Non-FIFA international football

FIFA is the international governing body of association football, charged with overseeing football globally and with running international representative matches. However, some international football takes place outside its ratification. 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 of FIFA's auspices.

"National" teams

Broadly-speaking, there are five categories of Non-FIFA national team:

Regional associations

The first, and most common, are 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, whose members are also members of the FA. These regional associations often enter representative teams into international non-FIFA matches.

Autonomous (or autonomy-seeking) regions and unrecognised states

A second category encompasses regions of larger nations which have a history of autonomy. They may have already achieved a degree of autonomy (Catalonia, Galicia or Basque Country, for example), or be seeking it. However, it is necessary to distinguish Basque Country from the others, as it represents all Basque Country, and not only the Autonomous Community of the same name Basque Country. Alternatively, some unrecognised states may have national teams. Some established members of UEFA once fell into this category, such as the Faroe Islands. Current non-FIFA heavyweights Northern Cyprus are the best example of this category of non-FIFA football team. Also included are the representative sides of the Spanish autonomous regions, which currently play just one game a year, traditionally at Christmas.

Stateless people

The third group of teams features representative sides drawn from ethnic groups that have yet to gain significant control over a home state, or drawn from an ethnic diaspora. The Sami people of Lapland live in a distinct area of northern Scandinavia, yet fall under the control of four states. Nevertheless, they have organised a football association, and a representative team. Similarly, the Romani people have been strewn across Europe for centuries, has a fledgling footballing organisation to represent them in international competition. Other stateless nations, such as the Palestinians who, despite having no recognised state, have been welcomed into FIFA and the AFC. Also the Esperanto Football Team (Tutmonda Esperanto Futbala Asocio) has been set up to represent the worldwide community of Esperanto speakers.

States

Nine sovereign states (Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Nauru, Palau, Tuvalu, United Kingdom and the Vatican City) are not affiliated to FIFA. The United Kingdom is represented through its four constituent countries, and the other eight countries (except the Marshall Islands) have or have had national teams that have played matches outside of FIFA.

Minorities

Another group of teams is composed by ethnic minorities in a state.

Organizations

• NF-Board New Federations Board: a football association established in 2003. It is made up of teams that represent nations that are not recognized as sovereign states and which are therefore not eligible to become members of FIFA, football's world governing body. The NF-Board organises the VIVA World Cup and the UNPO Cup. CSANF is its first continental confederation, for South America.
• CONIFA Confederation of Independent Football Associations: from confederations homepage: CONIFA is a global umbrella organization for all the football teams outside FIFA. There are more than 5,500 ethnicities around the world and hundreds of sportingly isolated regions that doesn´t have an international arena to play international football. CONIFA welcome all registered Football Associations and teams to play. We organize the official World Championship for teams outside FIFA, Continental Championships, International tournament and Cups combined with Cultural Events and Youth Exchanges.^[1] 2013. CONIFA have a 10 members: Darfur United, Kurdistan, Occitania, Northern Cyprus, Quebec, Tamil Eelam...
• IGA Island Games Association: formed in 1985, this is an organization with the sole purpose to organise the Island Games, a friendly biennial athletic competition (including football) between teams from several islands and other small territories.
• MFA Micronational Football Association: a football organisation established in 2009. It is made up of teams that represent different micronations. The MFA is planning several competitions including a World Cup in 2015.

Non-FIFA competitions

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.

Men's Tournaments

International

The FIFI Wild Cup

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 on penalties to win the trophy.

Host Nation	Year	Winners
Germany	2006	Northern Cyprus

The UNPO Cup

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, and featured four teams. The South Moluccas won the cup, beating Chechnya in the final.

Host Nation	Year	Winners
Netherlands	2005	South Moluccas (Republic of South Maluku)

The VIVA World Cup

The first VIVA World Cup, organised by the NF-Board,^[2] 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	Iraqi Kurdistan

ConIFA World Football Cup

Main article: ConIFA World Football Cup

Host Nation	Year	Winners
Sweden	2014	County of Nice
Abkhazia	2016	Abkhazia

The ELF Cup

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

Football at the Island Games

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.

