Thanks to Fusion Media Group for this fantastic video. Check out other videos from Fusion Media at www.fusionmedia.co.uk.

The Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA) would like to express its immense gratitude to the referees officiating the 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup. The following referees are in charge during Saturday’s matches.

2pm, Queen Elizabeth II Stadium (Enfield Town FC): Abkhazia v Karpatalya (Group B)

Dmitrii Zhukov: Referee
Vitalii Mazin: A1
Valerii Kravchenko: A2
Aleksandr Demenko: 4th

5pm, Queen Elizabeth II Stadium (Enfield Town FC): Northern Cyprus v Tibet (Group B)

John McCallum: Referee
Andrew Mario Parody: A1
Denis Perez: A2
David Murphy: 4th

5pm, Colston Avenue Football Stadium (Carshalton Athletic FC): Ellan Vannin v Tamil Eelam (Group A)

Guastafierro Mario: Referee
Esposito Pasquale: A1
Sasso Mariano: A2
Amitrano Massimo: 4th

5pm, Arbour Park (Slough Town FC): Panjab v Western Armenia (Group D)

Kristian Michel: Referee
Tomaž Pirman: A1
Ollie Potter: A2
Givi Todua: 4th

5pm: Coles Park Stadium (Haringey Borough FC): Padania v Tuvalu (Group C)

Raymond Mashamba: Referee
René Jacobi: A1
Martin Rauh: A2
Dennis Wall: 4th

2pm, Colston Avenue Football Stadium (Carshalton Athletic FC): Barawa v Cascadia (Group A)

Utku Hamamcioglu: Referee
Isfendiyar Aciksoz: A1
Zekai Tore: A2
Fehim Dayi: 4th

2pm: Coles Park Stadium (Haringey Borough FC): Székely Land v Matabeleland (Group C)

Igor Gorshkov: Referee
Karl Parker: A1
Roger Lundbäck: A2
Clément Auclair: 4th

2pm, Larges Lane (Bracknell Town FC): United Koreans in Japan v Kabylia (Group D)

Leon Dastych: Referee
Martin Heiland: A1
Wilhelm Gürtler: A2
Ivan Mrkalj: 4th

The Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA) is pleased to announce the following individual awards following the 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup:

Goalkeeper Bela Fejer Csongor has been named the Paddy Power Player of the Tournament, following numerous impressive stints in goals for eventual champions Karpatalya including a match-winning save in the penalty shoot-out.

18-year-old striker Sami Boudia (Kabylia) has been named Global FCE Young Player of the Tournament. Boudia will be eligible to take up residency for one month at Global FCE’s unique training academies.

Kamaljit Singh (Panjab) has been awarded the CONIFA Golden Boot after topping the goal tally with six strikes.

The Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA) has been alerted to comments of the Sports Minister of Ukraine, Igor Zhdanov, regarding Karpatalya, winners of the 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup.

Minister Zhdanov posted on his official Facebook page: ‘I call on the Security Service of Ukraine to respond appropriately to such a frank act of sporting separatism. It is necessary to interrogate the players of the team, as well as to analyze in detail the activities of the deputy organizer of the “Carpathian” for the purpose of encroachment on the territorial integrity of Ukraine and ties with terrorist and separatist groups.’

CONIFA has similarly been alerted to the Football Federation of Ukraine’s intention to undertake an investigation into Karpatalya’s players. According to a statement on the Federation’s official website, ‘According to the results of this review, sanctions will be applied against these players, in particular – disqualification, after which players will not be able to claim to participate in amateur or professional tournaments held on the territory of Ukraine under the auspices of the FFU. We also urge the law enforcement agencies of Ukraine to pay attention to the fact of participation of the indicated players in competitions organized by CONIFA and to check their actions on the subject of propaganda of separatism and encroachment on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine.’

CONIFA wishes to stress that it is a politically-neutral, volunteer-run charity registered in Sweden. CONIFA takes no position on the political status of its member associations. CONIFA wishes to state that, to the best of its knowledge, the players, administrators and officials of the Karpatalya football team have never expressed any separatist sentiments or ambitions. The team has a long-standing, demonstrable history of publicly embracing the region’s dual heritage; the team’s flag and logo contain both flags, while the team wears Ukrainian and Hungarian colours on the pitch.

CONIFA General Secretary Sascha Düerkop said: ‘CONIFA is alarmed by calls to interrogate players from the Karpatalya team. CONIFA also considers the FFU’s proposal to de-register Karpatalya players to be draconian. We believe that everyone should be able to represent their identity via football. CONIFA stands with the players of Karpatalya and will monitor developments closely. We urge Minister Zhdanov and the FFU to reconsider their position.’

Author: Olaf Jensen

#WFC2018 Final: KARPATALYA 0-0 NORTHERN CYPRUS
(Karpatalya win 3-2 on penalties)

Karpatalya have won the 2018 CONIFA Paddy Power World Football Cup on penalties after a cagey goalless draw with Northern Cyprus, who will rue several fantastic missed opportunities.

As you’d expect from a major final, the opening stages were reserved and cagey. The first half was characterised by plenty of clumsy challenges – particularly from Northern Cyprus – but Mark Clattenburg ran a tight ship, and never produced a card.

Karpatalya had the best of the first period, but it was 10 minutes before Milan Laszik produced the first proper chance, glancing a powerful header narrowly wide.

Afterwards, the momentum seemed to swing towards Northern Cyprus. Their most lively player was Yasin Kurt, a pacy winger who would cut in from the right and thread incisive balls through to Tansel Ekingen. Ekingen, though, was too often outmuscled by the resolute Karpatalyan defence.

Kurt was a bigger threat, and it took Alex Svedjuk’s best efforts to deny him on one of his marauding runs into the box.

Then it was Karpatalya’s turn to attack. A Gergely Gyurki corner was barely scrambled away by the defence, and Istvan Sandor’s long-distance effort shaved the crossbar – the best chance of the half.

It was a nervous start to the second half; Northern Cyprus were unable to make the most of their strength and robustness, while Karpatalya were reduced to more long-range efforts from Sandor.

It wasn’t until the final minutes that Northern Cyprus started piling on the pressure. A sudden burst of energy was too much for the tiring Karpatalyans; Arif Uysal and Gajri Kiral surged through the defence to create a slew of chances.

Billy Mehmet, latching on to a cross from Unal Kaya, slammed a shot into the post – the best chance of the match – while Halil Turan put a header inches wide after good creative work. Uysal even called for a penalty after falling in the box, but Mark Clattenburg wasn’t interested.

A final corner amounted to nothing, and the final would have to be decided by penalties. Three fantastic saves from Bela Fejer gave Karpatalya the advantage, leaving Alex Svedjuk to bury the winner.

Not even the pouring rain could stop the Karpatalya celebrations, and the fans, whose colourful flares had lent the match a unique atmosphere, were delighted.

Ahead of the 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup final on Saturday, relive the best moments of the tournament.

The Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA) has been informed that Ellan Vannin has withdrawn from the 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup.

Ellan Vannin’s withdrawal comes following a vote of the tournament management committee on Monday 4 June, which rejected a challenge by Ellan Vannin to the eligibility of a Barawa player. Details of that vote can be found here.

Ellan Vannin’s fixture at 3pm on Tuesday 5 June, against Tibet at Bromley FC’s Hayes Lane, will be fulfilled by the ‘London Turkish All-Stars’. Refunds will be available online or on the gate on request. Ellan Vannin’s remaining fixtures in the tournament will be fulfilled by other opponents – CONIFA will release further details shortly. For tournament bracket purposes, Tibet’s match today will be treated as a 3-0 win.

Further details will be released shortly.

The Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA) would like to express its immense gratitude to the referees officiating the 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup. The following referees are in charge during Tuesday’s matches.

