 21 June 2015. It was the first ever European Championship between representative teams outside FIFA. The 12 representative teams: Ellan Vannin, County of Nice, Abkhazia, Nagorno Karabakh, South Ossetia, Occitania, Romani People, Franconia, Sapmi, Northern Cyprus, Szekely Land and Padania. [10] Subsequently, 3 teams (Franconia, Monaco, Nagorno-Karabakh) cancelled their participation for the 2015 ConIFA European Football Cup in Hungary, which forced the originally planned schedule to be revised. The presence of a total of nine teams led to three groups of three being formed. In May 2015, Occitania also announced their withdrawal from the competition, which led to another revision of the match schedule into two groups of four, which ConIFA based upon their ranking points system. In June 2015, another three teams, South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Northern Cyprus, were all forced to withdraw, as a result of visa difficulties, while the Felvidek team was added to the line up – leaving two groups of three and six participants in total.
Host Nation | Year | Winners |
---|---|---|
Székely Land | 2015 | Padania |
Northern Cyprus | 2017 | Padania |
Artsakh | 2019 | South Ossetia |
County of Nice | 2021 | N/A† |
Northern Cyprus | 2023 | N/A‡ |
† 2021 CONIFA European Football Cup cancelled due to COVID-19 Pandemic.
‡ 2023 CONIFA European Football Cup cancelled due to 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquake
The Europeada is a football tournament for indigenous and national minorities in Europe, and is organized by the Federal Union of European Nationalities. The first edition was played in 2008 in Surselva, Switzerland. [11]
Host Nation | Year | Winners |
---|---|---|
Switzerland | 2008 | South Tyrol |
Germany | 2012 | South Tyrol |
Italy | 2016 | South Tyrol |
Austria | 2022 | South Tyrol |
Denmark/ Germany | 2024 | Friûl |
The Copa CSANF is a football tournament for football federations not admitted to FIFA in South America. Is organized by the CSANF – Consejo Sudamericano de Nuevas Federaciones . The first edition was played in 2011 in Chile.
Host Nation | Year | Winners |
---|---|---|
Juan Fernández Islands | 2011 | Juan Fernández Islands |
Argentina | 2014 | Armenian Argentine Community |
The CSANF 10th Anniversary Cup is the third tournament which celebrates the 10 years of the creation of the CSANF.
Host Nation | Year | Winners |
---|---|---|
Argentina | 2017 | Armenian Argentine Community |
The Campeonato Nacional de Futbol Pueblos Originarios (Copa ANPO) is a football tournament for the indigenous peoples of South America, and is organized by the Asociación Nacional de Pueblos Originarios. The inaugural tournament was played in 2012 in Chile. Campeonato de futbol Pueblos Originarios Asociacion Andina de Futbol Liga Andina Arica Facebook page on Facebook played among six teams. Three teams come from the Mapuche people – the largest indigenous population in Chile. There is a Mapuche team, a Pewenche team (which is the term used for Mapuche populations living in the mountainous regions of Chile), and a Warriache team (composed of Mapuche individuals from the city). In addition, there is one Aymara team, one Lican Antay (or Atacameño) team, and one Rapa Nui team. [12]
The N.F.-Board's South American governing body CONMEBOLNFIFA have announced a preliminary date for the second Indigenous Peoples' Championship. Set for Santiago in Chile from August 5–10, 2013, the sides hoped to compete are Easter Island, Mapuche, Aymara, LikanAntay, Diaguita, Kolla, Quechua and a combined Yaghan-Kawesqar team. [13]
Host Nation | Year | Winners |
---|---|---|
Chile | 2012 | Easter Island |
Chile | 2013 | Huilliche [14] |
Chile | 2015 | Mapuche [15] |
The FIFI Wild Cup was organised by the German football club St. Pauli in the summer of 2006. It took place while the FIFA World Cup was being played in Germany, and aimed to raise awareness of stateless nations. Five nations took part, along with a team representing the St. Pauli district of Hamburg. Northern Cyprus beat Zanzibar 4-1 on penalties to win the tournament.
Host Nation | Year | Winners |
---|---|---|
Germany | 2006 | Northern Cyprus |
The ELF Cup, organised by the KTFF, took place in November 2006, in Northern Cyprus. Eight teams accepted invitations to take part, and the hosts emerged as winners.
Host Nation | Year | Winners |
---|---|---|
Northern Cyprus | 2006 | Northern Cyprus |
The first VIVA World Cup, organised by the N.F.-Board, [16] took place in Occitania in November 2006. Six nations initially accepted invitations, but eventually, only 3 took part, the hosts, Monaco and Saami, the eventual winners. The second edition took place in Lapland in 2008 and Padania emerged as winners, as the third in 2009 where Padania won the tournament at home.
Host Nation | Year | Winners |
---|---|---|
Occitania | 2006 | Sápmi |
Sápmi | 2008 | Padania |
Padania | 2009 | Padania |
Gozo | 2010 | Padania |
Iraqi Kurdistan | 2012 | Kurdistan Region |
Across a discreet number of minor tournaments, the only three main international football tournaments for women are the Women's VIVA World Cup, the Europeada and the Island Games.
