CONIFA is coming to London this summer
Every four years us Kibrisli folk have the same conversation with each other themed around “Isn’t it a shame we can’t take part in the world cup?”.
However this year we don’t need Russia as we have Northern Cyprus, Our beloved Kibris taking part in the Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA) World Football Cup.
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.
Taking place in London, England, the competition will be held from Thursday 31 May to Saturday 9 June and will bring together 16 teams from five continents for a diverse extravaganza of football, culture and international understanding.
And in typical Turkish luck, we’ve been assigned what is called the group of death. (Let’s face it, we never have anything easy).
The full groups are:
Group 1 will see Barawa, a region of Somalia, join Ellan Vannin (the Isle of Man), Tamil Eelam and Cascadia, a geographic area of the United States and Canada.
Group 2 is arguably the ‘group of death’, bringing together defending champions Abkhazia, and 2017 CONIFA European Football Cup runners-up Northern Cyprus, both partially-recognised states, along with Felvidek, a Hungarian-inhabited region of Slovakia, and Tibet.
Group 3 pits European champions Padania, a region of Italy, with Székely Land, a Hungarian part of Romania, Pacific nation Kiribati and Matabeleland, an area of Zimbabwe.
Finally, Group 4 brings together 2016 World Football Cup runners up Panjab, the United Koreans in Japan,Western Armenia and one of CONIFA’s newest members, Kabylia representing a region of north Africa.
“We are excited to be moving towards what promises to be our biggest tournament yet,” said CONIFA President Per-Anders Blind. “The draw has provided some interesting and unusual encounters, and we are sure all games will entertain the large crowds that we are sure London is going to supply.”
“Arrangements for London 2018 are progressing well,” explained CONIFA General Secretary Sascha Düerkop. “Tickets will go on sale shortly, and we will soon be announcing our major tournament sponsors, stadiums and associated events. We can’t wait to bring the CONIFA story to the home of football.”
As soon as I hear that tickets are on sale I will be sure to update you but start getting the mangals ready. It’s going to be a great summer!