Quarter-Final A: Barawa v Northern Cyprus, Gander Green Lane, Sutton, 3pm

Referee: Ivan Mrki (Germany)
Assistant 1: Martin Heiland (Germany)
Assistant 2: Wilhelm Gürtler (Germany)
4th official: René Jacobi (Germany)

Quarter-Final B: Padania v Panjab, Larges Lane, Bracknell Town, 3pm

Referee: Vitalii Mazin
Assistant 1: Valerii Kravchenko
Assistant 2: Alexandr Demenko
4th official: Dmitrii Zhukov
(Donetsk)

Quarter-Final C: Cascadia v Karpatalya, Gander Green Lane, Sutton, 6pm

Referee: Fehim Dayi
Assistant 1: Isfendiyar Aciksoz
Assistant 2: Zekai Tore
4th official: Utku Hamamcioglu
(Northern Cyprus)

Quarter-Final D: Székely Land v Western Armenia, Hayes Lane, Bromley, 6pm

Referee: Givi Todua (England)
Assistant 1: Andrew Mario Parody
Assistant 2: Denis Pérez
4th official: David Murphy
(Isle of Man/Gibraltar)

Placement Match A: Ellan Vannin v Tibet, Hayes Lane, Bromley, 3pm

Referee: Guastafierro Mario
Assistant 1: Mariano Sasso
Assistant 2: Esposito Pasquale
4th official: Amitrano Massimo
(Italy)

Placement Match B: Matabeleland v Kabylia, Queen Elizabeth II Stadium, Enfield, 3pm

Referee: Kristian Michel (Slovakia)
Assistant 1: Thomas Pirman (Slovenia)
Assistant 2: Olly Potter (England)
4th Official: Dennis Wall (Sweden)

Placement Match C: Tamil Eelam v Abkhazia, Aveley, 6pm

Referee: Karl Parker (England)
Assistant 1: Tunde Adebayo (England) TBC
Assistant 2: Igor Gorshkov (Canada)
4th official: Clément Auclair (France)

Placement Match D: Tuvalu v United Koreans, Larges Lane, Bracknell Town, 6pm

Referee: Leon Dastych (Germany)
Assistant 1: Martin Rauh (Germany)
Assistant 2: Alan Martinez-Loyola (USA)
4th official: Raymond Mashamba (Zimbabwe)

With only a few days to go until Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA)’s 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup, 16 teams representing 334 million people across five continents are making final preparations for a unique tournament set to take place in London from Thursday 31 May to Saturday 9 June.

“We are excited to be able to host our largest ever tournament in Greater London, not only the historic home of the beautiful game but a vibrant and international city that welcomes people from all corners of the globe,” said CONIFA President, Per-Anders Blind. “With some teams based in the United Kingdom, some having large diaspora communities here and plenty of neutral favourites, we are confident of support from the London community.”

CONIFA is the international football confederation for teams not part of FIFA. Its members include states, partially-recognised states, regions, minority groups and sports-isolated territories. CONIFA is a strictly politically neutral charity, and is run by volunteers. The 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup is CONIFA’s biggest tournament yet, bringing together 16 teams to battle it out over 48 matches across 10 stadiums.

“The teams have worked tirelessly to get here,” said CONIFA General Secretary Sascha Düerkop. “Tuvalu are flying 15,000 kilometres from Funafuti to London, while Matabeleland have used crowd-funding to finance their participation at the 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup.”

“After months and months of planning, it is hard to believe the tournament is about to kick-off,” Düerkop continued. “We are so grateful to everyone that has turned an ambitious idea into an amazing reality: all our tournament sponsors, including naming rights partner Paddy Power; our army of volunteers; wonderful host clubs and stadiums; committed teams who have made it to London; and all the fans who will come to watch teams putting their hearts and souls into playing football on the international stage in such a wonderful location. As with all big sporting events, the fans make it, and we are ready to welcome everyone for a tournament of great football and an unbeatable atmosphere.”

Abkhazia, a partially-recognised territory claimed by Georgia, will be looking to defend their CONIFA World Football Cup title after winning the last edition in spectacular scenes on home-soil in 2016. 2017 European Football Cup Padania (a region of Italy), Ellan Vannin (Isle of Man) and Northern Cyprus are among the other favourites. Tibet, Matabeleland, Kabilya, Cascadia and Tuvalu are among the teams making their CONIFA debut. Barawa, a region of southern Somalia, are the official tournament hosts; the Barawa FA is a diaspora group based in London.

Tickets for the 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup are available via conifa.org/tickets.

The Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA) is pleased to announce Away Day Neutrals as an official partner of the 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup.

They told us: “Away Day Neutrals believes football is about more than just the match. After a couple of trips to watch games on the continent we found that the footballing culture of the countries we visited and the friendships we made through the football were just as important as the match. We realised that other people were interested in this too so we set up the site to document our travels. With the costs of watching the EPL spiraling out of control we wanted to show people that trips like ours can be done on a budget – we endeavour to get the flights, tickets and hotel for under £150.

“We have had much more interest in the site than we expected, particularly from the countries where we visit, as the locals are very interested to find out how two “away day neutrals” view their team and their city. We would love others who have done similar trips to contribute trip reports to the site and we already have a few people who have agreed to help out for next season. We’ve also been contacted by a number of people asking for our help to arrange their trips away and hopefully, once August ticks round again, we’ll be in a position to do this in some shape or form.

“When we found out about CONIFA and the 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup we loved the idea of using football to bring cultures together and thought it was a great match to what we have been doing. We therefore decided to support the event as best we could. We’ve added a dedicated section to the website and are currently preparing short previews of each of the teams competing, adding one or two every few days up until the tournament kicks off. Once it kicks off we will be doing full match reports of the games we attend and would love to post the thoughts of others who have been to the matches. If anyone would like to contribute future trip reports, their thoughts on CONIFA or just want more info on trips, we would love for them to email us at admin@awaydayneutrals.com.”

Written by: Alun Macer-Wright
Twitter: @alunmw221

With over 15,000km separating London and Funafuti, the capital of Tuvalu, the Pacific Island nation have by far the longest distance to travel to this summer’s CONIFA World Football Cup.

Tuvalu are the only representative team of a United Nations member state competing in London this summer. Tuvaluans are spread out across a combination of reef islands and atolls, and numbered a little over 10,000 at the 2012 census. To put in perspective, that is 25 times fewer people than the London borough of Haringey, where they play their first match.

The Polynesians come to England with high hopes. Soseala Tinilau, President of the Tuvalu Islands Football Association said: “My hope is for Tuvalu to compete at a highest level and be able to make it to the final four. But who knows, anything can happen in football.”

Tuvalu only stepped in to take their place in the London line-up in March, when fellow Pacific Islanders Kiribati were forced to pull out, citing financial difficulties.

The nation is an associate member of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) but have had their hopes of joining FIFA dashed in recent years. They regularly compete against other Pacific teams, and recorded impressive 2-1 and 4-3 victories against New Caledonia and Tonga respectively, at the 2017 Pacific Mini Games.

Tinilau recognised the challenges that the long-distance travel had posed, but spoke of the nation coming together to help the team. “It is a huge challenge especially when you are far away from London. We have worked so hard to do fundraising to purchase our airfares with great assistance from the Government as well as local businesses, communities, sports organizations and individuals,” he said.

Tuvalu spent most of the last century as a British colony, under the guise of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands, only gaining its independence in 1976. It is a member of the Commonwealth, so the CONIFA appearance will cap an exciting few months in sport, after the nation sent seven athletes to the slightly less far-flung Gold Coast for this year’s Commonwealth Games.

In terms of players for fans to watch out for, Tinilau said: “Our star men consist of Alopua Petoa (Tuvalu top scorer in international matches), Okilani Tinilau and Matti Hoffren Uaelesi.”

The Tuvaluans will come into this summer’s games with one warm-up fixture under their belts, against a Suva club team. Tinilau said this would test his squad’s preparation.

With senior major tournament appearances for teams from Oceania at a premium, opportunities such as this for offer a unique chance to develop football in the region. Tuvalu will be hoping to grab it with both hands.

CONIFA regrets to advise that Felvidék has withdrawn from the 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup due to internal organisational issues. Karpatalya, representing an ethnic Hungarian minority in Ukraine, will replace Felvidék. Following the qualification phase, Karpatalya was named the first reserve team from the European region.

CONIFA is an international football federation for teams outside of FIFA, with members including states, de facto states, regions, minority groups and sports-isolated territories. CONIFA is a non-profit organisation registered in Sweden. The 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup is being held in London between 31 May and 9 June. Tickets are now on sale.

Kids play football in Kurdistan, a CONIFA member. Image: Goal Click.

The Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA) is pleased to announce plans for a collaboration with Goal Click during the 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup.

Goal Click is a global media and photography project, helping people understand each other through football. Goal Click’s major project finds people from every country in the world (currently over 80) to tell stories that symbolise their country through football – all using one disposable analogue camera.

During the 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup, Goal Click will provide an analogue camera to several teams to document their journey through the tournament. Goal Click will then provide numerous teams with a camera following the event to take back to their homelands. Goal Click is already partnering with CONIFA member South Ossetia, with CONIFA General Secretary Sascha Düerkop delivered a camera to the national team of the partially-recognised state in the Caucasus on a recent official visit.