A women's football tournament to the Island Games is played from 2001 edition:
Host Nation | Year | Winners |
---|---|---|
Isle of Man | 2001 | Faroe Islands |
Guernsey | 2003 | Faroe Islands |
Shetland | 2005 | Faroe Islands |
Rhodes | 2007 | Åland |
Åland | 2009 | Åland |
Isle of Wight | 2011 | Åland |
Bermuda | 2013 | Bermuda |
Jersey | 2015 | Jersey |
Gotland | 2017 | Gotland |
Gibraltar | 2019 | N/A † |
Guernsey | 2021 | N/A ‡ |
Guernsey | 2023 | Bermuda |
Orkney | 2025 | |
Faroe Islands | 2027 | |
Isle of Man | 2029 | |
† Ynys Mon hosted an unofficial 2019 Inter Games Football Tournament as Gibraltar did not have enough pitches. [17]
‡ 2021 Island Games postponed until 2023 due to COVID-19 with all previously announced host moved back 2 years. [18]
A women's football tournament to the ConIFA World Football Cup is played from 2022.
Host Nation | Year | Winners |
---|---|---|
Tibet | 2022 | Sápmi |
Sápmi | 2024 | Sápmi |
A women's football tournament to the Europeada is played from the 2016 edition:
Host Nation | Year | Winners |
---|---|---|
Italy | 2016 | South Tyrol |
Austria | 2022 | Carinthian Slovenes |
Denmark/ Germany | 2024 | South Tyrol |
A women's football tournament to the VIVA World Cup is played from 2008 until 2010:
Host Nation | Year | Winners |
---|---|---|
Sápmi | 2008 | Sápmi |
Gozo | 2010 | Padania |
Here are some examples:
Location | League | Narrative |
---|---|---|
Falkland Islands | Falkland Islands Football League | The football association of the Falkland Islands is not a member of FIFA or UEFA or CONMEBOL. |
Mayotte | Mayotte Division Honneur | The football association of Mayotte is simply associated with the French Football Federation. |
Saint Pierre and Miquelon | Ligue de Football de Saint Pierre et Miquelon | The football association of Saint Pierre and Miquelon is simply associated with the French Football Federation. |
Gozo | Gozo Football League First Division | The football association of Gozo is not a member of FIFA or UEFA. |
Greenland | Greenlandic Football Championship | played between club teams, is the premier football competition in Greenland. The Football Association of Greenland is not a member of FIFA or CONCACAF or UEFA. |
Kiribati | Kiribati National Championship | The football association of Kiribati is an associate member of OFC. |
Monaco | Challenge Prince Rainier III | The football association of Monaco is not a member of FIFA or UEFA. |
Northern Cyprus | KTFF Süper Lig | The football association of Northern Cyprus is not a member of FIFA or UEFA. |
Tuvalu | Tuvalu A-Division | The football association of Tuvalu is an associate member of OFC. |
Vatican | Vatican City Championship | The football association of Vatican City is not a member of FIFA or UEFA. |
Zanzibar | Zanzibar Premier League | The football association of Zanzibar is an associate member of CAF. |
Here are some examples:
Some non-FIFA teams play in other tournaments generally played by FIFA members, including the CONCACAF Gold Cup, Indian Ocean Games, CECAFA Cup, South Pacific Games, Coupes des Caraibes, Shell Caribbean Cup, CFU Championship and many more.
Moreover, many teams, before obtaining FIFA membership, played friendlies and international tournaments – for example, the Faroe Islands.
A big number of friendlies are being played between youth selections with different restrictions (U-21, U-18, or U-16 for example) but still there are not any international or continental tournaments being held. Only a little number of minor tournaments are played for youth selections: one of them, and probably one of the most important, is Muratti Vase who is played for U-21, U-18, U-15.
Despite the fact many non-FIFA associations have their own league, there are no international or continental club tournaments.
The Kiribati men's national football team is the national men's football team of Kiribati and is controlled by the Kiribati Islands Football Association. Kiribati is not a member of FIFA but is an associate member of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), and is therefore not eligible to enter the FIFA World Cup but may enter the OFC Nations Cup. It became a provisional member of the N.F.-Board on 10 December 2005.
The Sápmi football team is a football team representing the Sámi people, who inhabit northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. The team is not a member of UEFA or FIFA, and therefore does not participate in their competitions, though is member of the ConIFA. It is organized by FA Sápmi.
The N.F.-Board is a federation for football associations established on 12 December 2003. At the beginning, NFB was made up of teams that represent nations, dependencies, unrecognized states, minorities, stateless peoples, regions and micronations not affiliated to FIFA.
