The Tibet national football team is an association football controlled by the Tibetan National Football Association

Tibetan National Football Association

The Tibetan National Football Association is a football association created by Tibetan exiles in India. The TNFA holds headquarters in Dharamsala, the same city where the Central Tibetan Administration of the 14th Dalai Lama is based...

, an organizations of exiled Tibetans. The current manager is Kelsang Dhondup.

Many of the players live in exile outside their nation, and are represented by the Tibetan Government in Exile

Central Tibetan Administration

The Central Tibetan Administration , is an organisation based in India with the stated goals of "rehabilitating Tibetan refugees and restoring freedom and happiness in Tibet". It was established by the 14th Dalai Lama in 1959 shortly after his exile from Tibet...

. It is not part of neither 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...

 nor 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...

 and does not participate in international tournaments. An association

Tibetan National Football Association

The Tibetan National Football Association is a football association created by Tibetan exiles in India. The TNFA holds headquarters in Dharamsala, the same city where the Central Tibetan Administration of the 14th Dalai Lama is based...

 was founded in 2001. The goal of the Tibetan Football Association, which controls the team, is to gain official status.

The Forbidden Team

The first international game the team played was against Greenland which took place in Denmark. The team was followed by a documentary film crew, during the process of forming the team, practices, the match, and everything in between. The documentary was called 'The Forbidden Team'. To form the team, a selective tournament was held in Dehradun, India. It featured all the various Tibetan football teams around India.

After the team was selected, Team Tibet headed to Dharamsala to begin their practice sessions. Jens Espense was hired by the Tibetan Football Association to coach the team for the match. He had only a month to get them conditioned and ready to play, and the players were not even at minor league level. Yet the pitch was in horrible condition and only half of it could be used along with being located on a public road. While the team was out practicing, Karma Nyodup was busy trying to get all the proper documentation done so the team could go to Greenland. Many players were dropped because they did not have proper travel documents.

Soon a month had passed and it was time for the team to head to Denmark, where the game was being held. In Denmark Michael Nybrandt was organizing the match between Tibet and Greenland. He was also advocating Tibet when the Chinese government raised their concerns. China did not want this match to happen; they believe that Tibet is part of China therefore the Chinese National Team includes Tibet. China was threatening to cut off all trade with Denmark if this game went on as planned. Denmark did not back down, however, and allowed the game to take place. On June 30, 2001 the Tibetan National Football Team took the field to play their first international match. However, the nation lost their first international match 1-4.

FIFI Wild Cup (Hamburg, Germany) and ELF Cup (Northern Cyprus)

The 2006 FIFI Wild Cup took place in Hamburg, Germany. The first match they played was against St. Pauli on May 30, 2006. They lost this game 7-0. The second and final match of Tibet in this tournament was against Gibraltar on May 31, 2006. They lost this game 5-0. During the ELF Cup Tibet did not win any games and they suffered their biggest defeat. The first game was against Tajikistan on November 19, 2006 where they lost 3-0. On November 20, Tibet played the Crimean Tatars, which they lost 1-0. Finally on November 21 the biggest loss came when Tibet played Northern Cyprus, who beat them 10-0.

Activities of the Tibetan National Football Association

Tibetan National Football Association

The Tibetan National Football Association is a football association created by Tibetan exiles in India. The TNFA holds headquarters in Dharamsala, the same city where the Central Tibetan Administration of the 14th Dalai Lama is based...

 

The Tibetan National Football Association was founded in 2001, soon after the authorization was delivered by the Kashag

Kashag

The Kashag was the governing council of Tibet during Qing Dynasty and Republic of China. It was set by Qianlong Emperor in 1751. In that year the Tibetan government was reorganized after the riots in Lhasa of the previous year...

 (the Tibet Cabinet), and registration under Indian law. Jetsun Pema, the sister of the 14th Dalai Lama is the president of the association, Thupten Dorjee the secretary, and Kalsang Dhondup the executive secretary. The association is now organizing the Gyalyum Chenmo Memorial Gold Cup GCMGC football tournament which existed already in the 80's. In 2003, the 17th Karmapa was the chief guest on the first day of the tournament which took place at the Tibetan Children's Village

Tibetan Children's Village

Tibetan Children's Villages or TCV is an integrated community in exile for the care and education of orphans, destitutes and refugee children from Tibet. It is a registered, non profit charitable organization with its main facility based at Dharamsala in Himachel Pradesh, North India...

 in Dharamsala

Dharamsala

Dharamshala or Dharamsala is a city in northern India. It was formerly known as Bhagsu; it is the winter seat of government of the state of Himachal Pradesh and the district headquarters of the Kangra district....

.
Mr. Shrikant Baldi, Deputy Commissioner of Kangra, was the chief guest in 2004 for the tournament. The 13th GCMGC, took place in 2007, and the chief guest was Khenchen Menling Tri Rinpoche of Mendroling Monastery.. The 14th took place in 2008, and the chief guest was Khyabje Ling Rinpoche

Current squad:

Goalkeepers:

Tamding Tsering

Tenzin Namgyal

Tsering Wangchuk

Tenzing Tsewang Lama


Defenders:

Lobsang Wangyal

Gonpo Dorjee

Kunchok Dorjee

Passang Phuntsok

Ngawang Tenzin

Dawa Tsering

Dorjee Tsering



Midfielders:

Tenzin Choenyi

Tsering Dhundup

Tsering Dhundup

Tsering Dhundup is a Tibetan football player and political activist from Dehradun. The midfielder plays for the Tibet national football team since 2007. Dhundup is top scorer since the 6-0 victory of Tibet against Delhi XI on 4 August 2007 as from the foundation of the Tibetan team in 1999.Dhundup...