CONIFA is an international football federation for teams outside of FIFA, with members including states, de facto states, regions, minority groups and sports-isolated territories. CONIFA is a non-profit organisation registered in Sweden.

Goal Click can be found on Instagram (@goalclick) and Twitter (@Goal_Click). Some of its projects so far include civil war amputees in Sierra Leone, Kurdish football on the border with Islamic State, Rwandan Genocide survivors, Serbian ultras, Mexican police, bukatsu sports clubs in Japan and football in the Ural Mountains of Russia. Goal Click hosted its first exhibition in London during UEFA Euro 2016 in partnership with adidas.

CONIFA’s social media call for a 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup wall chart has been answered, with Darren Knapton kindly designing a graphic featuring all the fixtures of the 48-match tournament.

• Download the wall chart here [PDF]

View designer Darren Knapton’s twitter page and blog, Pint of Football.

CONIFA is an international football federation for teams outside of FIFA, with members including states, de facto states, regions, minority groups and sports-isolated territories. CONIFA is a non-profit organisation registered in Sweden.

Tickets for the 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup are on sale now.

The Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA) are pleased to announce that Hong Kong-based clothing company Giordano and its sportswear partner Stingz Sportswear Limited will be the official partners of the 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup, to be held in London between 31 May and 9 June.

Stingz will be the official technical apparel suppliers to Cascadia, Tuvalu and match officials. Giordano will be the official polo shirt supplier for CONIFA officials and volunteers.

Several of the designs have already been released.

We are pleased to unveil the official playing kit for the #Tuvalu national football team sponsored by @giordano_uk for the #CONIFA World Football Cup, which kicks off on 31st May 2018 in London@CONIFAOfficial @paddypower@WFC2018 #TIFA pic.twitter.com/Ce62IGvQDG

— Stingz Sportswear Limited (@StingzProwear) April 6, 2018

We are pleased to unveil the official referee kit sponsored by @giordano_uk for the #CONIFA World Football Cup, which kicks off on 31st May 2018 in London@CONIFAOfficial @paddypower@WFC2018 #Referee pic.twitter.com/JDaxIOCAAG

— Stingz Sportswear Limited (@StingzProwear) April 7, 2018

‘We are delighted to have an internationally-recognised clothing company partner with CONIFA ahead of the tournament,’ said CONIFA President Per-Anders Blind. ‘With the tournament less than two months away, momentum is building and we can’t wait to deliver a world class tournament.’

Written by: Alun Macer-Wright
Twitter: @alunmw221

As well as hosting this year’s CONIFA World Football Cup, the tournament marks Barawa’s debut appearance in the competition. Barawa is a port town in southwestern Somalia, with the team drawn from the Somali diaspora in England, hence why they are considered hosts in a tournament that is being played in stadiums across London. Barawa was not even a member of CONIFA last time its premier competition took place in Abkhazia in 2016, joining in July of that year.

Barawa’s side consists mainly of semi-professional players from the English non-league pyramid. With the entirety of the tournament taking place during Ramadan, most of the team will be fasting, which could pose additional challenges. It is a situation often faced in summer international tournaments, with many of the Algeria side fasting during their FIFA World Cup last-16 game against Germany.

One of the Barawa’s key organisers Haji Munye described the timing of the tournament in Ramadan as “very, very difficult”, but stressed his team’s pride at hosting the event. “Never has Barawa gained so much recognition before like we have since we’ve joined CONIFA. Our main objective is to create awareness of Barawa and promote peace and be part of the rehabilitation process in Barawa.”

The town of Barawa has a population of only around 32,800, and has traditionally been inhabited by both the Bravanese and the Tunni clan of the Somali people. The two groups have their own distinct cultures and languages, with the Bravanese speaking Chimiini (a dialect of Swahili) and the Tunni speaking Af-Tunni, alongside regular Somali.

Somalia has experienced almost constant conflict since the collapse of its central government in 1991. It has been inching towards stability under an internationally recognised government, but still faces a challaenge from Al-Qaeda-aligned Al-Shabab insurgents. A 2012 Canadian Immigration and Refugee Board report described how minority groups in Somalia such as the Bravanese are “reported to suffer daily violence and persecution”, with “their languages and cultures neither accepted nor respected”.

The Barawa FA has sought to give the Barawanese culture greater exposure around the world and actively re-develop football in the southern region of Somalia. A 10-team league has been developed in the region, with the FA and CONIFA working together to provide the resources to make this a reality.

Munye said that the team were looking forward to sharing the experience with a few players they are hoping to bring over to London. He said that the side’s aim on the pitch was simply to “perform well and avoid embarrassing results”, recognising the challenge they will face against more experienced sides at the tournament.

Over the past few years, the side have competed in the three-team World Unity Cup 2016 against the Chagos Islands and Tamil Eelam, which also took place in London, as well as various friendlies. Their results have seen Barawa placed 11^th in the most recent CONIFA World Rankings, making it one of the lowest-ranked sides in this year’s competition.

In February, they came up against the YouTube-based team, Hashtag United, which finished in a 0-0 draw, and received over 350,000 views on the video-sharing platform. As part of their preparations for the World Football Cup, they will come up against Yorkshire, another relatively new CONIFA member, on 15 April at Coles Park in north London. Munye described Yorkshire as “a great addition” to the confederation, and said the opportunity to play them was too good to turn down.

Barawa will play their first World Football Cup game against Tamil Eelam on 31 May at Hayes Lane, home of Bromley FC, before further group stage games scheduled against Cascadia and Ellan Vannin. Further details, including of how to buy tickets for the matches can be found here.

Written by: Alun Macer-Wright
Twitter: @alunmw221

Ellan Vannin, better known to most as the Isle of Man, will be the only team representing the British Isles at this year’s CONIFA Paddy Power World Football Cup in London, and will hope to make the most of this ‘home advantage’.

Ellan Vannin will enter the tournament as one of the favourites on paper, sitting in fourth in the latest CONIFA World Rankings, and having reached the final the last time they competed in the Confederation’s flagship competition in 2014. On that occasion, they lost on penalties to the County of Nice. In 2016, they withdrew from the competition after receiving advice from the British Home Office not to travel to the host nation of Abkhazia.

Manx International Football Alliance (MIFA) chairman Malcolm Blackburn said: “Everybody associated with Ellan Vannin is counting down the days to our first match against Cascadia on the 31st May.”

Blackburn describes the tournament as “going into the unknown” with regard to the strength of opposition teams, but was optimistic about the Manxmen’s chances: “As a team made up of mainly amateur players, we always appear to be able to ‘kick above our weight’. The enthusiasm of our players and management is infectious and does appear to take us to a level where we can compete with the best,” he said.

The island iteself is a self-governing British Crown dependency in the Irish Sea, having never become part of the United Kingdom. The legislature of the Isle of Man, called ‘Tynwald’, was put into place by Vikings more than 1,000 years ago and thus is the oldest continuous parliamentary body in the world. It was also the first national legislative body in the world to give women the right to vote in a general election, although married women were excluded.

The Isle of Man has a distinct identity, including the Manx language, in which “Ellan Vannin” is the name of the island. The language is closely related to Scottish and Irish Gaelic, and although the last native speaker, Ned Maddrell, died in 1974, and it was declared extinct by UNESCO in 2009, it has enjoyed somewhat of a revival on the island since that point.

Participation in London will add to an exciting summer period in Manx sport, with the island also sending 33 athletes to the Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast. With a population of fewer than 85,000 people, the Manx are certainly punching above their weight in the sporting arena.

The Ellan Vannin side is CONIFA-affiliated and players are required to have Manx ties.  This makes it distinct from the Isle of Man FA side which competes in competitions such as the Island Games. After initial friction around the idea of the Ellan Vannin team from MIFA and IOMFA (the English FA county association), the two parties executed a Memorandum of Understanding in March 2014.

Following their breakthrough success at the World Football Cup in Sápmi in 2014, the Manxmen went on to claim bronze in the 2015 CONIFA European Football Cup and gold at the 2015 NIAMH Challenge Cup.

Amongst their key players in London will be the likes of captain, Frank Jones, who has played in every one of their 25 games since their first against Monaco in 2014. MIFA chairman Blackburn was keen to stress the importance of the team unit as a whole however: “The strength of Ellan Vannin is that we play as a team and as such it would be very difficult to single out any one player.”

