Non-FIFA football
Encyclopedia
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 of 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.
, whose members are also members of the FA
. These regional associations often enter representative teams into international non-FIFA matches.
, Galicia or Basque Country
, for example), or be seeking it (like Rijeka
). Alternatively, some unrecognised states may have national teams. Some established members of UEFA
once fell into this category, such as the Faroe Islands
and Moldova
. 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
.
. 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 Roma people have been strewn across Europe
for centuries, with little hope of ever gaining a homeland, yet they have a fledgling footballing organisation to represent them in international competition. While representative teams that fall under this category perhaps have the least hope of ever gaining full FIFA recognition, they can take comfort from the experience of the Palestinians
who, despite having no recognised state and having to play all their games outside even Israel
, have been welcomed into FIFA and the AFC
.
, Monaco
, Tuvalu
, Micronesia
, Marshall Islands
, Palau
, Nauru
, Kiribati
, South Sudan
and the United Kingdom
) are not affiliated to FIFA.
, 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.
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.
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.
, organised by the NF-Board, 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.
, 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.
, 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
. Many of the competing nations are affiliated to larger national FAs - the Jersey Football Association
, for example, is governed by the FA
.
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
.
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.
is played from 2008 edition:
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.
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
is the international governing body of association football, charged with overseeing football globally and with running international representative matches. However, some international football
International football
International football generally refers to association football matches between representative national teams carried out under the regulation of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association...
takes place outside of its ratification. This often consists of matches involving sub-national entities such as islands, colonies
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
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.
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 JerseyJersey Football Association
The Jersey Football Association is the body that co-ordinates and organises the sport of football in Jersey. It is not a member of either UEFA or FIFA, but is a member of the Football Association and has the status of an English county, despite the fact that Jersey is a Crown dependency, separate...
, whose members are also members of the FA
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
. 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 (CataloniaCatalonia national football team
Catalonia national football team is the official football team of Catalonia. It is organized by the Catalonia Football Federation. The team has been referred to by various names including Selecció Catalana, Selecció de Barcelona and the Catalan XI...
, Galicia or Basque Country
Basque Country national football team
The Basque Country football team is considered the national team of the Basque Country greater region as selected players from the Basque Country Autonomous Community, the nearby Navarre and the Northern Basque Country in France play for it...
, for example), or be seeking it (like Rijeka
Free State of Fiume
The Free State of Fiume was an independent free state which existed between 1920 and 1924. Its territory of comprised the city of Fiume and rural areas to its north, with a corridor to its west connecting it to Italy.-History:Fiume gained autonomy for the first time in 1719 when it was proclaimed...
). Alternatively, some unrecognised states may have national teams. Some established members of UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
once fell into this category, such as the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands national football team
The Faroe Islands national football team represents the Faroe Islands in association football and is controlled by the Faroe Islands Football Association, the governing body for football in the Faroe Islands. The Faroe Islands became a member of FIFA in 1988 and UEFA in 1990 and are the third...
and Moldova
Moldova national football team
The Moldova national football team represents Moldova in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Moldova, the governing body for football in Moldova. Moldova's home ground is Zimbru Stadium in Chişinău and their head coach is Gavril Balint...
. Current non-FIFA heavyweights Northern Cyprus
Northern Cyprus national football team
The Northern Cyprus national football team represents Northern Cyprus, a de facto country, in association football. They are a member of the New Federations Board for non-FIFA-affiliated nations. Northern Cyprus' home stadium is 20 Temmuz Stadı in Kyrenia and their head coach is İlker Ertemel....
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
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
.
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 diasporaDiaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
. The Sami people
Sami people
The Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are the arctic indigenous people inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Kola Peninsula of Russia, and the border area between south and middle Sweden and Norway. The Sámi are Europe’s northernmost...
of Lapland live in a distinct area of northern Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
, yet fall under the control of four states. Nevertheless, they have organised a football association, and a representative team. Similarly, the Roma people have been strewn across Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
for centuries, with little hope of ever gaining a homeland, yet they have a fledgling footballing organisation to represent them in international competition. While representative teams that fall under this category perhaps have the least hope of ever gaining full FIFA recognition, they can take comfort from the experience of the Palestinians
Palestine national football team
The Palestine national football team is the national team of the Palestinian Football Association, representing the Palestinian National Authority.The Palestine Football Federation was founded in 1952...
who, despite having no recognised state and having to play all their games outside even Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, have been welcomed into FIFA and the AFC
Asian Football Confederation
The Asian Football Confederation is the governing body of association football in Asia. It has 46 member countries, mostly located on the Asian continent. However, due to the disputed boundary of Europe and Asia, nations such as Russia and Turkey which are located mostly in geographic Asia are...