 RSC Calicut

Tsering Chonjor

Tenzin Dhargyal

Tenzin Choegyal

Dawa Chondhen

Kunchok Nyima

Lobsang Dorjee

Kalsang Dorjee

Nyima Gyalpo (captain)

Dorjee Wangchuk



Forwards:

Yeshi Choephel(rana)

Tashi Tsering

Karma Yeshi

Tseten Namgyal

Lobsang Norbu

Sonam Rinchen

Tenzin Tsering

Tenzin Tshepel

Selected Internationals

Date	Venue	Opponent	Competition	Result
7 May 2008	Milan Milan Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...			2 - 13
19 April 2008	Breda Breda Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. The name Breda derived from brede Aa and refers to the confluence of the rivers Mark and Aa. As a fortified city, the city was of strategic military and political significance... , North Brabant North Brabant North Brabant , sometimes called Brabant, is a province of the Netherlands, located in the south of the country, bordered by Belgium in the south, the Meuse River in the north, Limburg in the east and Zeeland in the west.- History :...	JEKA Breda		1 - 1
17 April 2008	Maassluis Maassluis Maassluis is a town in the western Netherlands, in the province of South Holland. The municipality had a population of 32,847 in 2004, and covers an area of 10.11 km² .It received city rights in 1811... , South Holland South Holland South Holland is a province situated on the North Sea in the western part of the Netherlands. The provincial capital is The Hague and its largest city is Rotterdam.South Holland is one of the most densely populated and industrialised areas in the world...	VDL-Maassluis		0 - 5
2 November 2007	Paljor Stadium, Gangtok Gangtok Gangtok is the capital and largest town of the Indian state of Sikkim. Gangtok is located in the Shivalik Hills of the eastern Himalayan range, at an altitude of . The town, with a population of thirty thousand belonging to different ethnicities such as Nepalis, Lepchas and Bhutia, is administered... , Sikkim Sikkim Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...			0 - 3
4 August 2007	Kirori Mal College Kirori Mal College Kirori Mal College is a constituent college of the University of Delhi, located in New Delhi, India that was established in 1954. It offers undergraduate and graduate courses in science, arts, liberal arts and commerce and is known for being one of the most politically active colleges in University... , New Delhi New Delhi New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...	Delhi XI		6 - 0
21 November 2006	Dr. Fazil Kucuk Stadium Dr. Fazil Kucuk Stadium Dr. Fazil Kucuk Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Famagusta, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. It is currently used mostly for football matches and will host some matches for 2006 ELF Cup. The stadium holds 7,000 people.... , Famagusta Famagusta Famagusta is a city on the east coast of Cyprus and is capital of the Famagusta District. It is located east of Nicosia, and possesses the deepest harbour of the island.-Name:...		ELF Cup 2006 ELF 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...	0 - 10
20 November 2006	Zafer Stadium, Güzelyurt Güzelyurt Güzelyurt, formerly Gelveri, is a town and district of Aksaray Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey, at a distance of from the city of Aksaray. According to 2000 census, population of the district is 16,836 of which 3,775 live in the town of Güzelyurt...		ELF Cup 2006 ELF 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...	0 - 1
19 November 2006	Zafer Stadium, Güzelyurt Güzelyurt Güzelyurt, formerly Gelveri, is a town and district of Aksaray Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey, at a distance of from the city of Aksaray. According to 2000 census, population of the district is 16,836 of which 3,775 live in the town of Güzelyurt...	(futsal team)	ELF Cup 2006 ELF 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...	0 - 3
30 May 2006	Millerntor-Stadion Millerntor-Stadion The Millerntor-Stadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Hamburg St. Pauli, Germany. It is mainly used for football matches and is the home stadium of FC St. Pauli. It is on the Heiligengeistfeld, near the Reeperbahn, the red light district of Hamburg. The stadium had a capacity of 32 000 when it... , 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...	Republic of St. Pauli FC St. Pauli Fußball-Club St. Pauli is a German sports club based in the St. Pauli quarter of Hamburg. The football section is part of a larger club that also has Rugby Fußball-Club St. Pauli is a German sports club based in the St. Pauli quarter of Hamburg. The football section is part of a larger club that...	2006 FIFI Wild Cup	0 - 7
31 May 2006	Millerntor-Stadion Millerntor-Stadion The Millerntor-Stadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Hamburg St. Pauli, Germany. It is mainly used for football matches and is the home stadium of FC St. Pauli. It is on the Heiligengeistfeld, near the Reeperbahn, the red light district of Hamburg. The stadium had a capacity of 32 000 when it... , 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...		2006 FIFI Wild Cup	0 - 5
10 October 2003	Paljor Stadium, Gangtok Gangtok Gangtok is the capital and largest town of the Indian state of Sikkim. Gangtok is located in the Shivalik Hills of the eastern Himalayan range, at an altitude of . The town, with a population of thirty thousand belonging to different ethnicities such as Nepalis, Lepchas and Bhutia, is administered... , Sikkim Sikkim Sikkim is a landlocked Indian state nestled in the Himalayan mountains...			1 - 2
14 July 2001	Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...			1 - 2
30 Jun 2001	Denmark Denmark Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...			1 - 4

External links

• Web page of Tibetan National Football Association