The Northern Cyprus national football team represents Northern Cyprus, a de facto country, in association football. They were a member of the New Federations Board for non-FIFA-affiliated nations, until its dissolution in 2013. Northern Cyprus' home stadium is Nicosia Atatürk Stadium in North Nicosia and their head coach is Fırat Canova. They are the current FIFI Wild Cup champions, having won the event in Germany in June 2006. They are also the current ELF Cup champions, having won the event at home in November 2006.
The Tuvalu national football team is the international football team of Tuvalu. Football in Tuvalu is played at the club and international level. The Tuvalu national team draws players from the Tuvalu A-Division and trains at the Tuvalu Sports Ground at Funafuti. The national team competes in the Pacific Games, and is controlled by the Tuvalu Islands Football Association, which is an associate member of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) but not a member of FIFA.
The ELF Cup was an international football tournament organised by the Cyprus Turkish Football Federation (KTFF), a member of the NF-Board. It was played only once in 2006. Among the participants were NF-Board teams, and FIFA member teams from the Asian Football Confederation.
Football has been a regular event since 1989 at the Island Games, the biennial multi-sports event for island nations, territories and dependencies. A 5-a-side competition for under-16s was held at the inaugural event on the Isle of Man, and the success this minor competition brought to the games meant senior men's football was included on the itinerary for the first time in the Faroe Islands, in 1989. Women's football was included on the games' schedule for the first time in 2001.
The VIVA World Cup was an international association football tournament organized by the N.F.-Board, an umbrella association for teams unaffiliated with FIFA, held five times between 2006 and 2012.
The Tuvalu Islands Football Association (TIFA) is the governing body of football in Tuvalu. The association is responsible for the Tuvalu national football team and the Tuvalu national futsal team. Tuvalu is not a full member and is not affiliated with FIFA. It does not compete in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers because of its non-affiliation.
The Chagos Islands national football team is a football team representing the territory of the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. However, this area, which falls under the administration of the British Indian Ocean Territory, is uninhabited save for the presence of a US military base on the island of Diego Garcia, after the United Kingdom evicted the local population between 1967 and 1973. As a consequence, the team in fact represents the Chagossian diaspora around the world. They were led by Sussex-based manager Jimmy Ferrar, who has previously managed at Oakwood, Crawley Down and Alfold where he won the Southern Combination Div 1 for season 2018/19 until June 2024 when a number of players expressed a desire to play under the British Indian Ocean Territory name leading to a split and two separate teams under different names representing the territory.
The Artsakh national football team, until 2017 known as Nagorno-Karabakh national football team, was the national representative of the Republic of Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), which was internationally unrecognized. Consequently, it was not a member of FIFA or UEFA and was therefore not eligible to enter the World Cup or the European Championship.
The Cascadia national soccer team is a soccer team representing the men's side of the Cascadia region of the United States and Canada and is controlled by the Cascadia Association Football Federation (CAFF). The team is composed of players from the U.S states of Oregon, Washington and the Canadian province of British Columbia. The stated mission of the team is "...to allow Cascadia as a distinct cultural entity, isolated bioregion and growing society with common interests to be represented at the international level in the sport we are all passionate about." CAFF is a member of ConIFA. Cascadia is not a member of FIFA or any confederation or sub-confederation as the region is wholly a part of both the United States or Canada. However, CAFF is not opposed to those organizations and sees itself coexisting as a non-FIFA regional representative team.
The Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA) is the international governing body for association football teams that are not affiliated with FIFA.
The CONIFA World Football Cup is an international football tournament organized by CONIFA, an umbrella association for states, minorities, stateless peoples and regions unaffiliated with FIFA, which has been held every two years since 2014. This tournament is the successor of the Viva World Cup which was held from 2006 to 2012.
The Székely Land football team is a team representing Székely Land, a historic and ethnographic region in eastern Transylvania, in central Romania, inhabited mainly by the Székelys, a subgroup of the Hungarian people. It is a member of ConIFA, an umbrella association for states, minorities,and regions unaffiliated with FIFA.
The Mapuche football team is a football team representing the Mapuche of Chile and Argentina and is controlled by the Mapuche Football Association, founded in 2007. The stated mission of the team is "...to allow Mapuche as a distinct cultural entity, with common interests to be represented at the international level in the sport. Mapuche is a member of ConIFA and COSANFF. Mapuche would have participated in the 2020 ConIFA World Football Cup.
The World Unity Football Alliance (WUFA) is an international governing body for association football teams that are not affiliated with FIFA, similar to but smaller than the older Confederation of Independent Football Associations. WUFA was founded in 2020 to oversee international competition among the non-FIFA affiliated associations in the world, the alliance of football associations does not have a centralised management structure.
The 2022 CONIFA South America Football Cup, also referred to as 2022 CONIFA Copa America, was the first edition of the CONIFA South America Football Cup, an international football tournament for states, minorities, stateless peoples and regions unaffiliated with FIFA with an affiliation to South America, organised by CONIFA. It was hosted by Chile.
The CONIFA South America Football Cup, also referred to as CONIFA Copa América, is an international football tournament organized by CONIFA, an umbrella association for states, minorities, stateless peoples and regions unaffiliated with FIFA.