Ellan Vannin is the twin team of Darfur United, a team consisting of refugees on the Chad border, for whom they have raised funds. In the same CONIFA spirit, Blackburn said: “Who knows what London holds for us but I am sure that once again Ellan Vannin will make a lot of friends in the CONIFA family.”

Ellan Vannin were the first opponents of new CONIFA members, Yorkshire, with the sides playing out a 1-1 draw in Fitzwilliam in January 2018.

The team’s preparation for this summer’s tournament will include a match against England Universities in Sandbach on April 29. They will also participate in the Yorkshire-based Jorvik Trophy against Yorkshire and Tibet from May 24-26, shortly before the CONIFA World Football Cup gets underway.

The World Football Cup 2018 is less than one month away.  With Title Sponsor Paddy Power and ticketing partner Eventim in place, WFC 2018 is already a lock to have CONIFA’s largest audience ever.

With 48 matches to play and with CONIFA representing regions consisting of over 300,000,000 people, the opportunity for marketing is massive.  And with a wide array of branding opportunities, CONIFA is looking for commercial partners of all shapes and sizes to be a part of the 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup in London.

If you are interested in becoming part of a unique international event, please get in touch with our sponsorship manager, Dean Madders.  The world is waiting to see your organisation!

Please note that since this post was published, additional games have been added at Colston Avenue. The full fixture list is available here.

Carshalton Athletic FC’s Colston Avenue Football Stadium will host two matches during the Confederation of Independent Football Association’s 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup. Both encounters will take place on Saturday 2 June, with Barawa v Cascadia kicking off at 2pm (UK time) followed by Ellan Vannin (Isle of Man) v Tamil Eelam later in the afternoon at 5pm.

Carshalton Athletic, nicknamed the Robins, are based at the War Memorial Sports Ground in Carshalton, Sutton. The Colston Avenue Football Stadium has capacity for 5,000 spectators, the majority standing. The team are currently flying high in the the Bostik League South division, where they sit in third place.

‘We are delighted to be hosting matches during the 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup,’ said club owner and chairman Paul Dipre. ‘We have a shared ethos with CONIFA – football for all – and so we embraced this opportunity to support the tournament.’

‘It is fantastic to partner with a well-run club with fantastic community engagement,’ said CONIFA General Secretary Sascha Düerkop. ‘We are really looking forward to bringing the CONIFA story to Carshalton.’

Tickets for the 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup are on-sale now via Eventim.

The Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA) is pleased to announce bookmaker Paddy Power as the title sponsor of the 2018 CONIFA World Football Cup.

“We see Paddy Power as a fantastic fit to support our biggest event yet,” said CONIFA President Per-Anders Blind. “Both CONIFA and Paddy Power have reputations for doing things differently, and we are excited about collaborating with them to deliver an incredible celebration of football, culture and international understanding in the sport’s spiritual home, London.”

The 2018 Paddy Power CONIFA World Football Cup is set to bring together 16 teams from across the globe, including defending champions Abkhazia, European champions Padania and debutants such as Tibet, Barawa and Kabylia. The tournament will begin on Thursday 31 May, with the Grand Final decided on Saturday 9 June.

Spokesman Paddy Power said: “I’m thrilled to announce Paddy Power’s sponsorship of the CONIFA World Football Cup – organised for the outsiders and underdogs of international football who aren’t recognised by FIFA.

“We all know that London was supposed to hold a major football tournament this summer, so we decided to serve one up for our UK punters which couldn’t be stolen away by Russian Rubles.

“It is especially exciting because it’s the first time Paddy Power has been involved in organising an entire tournament. Or been mentioned in the same breath as the Dalai Lama.”

CONIFA is an international football federation for teams outside of FIFA, with members including states, de facto states, regions, minority groups and sports-isolated territories. CONIFA is a non-profit organisation registered in Sweden.

Paddy Power, part of Paddy Power Betfair, is an Irish bookmaker with extensive operations in the United Kingdom.

Over the past week, the Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA) has been undertaking a member visit in the remote Pacific nation of Kiribati. This collection of 34 atolls, islands and reefs is incredibly picturesque, yet at the forefront of the threat posed by rising sea levels. CONIFA is eager to promote the development of football in Kiribati in partnership with the Kiribati Islands Football Association (KIFA).

KIFA joined CONIFA in May 2016, and is also an associate member of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC). Kiribati is a United Nations member and has an extensive history of football, which began in the 1950s and has seen the national team compete at several Pacific Games. Kiribati is seemingly eligible for admission into Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), yet despite lodging a membership application with the OFC and FIFA in the early 2000s has not yet been admitted. CONIFA intends to work with KIFA over the coming year to advance this goal, establishing dialogue with the relevant bodies and ascertaining how the application can be progressed.

Football is the number one sport in Kiribati, despite a lack of available land limiting the number of full-sized pitches. Many kids grow up playing the game on the beach, and the technical abilities bestowed by this environment were evident in several matches observed by CONIFA in Kiribati. CONIFA’s visit coincided with the final days of KIFA’s Taiwan Sport Tournament, which brought together 60 teams from across Kiribati’s far-flung atolls. Given the lack of regular transportation links between many of the atolls, such participation was a remarkable feat and emphasised the love of football in Kiribati.

In addition to the sport’s intrinsic benefits, football has great potential to provide a positive health impact in Kiribati. The nation has a high rate of non-communicable diseases, and the promotion of sport is seen by many i-Kiribati as a way to address this health problem. During the visit, CONIFA met with the Australian High Commissioner, Mr Bruce Cowled, to discuss Australia’s development role in Kiribati. Australia currently funds a basketball initiative called Hoops for Health, and CONIFA is keen to build on such efforts to develop a similar program in the football sector.

After several years of inactivity, KIFA intends to reinvigorate the Kiribati national team. CONIFA held preliminary talks with KIFA about the team’s participation at forthcoming CONIFA tournaments, and these discussions will be continued at the CONIFA Annual General Meeting in January. CONIFA and KIFA hope to be able to confirm the team’s schedule for 2017/18 by early next year.

CONIFA’s visit was hosted by KIFA and its President, Mr Ioteba Redfern. CONIFA would like to thank Mr Redfern and his family for their generous hospitality, and all stakeholders in Kiribati who took the time to discuss football development with us. We look forward to working with KIFA to ensure a bright future for football in this beautiful part of the world.

During the visit, CONIFA created a new website for KIFA. To learn more about football in Kiribati, please see here.

“Every underdog has its day” has been the inspiring and hopeful mantra of CONIFA since day one. Back in 2013, different teams’ heads created the Confederation of Independent Football Associations in order to give athletes of unrecognised states, stateless citizens, and micronations a chance to show their love for the game.

In other words, it presents various minorities a platform where they can develop their skills and grow their love for football, with the hopes of someday making it to the big leagues. One such member is the self-governing Crown dependency in the Irish Sea known as Isle of Man, which includes its proud native Seamus Sharkey.

In the first quarter of 2016, Seamus Sharkey successfully carved his place in CONIFA’s history books by debuting as Limerick FC‘s new centre-back. The 26-year-old was signed until the end of the season in October to the League of Ireland Division One club following an impressive 45-minute trial and workout.

Seamus Sharkey quickly became a crowd favourite after starting and scoring in his first big league match. Dave Crennell, an influential man in Ellan Vannin’s sports scene, recommended the Isle of Man footballer to Limerick. It also seemed like the stars aligned at the perfect time as the club’s owner, Pat Sullivan, needed a defender and called Crennell just one day before this momentous debut.

Carrying a Manx lineage himself, Dave Crennell didn’t hesitate to handpick his countryman Seamus Sharkey. In a statement last March during the signing announcement, Crennell couldn’t be any happier and prouder of Seamus’ success. With this, they both hope that it’s a step in the right direction and will lead to more opportunities not just for Manx football, but also for CONIFA athletes in general.

Even though Limerick FC is on the verge of promotion, they are far from once again challenging the Irish Premier Division leaders, Dundalk. The club, however, still has high hopes for the future. As a side note, both clubs were expected to put on a show in last year’s David versus Goliath match, with Limerick fighting relegation and Dundalk enjoying another rousing run, based on a Betfair Football piece by Kevin Hatchard.