Host Nation	Year	Winners
Faroe Islands	1989	Faroe Islands
Åland	1991	Faroe Islands
Isle of Wight	1993	Jersey
Gibraltar	1995	Isle of Wight
Jersey	1997	Jersey
Gotland	1999	Ynys Môn
Isle of Man	2001	Guernsey
Guernsey	2003	Guernsey
Shetland	2005	Shetland
Rhodes	2007	Gibraltar
Åland	2009	Jersey
Isle of Wight	2011	Isle of Wight
Bermuda	2013	Bermuda
Jersey	2015	Guernsey

Continental

European Football Cup

The ConIFA European Football Cup was played in Douglas, the Isle of Man. The host place of the tournament was moved to London, England, and then to Székely Land, Romania. The tournament took place from the 13th till the 21st of 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.^[3] 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.[8] 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

The Europeada

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.^[4]

Host Nation	Year	Winners
Switzerland	2008	South Tyrol
Germany	2012	South Tyrol
Italy	2016	South Tyrol

Copa CSANF

The Copa CSANF is a football tournament for football federations not admitted to FIFA in South America. Is organized by the Consejo Sudamericano de Nuevas Federaciones. The first edition was played in 2011 in Chile.

Host Nation	Year	Winners
Chile	2011	Juan Fernandez Islands

Copa ANPO

The Campeonato Nacional de Futbol Pueblos Originarios (Copa ANPO) is a football tournament for indigenous in South America, and is organized by the Asociación Nacional de Pueblos Originarios. The first edition was played in 2012 in Chile. Campeonato de futbol Pueblos Originarios Asociacion Andina de Futbol^[5] played between Native Peoples of Chile in 2012 - the first time. The tournament is 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.^[6]

The N.F.-Board's South American governing body CSANF 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 (holders and pictured), Mapuche, Aymara, LikanAntay, Diaguita, Kolla, Quechua and a combined Yaghan-Kawesqar team.^[7]

Host Nation	Year	Winners
Chile	2012	Easter Island
Chile	2013	Williche[8]
Chile	2015	Mapuche[9]