.
States
Ten sovereign states (Vatican CityVatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
, Monaco
Monaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
, Tuvalu
Tuvalu
Tuvalu , formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls...
, Micronesia
Federated States of Micronesia
The Federated States of Micronesia or FSM is an independent, sovereign island nation, made up of four states from west to east: Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae. It comprises approximately 607 islands with c...
, Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
, Palau
Palau
Palau , officially the Republic of Palau , is an island nation in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Philippines and south of Tokyo. In 1978, after three decades as being part of the United Nations trusteeship, Palau chose independence instead of becoming part of the Federated States of Micronesia, a...
, Nauru
Nauru
Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...
, Kiribati
Kiribati
Kiribati , officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island nation located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean. The permanent population exceeds just over 100,000 , and is composed of 32 atolls and one raised coral island, dispersed over 3.5 million square kilometres, straddling the...
, South Sudan
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
) are not affiliated to FIFA.
Minorities
Another group of teams is composed by ethnic minorities in a state. For example: Armenians in ArgentinaOrganizations
- 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. CSANFSouth American Board of New FederationsThe South American Board of New Federations , , is the administrative and controlling body for non-FIFA football in South America. It referred to by its acronym CSANF and is affiliated to N.F.-Board....
is its first continental confederation, for South America. - 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, planning tournaments for micronations including a World Cup in 2013.
Non-FIFA competitions
Football tournaments at international multi-sports events, such as the OlympicsOlympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
, Pan-American Games and Francophone games
Jeux de la Francophonie
The Jeux de la Francophonie are a combination of artistic and sporting events for the Francophonie, mostly French speaking nations, held every four years since 1989, partly as a counterweight to the Commonwealth Games.-Editions:-Sports:There were four sports...
are without FIFA's jurisdiction, but are, for the most part, operated with the acknowledgement of that body. These events typically involve age restricted teams, to avoid direct competition with the World Cup and continental championships.
The FIFI Wild Cup
The FIFI Wild CupFIFI Wild Cup
The FIFI Wild Cup was an alternative football World Cup run by FIFI . FIFI was a body made up of countries not recognized by FIFA and those whose logistics preclude them from playing representative football...
was organised by the German football club St Pauli in the summer of 2006. It took place while the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
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
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
. Northern Cyprus
Northern Cyprus national football team
The Northern Cyprus national football team represents Northern Cyprus, a de facto country, in association football. They are a member of the New Federations Board for non-FIFA-affiliated nations. Northern Cyprus' home stadium is 20 Temmuz Stadı in Kyrenia and their head coach is İlker Ertemel....
beat Zanzibar
Zanzibar national football team
The Zanzibar national football team is the national team of Zanzibar, and is controlled by the Zanzibar Football Association.- History :Zanzibar is not a member of FIFA and is therefore not eligible to enter either the World Cup, But she is a member of the CAF so she can take a part in the Africa...
on penalties to win the trophy.
| Host Nation | Year | Winners |
|---|---|---|
 Germany |
2006 |
The UNPO Cup
The UNPO Cup was organised by the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization and NF-Board, and took place in The HagueThe Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
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 |
The VIVA World Cup
The first VIVA World CupViva World Cup
The VIVA World Cup is an international football tournament organized by the New Federation Board, an umbrella association for nations unaffiliated with FIFA, planned to be held every two years.-Inauguration:...
, organised by the NF-Board, took place in Occitania
Occitania
Occitania , also sometimes lo País d'Òc, "the Oc Country"), is the region in southern Europe where Occitan was historically the main language spoken, and where it is sometimes still used, for the most part as a second language...