All things considered, whether he comes back 100 per cent healthy after a recent concussion and continues to impress folks overseas, CONIFA’s mantra resonates deeply in Seamus Sharkey. He has proven time and again that even a lad from a small island nation can make it big. Who knows, if everything goes well, he may one day make it to the Premier League. Of course there will always be doubters, challenges, and hardships along the way. It will certainly be hard, but at the end of the day, who doesn’t love a true underdog story?

In association with Tellyo, we have compiled a video of the best goals from #Abkhazia2016. Watch below and let us know what you think on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

The 2016 World Football Cup concluded on Sunday, with home side Abkhazia lifting the trophy in front of a packed Dinamo Stadium in Sukhum. In the last remaining placement game, meanwhile, Northern Cyprus beat Padania 2-0 to claim third overall. Check out our full match wraps and video highlights below.

Abkhazia 1 – 1 Panjab (Abkhazia won 6-5 on penalties), Sukhum

Abkhazia is tonight celebrating after a remarkable come from behind victory over Panjab saw them secure the 2016 World Football Cup. The hosts twice looked out of the game – firstly when they were trailing 1-0 in the 86th minute, and again when they were two penalties down in the shoot-out. But a stranger-than-fiction turn of events saw Abkhazia equalise to send the game to spot-kicks, and then complete a penalty great escape to triumph in Sukhum.

Padania 0 – 2 Northern Cyprus, Sukhum

Northern Cyprus secured third place at the 2016 World Football Cup with a 2-0 win over Padania in Sukhum. Under the blazing sun and with both teams having played yesterday, the first half was a slow affair highlighted by a close flyby from a helicopter just before the break.

The Northern Cypriots scored early in the second half, clattering the ball in from two yards out to take a lead they would never relinquish. A second goal came at the 80-minute mark, with a strong break and nice pass facilitating an easy finish.

Padania fought hard but without their suspended star striker, Matteo Prandelli, they lacked attacking potency. The Italian side end their 2016 World Football Cup campaign in fourth.

The knock-out stage of the 2016 CONIFA World Football Cup began on Wednesday, with two games in Sukhum. Check out our full match wraps below.

Northern Cyprus 1 – 1 United Koreans of Japan (Northern Cyprus won 4-2 on penalties), Sukhum

There was heartbreak at Dinamo Stadium for the United Koreans of Japan, after they lost to tournament heavyweights Northern Cyprus on penalties. Despite being the better team for the latter part of the game, two saved spot-kicks consigned the Koreans to placement games while Northern Cyprus proceeded to the semi-final.

FC Korea midfielder On Songtae was distraught following the loss: “I am very disappointed. We had more chances than our opposition, and played much better than during our first two games of the tournament. But we just could not convert opportunities – that was our problem today.”

Northern Cyprus will now face Abkhazia in the second semi-final on Saturday.

Abkhazia 2 – 0 Sapmi, Sukhum

Abkhazia have affirmed their status as tournament favourites with another commanding win in Sukhum, putting two goals past Sapmi in the evening game. A goalkeeper error on a corner allowed Abkhazia in for the opener midway through the first-half, before a late penalty sealed the win.

Sapmi coach Morten Pedersen, who had a lengthy professional career across Europe, fronted the press following his side’s loss. “The atmosphere was perfect for such an important match,” Pedersen explained. “I was hoping we could keep the game level until half-time, and then the home side would start to feel some pressure, but they scored a lucky goal and the game got away from us.”

Pedersen’s side were given perhaps the toughest route to #Abkhazia2016 triumph after finishing second in their group. Asked whether he considered his side unfortunate to play hosts Abkhazia so early in the knock-out rounds, the coach did not look for excuses. “This is what happens when you do not win your group,” Pedersen continued. “I am glad we could play Abkhazia, in front of such a great audience, but I am very disappointed we were unable to hold them out and convert our chances.”

For Abkhazia coach Beslan Adjinjal, a third consecutive win only cemented his confidence in the team’s ability to secure the 2016 World Football Cup trophy. “We are absolutely confident of continuing our winning run,” he affirmed. “We are at home here, and everything is pushing us to victory.”

On Thursday 2 May, Kurdistan face Padania in the third quarter-final at 3pm local time (GMT+3). Panjab then tackle Western Armenia at 8pm local time to decide the last semi-final place. Both games are in Sukhum. Gagra then hosts two placement games: Chagos Islands v Somaliland (11am local time) and Szekely Land v Raetia (3pm local time). Watch all games live on SolidTango or follow match updates on MobStats. Also be sure to follow our tournament updates on social media: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

The semi-finals of the 2016 CONIFA World Football Cup were held on Saturday in Sukhum, while exciting two placement games took place in Gagra. Check out our full match wraps below.

Panjab 1 – 0 Padania, Sukhum

Panjab booked their ticket to the Final after a hard-fought 1-0 win over Padania in Sukhum.

A large crowd watched Panjab and Padania grind through a tense first half, with few chances for either side before the break. The second stanza started more positively for Padania, creating some decent opportunities immediately after the restart.

However, Panjab broke the deadlock following a strong move in the box which led to a shot off the bar and, in the ensuing scramble, Rio Riaz headed home the game’s only goal. Panjab then held strong for the remaining minutes to continue their unbeaten run. In a sour moment just before full-time, a Padania player received a second yellow card and was sent-off for acting aggressively towards an opponent.

“It was a tough game,” said Panjab FA President Harpreet Singh. “Padania are quality. Football is in their DNA. But for tomorrow, we are confident.”

The British-based team, who represent the Panjab region of India and Pakistan, have upset several more fancied opponents during the tournament. They will face Abkhazia in the Final on Sunday.

Abkhazia 2 – 0 Northern Cyprus, Sukhum

A tale of two semi-finals. While Panjab v Padania was a defensive affair, the evening match between hosts Abkhazia and Northern Cyprus was 90 minutes of flowing, attacking football.

The Cypriots began the game by showing the local fans their appreciation, gifting them with roses and footballs. The fans applauded gratefully, but once the whistle blew the fans’ love was for Abkhazia only. The match featured great skill from both sides, with mazy runs, dribbling trickery and an attempted overhead scissor kick. It was the home team, however, that would provide the finish.

A scramble in the box led to a first-half goal, while after the break Abkhazia’s second strike was all class. A perfectly weighted deep ball was followed up with a deft lob over the keeper.

The stadium was at capacity again, as it will surely be on Sunday night when the Abkhazians play for World Football Cup glory in front of their passionate home fans.

Kurdistan 1 – 1 United Koreans of Japan (won 2-4 on penalties), Gagra

The United Koreans of Japan avenged their quarter-final penalty heartbreak by beating tournament heavyweights Kurdistan to finish seventh overall, converting four spot-kicks to two in Gagra following a one-all draw.

In a spectacular finish to the seventh place playoff, Kurdistan looked to have sealed victory when the game entered injury time with the Kurds 1-0 up. But a quick free-kick in the 94th minute saw the United Koreans of Japan equalise, sending the game to a spot-kick finish. With both teams losing on penalties already in the tournament, the shoot-out was destined to be particularly tense. Ultimately the United Koreans held their nerve, finding the net four times to seal the result.

Sapmi 3 – 0 Western Armenia, Gagra

In the afternoon game in Gagra, a dominant Sapmi ran out 3-nil victors over Western Armenia to secure fifth place at #Abkhazia2016.

On Sunday 5 June, Panjab face Abkhazia at 7pm local time (GMT+3) in the #Abkhazia2016 Final. Earlier, at 3pm local time, Padania play Northern Cyprus in the third place playoff. Watch both games live on SolidTango or follow match updates on MobStats. Also be sure to follow our tournament updates on social media: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

The knock-out stage of the 2016 CONIFA World Football Cup continued on Thursday, with two games in Sukhum. Gagra, meanwhile, hosted two placement games. Check out our full match wraps below.

Kurdistan 2 – 2 Padania (Padania won 7-6 on penalties), Sukhum

Padania upset tournament heavyweights Kurdistan in Sukhum following a nail-biting penalty shoot-out finish, securing progress to the semi-finals.

The Italian side went ahead early through a beautiful free-kick in the 12th minute, but Kurdistan were soon back on level pegging. Another Kurdish goal followed, giving the side an advantage entering half-time, before Padania scored again midway through the second stanza to force the match to penalties.

The sides were locked at four goals apiece after regulation penalties, with a series of tense sudden-death spot-kicks ensuing. Kurdistan missed on their eight attempt, but Padania’s final penalty taker made no mistake, sealing the win for CONIFA’s European champions.

Padania will now face Panjab in the first semi-final on Saturday.