Other tournaments

• The Coupe de l'Outre-Mer is organised by the FFF, took place in October 2008, in Paris, France. Teams representing the eleven French Overseas Territories are allowed to participate. The first edition was won by Réunion. After 3 editions the Coupe de l’Outre-Mer, for French overseas territories, has been cancelled by the French Football Federation.^[10]
• KTFF 50th Anniversary Cup was held in 2005 under the auspices of the NF-Board, this tournament celebrated 50 years of the football association of Northern Cyprus, the KTFF, and featured representative sides from the host nation, the Sápmi, and Kosovo. Northern Cyprus triumphed in a round-robin tournament.
• Inter Island Cup played between Cocos Islands and Christmas Island in 1994, 1997, 1999, 2004 and 2005.
• Micronesia Games played by Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Palau, Yap and Pohnpei in 1998.
• Adam Shield played between Faroe Islands and Shetland, from 1935 to 1967.
• Micronesian Cup played between Micronesia and Northern Marianas Islands in 1999.
• Pasefika Cup played by teams composed by ethnic groups in the Pacific Ocean, is played since 2008.
• Marianas Cup played between Guam and Northern Marianas Islands from 2007.
• Clericus Cup played between sixteen Roman colleges and seminaries of the Catholic Church since 2007.
• Virgin Islands Championship played between islands of Virgin archipelago from 1997 to 2003.
• Inter Islands Competition played between Saba and Sint Eustatius in 2004 and 2006.
• Windward Islands Tournament played between St.Lucia, Grenada, Dominica and St.Vincent in 2001.
• Leeward Islands Tournament played between Caribbean islands from 1949 to 2002.
• Muratti Vase played between Guernsey, Alderney and Jersey since 1905.
• GFA Tournament played in Gibraltar, with the host, Isle of Man and Isle of Wight in 2004.
• Tournoi des Iles played in Brittany, with the host, Guadeloupe, Martinique and French Guiana in 2003.
• Greenland Cups played between Greenland, Faroe Islands and Iceland from 1980 to 1984.
• North Atlantic Cup played between Orkney, Faroe Islands and Shetland from 1968 to 1973.
• Milne Cup annual tournament between Orkney and Shetland, played since 1919.
• Martinez Shield played between Trinidad Island, Barbados and Demerara (British Guyana), from 1923 to 1933.
• Tournoi Frantz Fanon between Martinique, Guadeloupe and Haiti, played in 2002.
• Tournoi du Cinquantenaire played between French Guiana, Martinique and Guadeloupe, in 2003.
• The Four Nations played by England, Scotland and Wales with "B" teams and Gibraltar in 2008.
• Tournoi de Guadeloupe played between Guadeloupe and St.Lucia in 2006.
• Jeux Inter-Iles played between Wallis Island and Futuna Island in 2001.
• Chinese Championship played between Chinese regions, from 1973 to 1989.
• Chinese National Games played between Chinese regions, from 1959 to 1965.
• Santosh Trophy played between Indian States, since 1973.
• DONER Trophy played between Indian States, in 2003 and 2004.
• The Southwest Cup is an open soccer tournament to Native American tribal teams in the Southwest United States. This tournament is biennial and started in 1957.
• South-West Counties Championship played between Cornwall, Guernsey and Jersey, and several other English counties from 1998 to 2007.
• Alex Oni Cup played between Igbo Nation, Edo Nation and Yoruba Nation, from 1950 to 1957.
• Brazilian State Championship played by Brazilian states from 1922 to 1987.
• Brazilian Native Peoples Games are held under the auspices of FUNAI.^[11]
• International Small Nations Tournament played by Jersey, Gibraltar and Madeira (U-20 team) in Jersey in 2008.
• 2010 Corsica Football Cup - played 4 teams: 2 non-FIFA and 2 FIFA.
• The Eco-Sys Action Cup (EAFC) - playing for the planet.^[12]
• The International tournament of peoples and cultures in Marseille (France) from 23 to 28 June 2013. International Soccer Tournament is part of Marseille European City of Culture 2013. 6-12 Men's senior teams will vie for honors, while sharing a cultural experience with their opponents.^[13]
• Tynwald Hill International Football Tournament The first Tynwald Hill International Football Tournament^[14] to be held at Mullen e Cloie, St Johns, Isle of Man from the 4 to 7 July 2013. Competing Teams - Sealand, Alderney, Tamil Eelam, Raetia, Occitania and St Johns United.
• 1st Copa America for Pueblos Originarios will be held in Colombia in 2014.^[15]
• Confederation of Independent Football Associations(ConIFA)^[16] World Championship 2014 in Sweden (Jämtkraft Arena). ConIFA World Championship Sweden is set for May 31 to June 8, 2014.
• All Hazara tournament played between hazara nation in Pakistan.
• The Cup of the SADR (Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic) - a new edition of the Saharawi Soccer Cup with players who live in forced exile in Spain and in France participate.

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 Faroe Islands.

Women Tournaments

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.

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 Islands
Åland	2009	Åland Islands
Isle of Wight	2011	Åland Islands
Bermuda	2013	Bermuda
Jersey	2015	Jersey

VIVA World Cup

A women's football tournament to the VIVA World Cup is played from 2008 edition:

Host Nation	Year	Winners
Sápmi	2008	Sápmi
Gozo	2010	Padania

The Europeada

A women's football tournament to the Europeada is played from the 2016 edition:

Host Nation	Year	Winners
Italy	2016	South Tyrol

Youth Tournaments

A big number of friendlies are played between youth selections with different restrictions (U-21, U-18, or U-16 for example) but still does not exists any international or continental tournaments. 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.

Club Tournaments

Despite the fact many non-FIFA associations have their own league, there are no international or continental club tournaments.

See also

• List of men's national association football teams
• UEFA Regions' Cup

References

External links

• Non-FIFA Football Updates
• Non-FIFA FAs and infos on Fedefutbol.net
• Non-FIFA Cups on RSSSF
• Island Games on RSSSF
• Non-FIFA Blog about non-FIFA Associations
• UEFA Regions' Cup on RSSSF
• Outcasts! The Lands That FIFA Forgot