CONIFA and Somaliland FA: an announcement about the CONIFA Sportsbet.io World Football Cup 2020

Posted on August 22, 2019August 5, 2021 by Robin Toal

CONIFA and the Somaliland FA are sorry to announce that the CONIFA Sportsbet.io World Football Cup 2020 will no longer take place in Somaliland.

This is due to logistical and technical issues that could not be resolved by the parties involved; the agreement was therefore taken to look for a new venue for the 2020 tournament.

Sascha Duerkop, CONIFA’s general secretary said:

“We are all sorry that we will not be going to the beautiful country of Somaliland in 2020 and playing the World Football Cup there. The decision to change the venue was not one we took lightly.

“We would like to thank the Somaliland government and Somaliland FA for their support over the last months and we hope to work with them again, as we look to bring a CONIFA tournament to Somaliland in the future.”

Ilyas Mohamed, president of the Somaliland FA, said:

“We are truly sad to announce that the CONIFA World Football Cup will not be coming to Somaliland in 2020. But this is the beginning of a journey and certainly not the end. We will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to achieve the dream of hosting a World Football Cup in Somaliland in the very near future.

“We wish to thank the Somaliland government, particularly the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the beautiful people in Somaliland, CONIFA and everyone else who helped us along the way for all their support and hard work.”

A new host and venue will be announced for the CONIFA Sportsbet.io World Football Cup 2020 in due course.

CONIFA’s annual general meeting 2020 to be held in Jersey

Posted on August 19, 2019August 5, 2021 by Robin Toal

Events Jersey will welcome the seventh CONIFA AGM to Jersey in January 2020.

In partnership with Parishes of Jersey FC and The Grand Jersey Hotel & Spa, CONIFA and Events Jersey will host over 50 delegates to the island on 25^th – 26^th January 2020 for the annual general meeting.

Sascha Düerkop, General Secretary of CONIFA, said:

“CONIFA is really looking forward to bringing its annual AGM to Jersey. This is an important event for CONIFA; it is a weekend where we set our priorities for the year ahead and ensure our member FAs have their voices heard as part of our internal governance procedures.

“As well as all the hard work, it is also a chance for CONIFA members to meet each other, share ideas and views, and discuss the prior 12 months. With that in mind, it is important we meet in an environment that fosters this spirit, encourages creative thinking and ensures our members from across the globe get the chance to experience a different cultural viewpoint.

“We have no doubt that Jersey, with its rich history, fantastic cultural opportunities, island traditions and footballing heritage is the perfect place for the 2020 CONIFA AGM to take place. It is the home of one of our teams – Parishes of Jersey Football Club – and we are happy to join them for a fruitful weekend.

“We also look forward to spending time learning more about the island and using it as a base to plan the next 12 months of CONIFA activities. Thank you to Events Jersey for hosting us and for making us feel so welcome!”

James Blower, President of Parishes of Jersey FC, commented:

“I am thrilled that the CONIFA Executive Committee voted to hold their AGM here in Jersey in January 2020. This is a testament to the hard work from the great team we have been involved with in Parishes of Jersey FC and everyone at Events Jersey, who have been enormously supportive and recognised the benefits for Jersey from our CONIFA membership. We look forward to showcasing both the island of Jersey and our potential as hosts of a European Football Cup to their Executive.”

On behalf of Events Jersey, Economic Development Tourism, Sport and Culture Minister, Senator Lyndon Farnham welcomed CONIFA to the island:

“As we develop Jersey’s events portfolio, we are delighted to host CONIFA’s members for the annual AGM. Welcoming events such as this help address the island’s seasonality challenge and align with Jersey’s Destination Plan. By delivering experiences that generate and create lasting memories for the visitors, we can demonstrate the island’s sporting credentials and pitch Jersey as a prospective host location for future sporting events”.

CONIFA looks forward to welcoming all delegates to Jersey in January 2020!

For more information on Jersey, go here: https://www.jersey.com/explorers-wanted

CONIFA Sportsbet.io World Football Cup 2020: announcement

Posted on August 18, 2019August 5, 2021 by Robin Toal

It is with regret that CONIFA has to announce that the CONIFA Sportsbet.io World Football Cup 2020 will no longer be held in Somaliland.

This is due to logistical and hosting issues in regards the tournament. A search is currently being undertaken for a replacement host.

Further information will follow.

Darfur United takes on Cascadia on road to the 2020 World Football Cup

Posted on August 2, 2019August 5, 2021 by Robin Toal

Darfur United suited up in an away match against Cascadia AFF on Saturday 27 July in Kent, Washington. It was the first-ever match between CONIFA members on North American soil – and the first CONIFA match for the USA-based Darfur United players called up to the roster for the game.

The DU players traveled from across the country to participate. The team was prepared to face a top-level CONIFA team, in preparation for their journey to the CONIFA World Football Cup in 2020. It was a perfect opportunity for coach Mark Hodson and the Darfur United staff to assess players that are striving to make the 2020 roster, joining a strong core of players based in Europe.

DU created several dangerous chances on the counter-attack in the early minutes, with solid opportunities from the attacking unit of Hany Ramadan, Iessa Ramadan, Souradjadine Abdoulaye and Mahajub Adam.

Cascadia opened the scoring on the nine-minute mark, after a Darfur United turnover in the defending third of the field. Cascadia netted three more goals before the end of the half as a result of DU turnovers in defending areas and a penalty kick after a group of players challenged for possession of a loose ball in the box.

Despite the goal differential at the half, Darfur United was well prepared for Cascadia’s attack from fullbacks in the width of the field and showed bright moments in transition and individual attacking on the wings.

The second half’s pace did not slow, as the DU team maintained high pressure when opportunities were presented, often beginning with Cascadia turnovers due to strong defensive efforts from Abdulrazik Abdulkhalik. Near the 70th minute, a counter-attack led by Iessa Ramadan resulted in a corner kick that was put in the back of the net by DU’s Khalid Abdulkhalik. It was Darfur United’s first CONIFA goal in North America and Khalid’s first goal for the squad.

Cascadia added four more goals to the score sheet in the second half after a second penalty kick was awarded and a handful DU turnovers in dangerous areas. Goalkeeper Souleymane Adam recorded several saves on the match, including a tip over the crossbar after a well-struck shot from Cascadia’s right side.

Darfur United Head Coach, Mark Hodson provided his thoughts after the match: “We’re thankful to Cascadia for providing us with the opportunity to play an official CONIFA game here in the US and for being such gracious hosts. This is an ongoing journey for the Darfur United men’s team and allowed us the opportunity to give a high-level experience to a very young and new group of players. Some of these players will join our main DU squad over the upcoming months, as we prepare for Somaliland 2020 and we are very excited to move forward with what we believe will be the most competitive and exciting Darfur United team to date. There’s much more to come from this team.”

Darfur United will continue its preparations for the World Football Cup over the year, looking to provide players with additional opportunities to face the best in their league and develop their play as a unit.