Western Armenia 2 – 3 Panjab, Sukhum

Panjab continued their dream run at the 2016 World Football Cup, surviving a Western Armenia comeback to claim a semi-final berth in Sukhum. The British-based team, who represent the Panjab region of India and Pakistan, have been the tournament’s surprise package with wins over both Sapmi and Somaliland prior to the quarter-final.

A first-half hat-trick to Darlington striker Amar Purewal looked to have secured Panjab a third consecutive win, before two Western Armenia goals raised hopes of a thrilling comeback. Panjab’s defence held in the final minutes, though, to ensure them a clash with Padania in the next round.

“Our manager told us to start defensively, so we certainly did not expect to go three goals up so quickly,” explained midfielder Amaruir Sandhu at the post-match press conference. “Then we just had to hold on.”

Somaliland 3 – 2 Chagos Islands, Gagra
Those attending match seventeen in Gagra were treated to a thriller and the biggest comeback of #Abkhazia2016 so far. Somaliland and Chagos Islands met in a battle between fan favourites, with Somaliland squeaking out a 3-2 win.

Chagos Islands scored their first goal of the tournament early in the match and followed that up with a second shortly after the halftime break. However Somaliland stormed back with three straight strikes, including a brace by forward Moebarik Mohamed, to secure a comeback victory.

The energy of the crowd helped fuel Somaliland to victory, according to their players, who have have gained a lot of love from the locals in Gagra. “They really took to us and we took to them, as well,” said centre-half Guiled Aden. “They have pretty much adopted us.”

Sabrina Jean, coordinator and founder of the Chagos Islands side, lamented her side’s injury woes but loved the effort she saw on the pitch. “A win or loss for our team, I’m very proud of our boys,” she said. “They play with their heart.”

Unfortunately due to technical difficulties no highlights are available from this game.

Szekely Land 7 – 0 Raetia, Gagra

The afternoon clash in Gagra was a decidedly more one-sided affair, with Szekely Land putting a couple of disappointing results behind them to beat Raetia 7-0. The crowd’s enthusiasm held strong throughout the match, cheering equally hard for the last-minute penalty as they did for the opener.

Despite the result, one Raetia fan went home happy: six-year old Muscovite Vanya has been a diehard FA Raetia fan since coming across the team on Facebook at the tender age of four. His parents brought him from Moscow to watch his heroes play in Gagra.

Sporting his handmade “I ❤️ Raetia” shirt, Vanya cheered for the squad. After the match the players hoisted the child on their shoulders and gave him a game-worn jersey, as well as signing Vanya’s prized t-shirt. Fan and players alike, embodying the spirit of the CONIFA World Football Cup.

On Friday 3 June, United Koreans of Japan face Sapmi at 3pm local time (GMT+3). Kurdistan then tackle Western Armenia at 8pm local time. Both games are in Sukhum. Gagra then hosts two further placement games: Chagos Islands v Raetia (11am local time) and Szekely Land v Somaliland (3pm local time). Watch all games live on SolidTango or follow match updates on MobStats. Also be sure to follow our tournament updates on social media: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

The group stage of the 2016 CONIFA World Football Cup continued on Tuesday, with four exciting games across two cities. Check out our full match wraps below.

Northern Cyprus 7 – 0 Raetia, Gagra
World Football Cup contenders Northern Cyprus maintained their unbeaten start to the tournament, routing Raetia at Daur Akhvlediani Stadium in Gagra. Esin Sonay scored an impressive hat-trick in the win, while Halil Turan bagged a brace.

The Cypriots now face the United Koreans of Japan in the first quarter-final, while Raetia will compete in a placement game.

United Koreans of Japan 0 – 3 Kurdistan, Sukhum
A powerful display from Kurdistan earned them top spot in Group B, defeating the United Koreans of Japan 3-0 in sunny Sukhum. The Kurds opened the scoring in the 25th minute, before converting a penalty on the stroke of half-time to give the team a commanding lead at the break.

Despite several attacking opportunities, the United Koreans of Japan were unable to break through and Kurdistan sealed the result with a third goal.

Panjab 5 – 0 Somaliland, Gagra
Panjab continued their strong run of form with a 5-0 victory over Somaliland in beautiful Gagra, thanks to a hat-trick from Amar Purewal and goals to Gurjit Singh and Arjun Purewal. Singh, who plays in England for Kidderminster Harriers, also scored in Panjab’s previous encounter with Sapmi and will be key when his side faces Western Armenia in the quarter-final.

While Somaliland players were disappointed with a second consecutive loss, the team has battled valiantly in both games and will look to record a win in their placement game

Highlights coming soon.

Abkhazia 1 – 0 Western Armenia, Sukhum
Hosts Abkhazia cemented their status as tournament favourites with a thrilling 1-0 victory against Western Armenia. In front of a sell-out crowd in Sukhum, the home side scored early but had to repel several threatening Western Armenian attacks.

Abkhazia coach Beslan Adjinjal spoke to the media following the win. “We are very proud to play before our people, and there was absolutely no spare space in the stadium,” he observed. “We are very confident of winning the 2016 World Football Cup – playing in our home country gives us great confidence.”

On Wednesday 1 May, the United Koreans of Japan tackle Northern Cyprus in the first quarter-final at 3pm local time (GMT+3). Sapmi then face Abkhazia at 8pm local time. Both games are in Sukhum. Watch live on SolidTango or follow match updates on MobStats. Also be sure to follow our tournament updates on social media: Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

The 2016 CONIFA World Football Cup began in style on Sunday, with four action-packed games providing plenty of excitement for local and visiting fans. Check out our full match wraps below.

Padania 1 – 2 Northern Cyprus, Gagra
Two heavyweight teams offered an excellent advertisement for the CONIFA World Football Cup, with Northern Cyprus overturning a first-half deficit with two quick goals to beat Padania in the opening game.

Padania manager Arturo Merlo explained following the match: “We come here as the European Champions of CONIFA. I was pleased with the initial performance, but we could not find an equaliser. Tomorrow we need a win.”

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Kurdistan 3 – 0 Székely Land, Sukhum
Kurdistan opened their account at the CONIFA World Football Cup in impressive form, defeating a spirited Székely Land in Sukhum. After an even first-half, the physically fitter Kurds overwhelmed their Szeklers opponents to take victory at the Dinamo Stadium.

Farhang Wirya, Farhan Shokor and Huner Ahmed each scored a goal apiece in the win, cementing Kurdistan’s position as one of the tournament favourites.

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Somaliland 0 – 5 Sapmi, Gagra
Sapmi showed their footballing class in Gagra, running out 5-0 winners over Somaliland. Sapmi coach Morten Pedersen, who had a lengthy playing career in the Bundesliga and with Norwegian side Tromso, said: “We scored some really nice goals today. We tried to stretch them and make them tired, and our plan worked.”

Despite the result, Somaliland centre-back Guiled Aden spoke highly of his time so far in Abkhazia. “We are very disappointed to lose our first game,” he said. “For most of us this is our first game playing together, and to lose our goalkeeper to injury at 0-1 was challenging. But we are loving the country and the people, and having a great time.”

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Abkhazia 9 – 0 Chagos Islands, Sukhum
Host team Abkhazia recorded a dominant victory over the Chagos Islands in front of a packed local crowd in Sukhum. After creating some early chances, the Chagossians conceded a penalty and had a player sent off. This opened the goal-scoring floodgates for Abkhazia, who proceeded to control the remainder of the game.

In a heart-warming conclusion to the game, the Chagos Islands team were cheered off the pitch by the local Abkhazian fans.

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On Monday 30 May, Székely Land tackle the United Koreans of Japan, the Chagos Islands face Western Armenia, Padania and Raetia clash while Panjab squares off against Sapmi. Watch live on SolidTango or follow match updates on MobStats.

During the 3rd AGM in Bergamo, Italy, on the 09.01.2016 the members of CONIFA elected the 12 teams that will participate in the World Football Cup #Abkhazia2016.

We congratulate the following 12 teams that will battle for glory in Sukhum:

• Abkhazia
• Chagos Islands
• Kurdistan
• Northern Cyprus
• Padania
• Panjab
• Raetia
• Romani People
• Sapmi
• Somaliland
• United Koreans in Japan
• Western Armenia

More detailed information about the World Football Cup #Abkhazia2016 can be found on the official tournament homepage:

www.worldfootballcup.org

The CONIFA family keeps growing steadily and is able to welcome its latest member – the Lezghian Football Association representing Lezghians around the world!