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 2006 VIVA World Cup The 2006 Viva World Cup an international tournament for football, took place in Occitania from 20 November 2006 to 24 November 2006.-The Inaugural Tournament:... |
|
 Lapland |
2008 2008 VIVA World Cup The 2008 VIVA World Cup was the second VIVA World Cup, an international tournament for football, that took place in July 2008. The winners were Padania, who took home the Nelson Mandela Trophy. The tournament was organised by the Nouvelle Fédération-Board.... |
|
 Padania |
2009 | |
 Gozo |
2010 2010 VIVA World Cup -Group B:-------------Knockout stage:-Semi-Finals:-------------5th Place Match:---------3rd Place Match:---------Final:... |
The ELF Cup
The ELF CupELF Cup
The ELF Cup is an international football tournament organised by the KTFF, a member of the NF-Board. Among the participants are fellow NF-Board teams, and - in the inaugural 2006 tournament - FIFA member teams from the Asian Football Confederation.-The Inaugural Tournament:The 2006 ELF Cup took...
, organised by the KTFF
Cyprus Turkish Football Federation
The Cyprus Turkish Football Federation is the top division of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Football Federation, which is not recognised by other federations]...
, took place in November 2006, in Northern Cyprus
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Northern Cyprus or North Cyprus , officially the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus , is a self-declared state that comprises the northeastern part of the island of Cyprus...
. Eight teams accepted invitations to take part, and the hosts emerged as winners.
| Host Nation | Year | Winners |
|---|---|---|
 Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus |
2006 |
Football at the Island Games
The Island GamesFootball at the Island Games
Football has been a regular event since 1989 at the Island Games, the biennial multi-sports event for island nations, territories and dependencies...
, which are held every two years, features a competitive football tournament, won on the first two occasions by now-established UEFA
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
and FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
member, the Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands national football team
The Faroe Islands national football team represents the Faroe Islands in association football and is controlled by the Faroe Islands Football Association, the governing body for football in the Faroe Islands. The Faroe Islands became a member of FIFA in 1988 and UEFA in 1990 and are the third...
. Many of the competing nations are affiliated to larger national FAs - the Jersey Football Association
Jersey Football Association
The Jersey Football Association is the body that co-ordinates and organises the sport of football in Jersey. It is not a member of either UEFA or FIFA, but is a member of the Football Association and has the status of an English county, despite the fact that Jersey is a Crown dependency, separate...
, for example, is governed by the FA
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
.
| Host Nation | Year | Winners |
|---|---|---|
 Faroe Islands |
1989 | |
 Åland Islands |
1991 | |
 Isle of Wight |
1993 | |
 Gibraltar |
1995 | |
 Jersey |
1997 | |
 Gotland |
1999 | |
 Isle of Man |
2001 | |
 Guernsey |
2003 | |
 Shetland Islands |
2005 | |
 Rhodes |
2007 | |
| Åland Islands |
2009 | |
| Isle of Wight |
2011 | Isle of Wight |
The Europeada
The Europeada is a football tournament for indigenousIndigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
and national minorities in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, and is organized by the Federal Union of European Nationalities
Federal Union of European Nationalities
The Federal Union of European Nationalities is an international nongovernmental organization established in 1949 in conjunction with the formation of the Council of Europe. As of 2007, there were 84 member organizations representing ethnic, linguistic and national minorities within Europe...
. The first edition was played in 2008 in Surselva, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
| Host Nation | Year | Winners |
|---|---|---|
 Switzerland |
2008 |  South Tyrol |
| TBA | 2012 |
Other tournaments
- The Coupe de l'Outre-MerCoupe de l'Outre-MerLa Coupe de l'Outre-Mer de football 2008 was the inagural edition of the Coupe de l'Outre-Mer. The competition took place between September 24, 2008 and October 4, 2008 in Île-de-France, France.-Venues:*Stade Marville - La Courneuve...
is organised by the FFFFrench Football FederationThe French Football Federation is the governing body of association football in France, as well as the overseas departments and territories . It was formed in 1919 and is based in the capital Paris...
, 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. - KTFF 50th Anniversary CupKTFF 50th Anniversary CupHeld 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...
was held in 2005 under the auspices of the NF-Board, this tournament celebrated 50 years of the football association of Northern Cyprus, the KTFFCyprus Turkish Football FederationThe Cyprus Turkish Football Federation is the top division of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Football Federation, which is not recognised by other federations]...
, and featured representative sides from the host nation, the SápmiSápmi national football teamThe Sápmi national football team is a national football team representing the Sámi people, who inhabit northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. The team is not a member of UEFA or FIFA, and therefore do not participate in their competitions.The goal of the Sámi Football Association,...
, and KosovoKosovo national football teamThe Kosovo national football team represents Republic of Kosovo in international men's football. Controlled by the Football Federation of Kosovo, the governing body for football in Kosovo, they are not a member of FIFA or UEFA....