The Lezghian People are a minority from Dagestan (Russia) and Northern Azerbaijan that are looking back to 2400 years of history.

However, they just started to organize themselves in terms of football recently and are hoping to have some first friendly matches in their home stadium in the stadium of Magaramkent (Dagestan, Russia), which serves as their home stadium. Besides that the team is eager to play in CONIFA tournaments as soon as possible and test themselves on the biggest possible stage!

Once again a warm welcome to our 28th member and our 5th Asian member!

Read more about our newest members and ways to contact them directly on their CONIFA member page.

During the European Football Cup 2015 the Executive Committee of CONIFA sat together to recap the preparations for the tournament and to decide on the next steps towards a bright future. After some silence following the tournament we now want to publish our views on the visa refusals to two of our honorable members, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and in the same time we want to look with you on all the amazing things that await us in 2016!

Looking back:

We would like to start with the most negatively touching experience we had to make since the foundation of CONIFA, which was the denial of the Hungarian authorities, in particular the Hungarian embassy in Moscow, to ignore the visa requests of our members from Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The whole Executive Committee still feels devastated looking to the unwanted political message and side-not this added to our tournament. From day 1 one of CONIFA’s main values is neutrality and the pure work for people, not for political ideas or opinions. Nevertheless the Hungarian authorities made us a victim of political and diplomatic strategies and unfortunately we could not avoid in time, even though we joined all forces to do so.

The main point that left us speechless about the fact that the visa applications have been ignored is that no reason was given at any time, while it was approved that all formalities are correct and despite their earlier Schengen visa for the CONIFA World Football Cup 2014. This gives us and the Abkhaz and South Ossetian delegations the bitter feeling that visas have been declined only on the basis that the delegates were Abkhaz or South Ossetians. This would surely contradict paragraph 13, the freedom of movement, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was signed by Hungary on 25.03.1969.

To express our shock and, most important, to reach a full investigation on the matter, we wrote an open letter to the embassy of Hungary in Moscow with copies being sent to the Hungarian Foreign Ministry, the European Union, the United Nations, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and media all over the world. We hope to achieve a full investigation and reasoning on the case, which hopefully leads to the fact that we will never again have to face such problems.

In addition the letter is published here to give everyone a chance to follow our doings and get their own impressions:

• Read the Open Letter [PDF]

Moving forward:

During the same meeting in Debrecen we luckily also had the time to speak about the future of CONIFA, especially about our doings in 2016.

Today we can happily and proudly announce that the host of the 2016 World Football Cup will be Abkhazia!

The formal bid Abkhazia filed convinced every single member of the Executive Committee, which led to an unanimous decision to grant the beautiful country at the Black Sea Cost the hosting rights.

As Abkhazia is a member of CONIFA from nearly the beginning and is quickly growing their Football Federation with more and more friendly matches taking place in Abkhazia and its capital city Sukhum we are sure that Abkhazia is a perfect choice to enjoy a perfect football and cultural experience.

Surely all our members that will make the travel will never forget the beauty of the country and its people.

Even though our decision was solely based on the perfect bid, which shows a top-class infrastructure and enthusiasm of a whole country, we are also delighted to send out the signal that we fully stand behind all our members and that we especially appreciate a well-running Football Federation with high aspirations.

The next important step now is to send a delegation of CONIFA to Abkhazia to negotiate all the little and big details about the upcoming tournament and to put pen on paper to secure all the arrangements.

As soon as the official invitation to Abkhazia and the meetings with the local authorities and Football Federations is received our president will have the pleasure to travel to Sukhum. From that day on we all will work 24/7 to highlight Abkhazia on the world map as a touristic paradise, as a sport event host and last but not least as the peaceful and lovely society it is today.

We are all very much looking forward to Abkhazia and a fantastic event and to make your mouth water as well we can only recommend to watch the following video to see how the lately-finished national stadium in Sukhum looks now as it is finished:

The week just before the European Football Cup in Debrecen a CONIFA went on an official visit to Transnistria. Especially the future president of the Football Association, Evgheni Balaniuc, made it more than a pleasant trip. Our General Secretary, Sascha Düerkop, and our South America Director, Jens Jockel, were even welcomed by the Foreign and Sport Ministries of the country. “Football has a huge tradition in Transnistria and we are looking forward to express that with our own national team very soon.”

After a short 1 1/2 hour trip with a rental car from Chisinau, the capital of Moldova, our delegation arrived at the borders of the “Pridnestrovian Moldovan Republic”, as it is called officially. As we did have a personal invitation from the Foreign Ministry the border process was very easy and after all immigration and insurance paper were signed we could continue our journey through Bendery to the capital of Transnistria – Tiraspol. Evgheni Balaniuc, manager of the Moldovan First Division club Dinamo-Auto, author for uefa.com and future president of the Pridnestrovian Football Association awaited us in Tiraspol to show us our apartment for the stay – which was just next door to his flat. That is how our first visit to the small, but very nice, country started. Our host took all his time to quickly show us around the main sights in Tiraspol and answering all practical questions during the first evening.

During the touristic tours through the capital of Tiraspol, but also through Bendery, we got a good picture of the country and can only recommend everyone to visit it. Especially Tiraspol was, during our visit in summer, a very relaxed and laid-back place. Most people spend their daytime at the beach of the river Dniestr, that gives the country its name, or in one of the plenty parks in the green city. In the evenings and at night the locals took party boats floating on the river or headed in one of the plenty pubs or the top-class night club in the Sheriff-owned “Hotel Russia”. The overall impression was very positive and, most important and opposing some media reports we read before our travel, we can say that public life is totally peaceful and safe. Public crime is nearly non-existing and you will always feel safe walking around alone, no matter if 2 pm or 2 am.

One of the biggest sport centres in Europe

During the next days we were shown around the amazing sporting facilities of Tiraspol and its surrounding.

Evgheni Balaniuc’s club Dinamo-Auto has a 2009 built sport center just outside the city, including 2 training pitches, a very modern, even though small, stadium and a guest house that can easily host a guest team.

Right in the center of Tiraspol the national stadium is accessible freely for all citizens. It is an old-fashioned, but very atmospheric, multi-sport arena with around 20.000 seats.
Most impressive and well-known all over Europe was the Sports Complex “Sheriff” of the Moldovan football superpower “FC Sheriff Tiraspol”. Club coordinator Pogrebnoi Serghei greeted us, thanks to the organisation of the Foreign Ministry, at the gates of the breathtaking complex to show us all the facilities, which nearly took 2 hours due to the size of the complex. What feels like an own village at the outskirts of Tiraspol turned out to be a European top class sporting center with a full-pitch indoor stadium, 2 UEFA Europa League and Champions League certified outdoor stadiums, 8 training pitches, an Olympic swimming pool and a youth academy that can host up to 600 people.

Not only does Transnistria all the infrastructure to host friendly matches and/or tournament in and around Tiraspol, everyone we met also ensured us of their full support for the idea of CONIFA. Mr Balaniuc and Mr Serghei both agreed that their clubs (Dinamo-Auto and Sheriff) would happily play friendly matches against our members during pre-season or in the winter breaks. Both clubs also offered their facilities to be used by CONIFA for tournaments or friendly matches at any time.
In addition the Foreign Ministry and the Sports Ministry both expressed their desire to attract more international football in Transnistria by the help of CONIFA. After a few days in Tiraspol it became very clear that the opportunities for CONIFA in Transnistria are enormous and that we can start a long and fruitful journey together with the booming little country in the heart of Eastern Europe.

Strong support by the authorities

During a very valuable meeting with delegations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Sport all parties emphasized the strong support of the CONIFA values and were aiming for a strong cooperation with us. The Transnistrian diplomats explained us that football is traditionally very strong in their country and informed us about the clubs of the country, which traditionally are amongst the top teams in the Moldovan First Division and regularly play in international tournaments of UEFA. However, a national team was not formed yet, basically because the Transnistrian authorities were not aware of a proper platform, where such a team would be welcome to play.

Getting to know us, CONIFA, was received as an important stimulus to found a Football Association that manages a future national team. All paperworks have already been finished and filed to the Transnistrian Commerce Chamber. It was further unveiled that Evgheni Balaniuc, our host, was chosen to lead the newly build Football Association and that the FA is looking for CONIFA membership as soon as the national registration is finished.

Furthermore, the Foreign Ministry of Transnistria gave us an insight about the possibilities of Transnistria to host major events. They fully committed themselves to support any immigration processes for our members and to help with all organisational steps, should we grant them the hosting rights to a CONIFA event.

We happily received their wish to host a huge tournament “as soon as possible” in Tiraspol and/or Bendery.

Whatever the future will bring, surely the visit was a first very important step to get to know each other and exchange ones values. Our impression is that CONIFA and Transnistria fit perfectly and we can only strongly recommend every of our members to make a travel to Tiraspol to experience the perfect level of support and professionalism on their own.

A report of our meeting with the Ministries can also be found on the homepage of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Pridnestrovian Moldovan Republic

Спасибо за прекрасное время! Увидимся в Тирасполе!

CONIFA and all its member thank our partners for their support!

Find out more!

CONIFA South American Director Jens Jockel is on a visit to Chile right now to strengthen the links between CONIFA and the CSANF (Consejo Sudamericana de Nuevas Federaciones).

After a few days in Santiago de Chile Jens Jockel drove down all the way to Temuco, in the very South of Chile, to attend the 8-team tournament “Fecha del Nacional de Fútbol de Pueblos Originarios” (South American Championship of Indigenous People). With Mapuche, Rapa Nui (Easter Island) and Aymara three members of the CSANF participate in this tournament and battle for the trophy.

Our South America Director just arrive in time to see the last group stage day and attending a 3:0 win of Rapa Nui over Likan Atay and a 1:1 draw between Mapuche and Aymara.
Besides that he had the chance to meet the team managers and the leading staff of the CSANF to speak about a future cooperation.

During the next day Mr Jockel will attend a few more matches and liaise with the teams before he will meet the Chilean Sports Minister and the CSANF president (again) to do a common press conference.

Another pivotal point of the travel is the signing of a contract ensuring funds of the Chilean Sports Ministry to cover the travel costs of 2 teams to the CONIFA World Football Cup 2016.

Now all 12 participants of the first ever European Football Cup are known we could update the ranking to determine the seeding for the tournament.

Since we know all the participants of the European Football 2015 on the Isle of Man we gathered all matches played recently and recalculated our Ranking on that basis. Thanks to a huge win against Ellan Vannin our member Occitania jumped up in the rankings and now only do have Guernsey in front of them. Panjab and Szekely Land made it to the rankings for the very first time after their debut wins vs. Sealand and Raetia in the end of 2014.

Based on our official ranking the top seed for the European Football Cup 2015 is made up by the teams from Occitania, Padania, County of Nice and Northern Cyprus. Those teams will head the groups.

Being just a single ranking point (or one goal too much against Occitania) behind Northern Cyprus the host team Ellan Vannin will be in Pot 2 alongside with Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia and Szekely Land.

One more goal against Raetia in their first ever match would have brought Franconia a better seeding. But as Szekely Land won higher against the same opponent the third and last pot will now be filled by the teams from Franconia, South Ossetia, Sapmi and Romani People.

We saw Ellan Vannin going all the way to the final as an absolute outsider in the 2014 World Football Cup. On the opposite Sapmi as a group head did not make it through the group stage. Whatever the odds say, in the end it only counts what happens on the field.

In October we announced 11 participants for the European Football Cup. Now we can announce the 12th and last team: Padania.

Padania ended 5th in the World Football Cup in Sweden and is one of the leading teams outside FIFA. Because of that we’re very happy that we can announce this giant as the 12th participant.

The Europen Football Cup will be played in Douglas, the Isle of Man. The tournament will take place from the 13th till the 21st of June. It will be the first ever European Championship between representative teams outside FIFA.

The 12 teams: Ellan Vannin, County of Nice, Abkhazia, Nagorno Karabakh, South Ossetia, Occitania, Romani People, Franconia, Sapmi, Northern Cyprus, Szekely Land and Padania.

Occitania and Ellan Vannin played a friendly tonight, in preparation for the European Football Cup. Occitania won: 5-1.

Occitania and Ellan Vannin will participate in the European Football Cup 2015 and both teams are likely candidates to win the title.

Ellan Vannin will host the Cup in Douglas, and was the runner up during the World Football Cup in Sweden. Occitania ended 7th at the WFC, but was – together with… Ellan Vannin – the only team that didn’t loose a game during the 90 minutes.

Tonight both teams met each other in Toulouse, France. Half time the score was 2-0. In the second half Occitania cleared the job easily. Ellan Vannin could only score a penalty kick at the end of the game: 5-1.

Proud and happy. That’s how they feel on the Isle of Man, being the hosts of the CONIFA European Football Cup in 2015.

As stated here the 1st European Football Cup will be held on the Isle of Man, from the 13th till the 21th of June 2015. MIFA, the Manx International Football Alliance, is very proud it can organize the tournament:

“It is with tremendous pride that we have been officially informed by CONIFA that the Isle of Man has been chosen as hosts for the CONIFA European Football Cup”, Gary Weightman from MIFA says. “We can assure that the people of the Isle of Man will provide all the competing International Teams, their Management, Supporters, International Media and of course CONIFA itself, with not just a fantastic football tournament but a cultural and heritage experience that will enrich the lives and memories of those in the CONIFA family. All of this is possible due to the the warmth and generous spirit of the Manx Nation.”

“An important aspect and objective of CONIFA World football is the promotion and sharing of Heritage and Culture through sport and this will be of paramount importance in this tournament with detailed information to follow. This is an honour and fantastic opportunity for not just Manx footballers on the Isle of Man who will again meet some exceptional professional players from Europe, but for the people of the Isle of Man to demonstrate their pride and passion for this Island on the International Stage.”

CONTACT

More details on the 1st CONIFA European Football Cup will follow in the coming weeks. On Manx TV you can see a reaction from Malcolm Blackburn, president of MIFA. You can follow MIFA on Facebook and Twitter. They also created a new Twitter-account for the EFC. If you want to get in touch with the organization, you can send an e-mail to euro2015media@manx.net. Information on the Isle of Man can be found on this website.

The CONIFA Executive Committee unanimously decided to let Manx International Football Alliance (MIFA) host the CONIFA European Football Cup. The EFC will be played in June 2015 on the Isle of Man.

The first CONIFA European Football Cup will be organized on the Isle of Man and will be hosted by Ellan Vannin. The EFC will take place in 2015, from the 13th till the 21st of June.

“We are fully confident that MIFA ticks all boxes to host the tournament in a way it will never be forgotten by anybody attending it”, CONIFA President Per-Anders Blind says. “An amazing stadium, the beautiful country, the professionalism of the organizing committee and their public support were main factors to give it to the stunning island in the Irish Sea.”

TWELVE TEAMS, DRAW IN FEBRUARY

Twelve CONIFA-members will compete during the EFC. The draw for the groups will take place in February 2015, on the Isle of Man. There will be 4 groups of 3 teams. The top 2 teams in each group play the quarter finals. Apart from the quarters, the semis and the final there also will be placement games.

All the games will be played at The Bowl in Douglas, the capital of the Isle Of Man. There will be an opening ceremony, a fanzone and cultural village, a youth exchance programma and a closing ceremony at the Villa Marina. More details will follow in the coming weeks. A reaction from MIFA you can read here.

ABKHAZIA AND NAGORNO KARABAKH WITHDRAW BID

There were three member applying to host the first CONIFA European Football Cup: MIFA, Abkhazia FA and Nagorno Karabakh FA. Abkhazia did withdraw from their initial intention to host the CONIFA EFC, because they do have presidential elections in September. They cannot make any definite decision which involves governmental support as the government might change until the kickoff of the tournament. Besides Abkhazia is building a new national stadium just at the seaside of Sukhum and it is not entirely sure that the stadium will be completed in time. Nevertheless Abkhazia and the Abkhaz people are still confident to bring a huge CONIFA tournament to Sukhum someday and surely they will come back with a stronger bid.

Unfortunately Nagorno-Karabakh also had to withdraw their bid. The grass of the national stadium in the city center of the Artsakh capital Stepanakert is just in renovation. Once finished this stadium will have an artificial pitch of the highest standards and it will probably be one of the best and biggest stadiums within the CONIFA world. Unfortunately the set-up of this artificial pitch will take its time and will finish in summer 2015 only. As a guaranteed finishing date before September could not be given by the building company the Nagorno Karabakh FA decided to withdraw. They want to host a major tournament in the future, but if they do, they want it to be perfect. We agree that it is a good decision to wait a bit longer until the highest standards are reached and the country’s infrastructure is 100% ready for such a huge event.