. 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 CupClericus CupThe Clericus Cup is an annual association football tournament contested by teams from the Roman Colleges, which are seminaries of the Catholic Church located in Rome. During the fourth season , the tournament involved sixteen schools and fielded players from 65 countries, with the majority coming...
played between sixteen Roman colleges and seminaries of the Catholic Church since 2007. - Virgin Islands ChampionshipVirgin Islands ChampionshipUK & US Virgin Islands League is an association football competition organized by the US Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. It is played by two islands official team of each nation.-Virgin Islands Championship teams:*Saint Croix...
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 TournamentLeeward Islands TournamentThe Leeward Islands Football Association was formed in 1949.Of the early tournaments only the winners are known; for the recent ones, the structure is largely unknown. It is also not known whether tournaments were staged in the missing years, though this is likely.Finally, it is not always clear...
played between Caribbean islands from 1949 to 2002. - Muratti Vase played between Guernsey, Alderney and Jersey since 1905 to 2007.
- GFA Tournament played in Gibraltar, with the host, Isle of Man and Isle of Wight in 2004.
- Tournoi des Iles played in Bretagne, 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 TrophySantosh TrophySantosh Trophy is an annual Indian football tournament which is contested by states and government institutions. The first winners were Bengal, who also lead the all-time winners list with 31 titles till date....
played between Indian States, since 1973. - DONER Trophy played between Indian States, in 2003 and 2004.
- 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 FUNAIFunaiFunai Electric is a Japanese consumer electronics company headquartered in Daitō, Osaka. The company was founded in 1961. It owns the subsidiary Funai Corporation, Inc., established in the United States since 1991, to market and maintain Funai-licensed brands such as Sylvania, Emerson Radio,...
. - International Small Nations Tournament played by Jersey, Gibraltar and Madeira (U-20 team) in Jersey in 2008.
- MFA World Cup a world cup played by micronations
- British Isles Cup a competition for micronations located in the British Isles, which also served as a qualifier for the First ever MFA World Cup
Some non-FIFA teams play in other tournaments generally played by FIFA members, including the CONCACAF Gold Cup
CONCACAF Gold Cup
The CONCACAF Gold Cup is the main association football competition of the men's national football teams governed by CONCACAF, determining the regional champion of North America, Central America, and the Caribbean.The Gold Cup is held every two years and when it does not fall the same year as an...
, Indian Ocean Games
Indian Ocean Games
The men's association football tournament at the Indian Ocean Island Games which is organised every 4 years for the Islands in the Indian Ocean....
, CECAFA Cup
CECAFA Cup
The CECAFA Senior Challenge Cup is the oldest football tournament in Africa. It is a tournament of FIFA and the Council of East and Central Africa Football Associations , and includes national teams from Central and East Africa...
, South Pacific Games
South Pacific Games
The Pacific Games is a multi-sport event, much like the Olympics , with participation exclusively from countries around the South Pacific. It is held every four years and began in 1963, hosted by Suva, Fiji.- Concept :The idea of holding the South Pacific Games originated with Dr A.H...
, Coupes des Caraibes, Shell Caribbean Cup, CFU Championship
CFU Championship
The CFU Championship was a football tournament made just for teams in the area of Caribbean between the years of 1978–1985. It was the precursor of the Caribbean Cup- Winners :-Tournament results:- References :*http://rsssf.com/tablesc/cfu.html...
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 two main international football tournaments for women are the Women's VIVA World Cup and the Island Games. Still does not exists any continental tournament.Island Games
A women's football tournament to the Island Games is played from 2001 edition:| Host Nation | Year | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| Isle of Man |
2001 | |
| Guernsey |
2003 | |
| Shetland Islands |
2005 | |
| Rhodes |
2007 | |
| Åland Islands |
2009 | |
| Isle of Wight |
2011 |
VIVA World Cup
A women's football tournament to the VIVA World CupWomen's Viva World Cup
The VIVA World Cup is an international football tournament organized by the New Federation Board, an umbrella association for nations unaffiliated with FIFA, planned to be held every two years...
is played from 2008 edition:
| Host Nation | Year | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| Lapland |
2008 | |
| Gozo |
2010 |
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
- Teams not affiliated to FIFA but affiliated to other organizations
- Teams not affiliated to FIFA and to any other organization
- UEFA Regions' Cup