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.
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Broadly-speaking, there are six categories of Non-FIFA national team:
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 Jersey, whose members are also members of the FA. These regional associations often enter representative teams into international non-FIFA matches.
A second category encompasses regions of larger nations which have a history of autonomy. They may have already achieved a degree of autonomy (Catalonia, 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 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 diaspora. 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.
Ten sovereign states (Vatican City, Monaco, Tuvalu, Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Palau, Nauru, Kiribati, South Sudan and the United Kingdom) are not affiliated to FIFA. (Though the United Kingdom is represented through its four constituent countries).
Another group of teams is composed by ethnic minorities in a state.
Football tournaments at international multi-sports events, such as the Olympics, 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.
The FIFI Wild Cup 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.
| Host Nation | Year | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| Germany | 2006 | Northern Cyprus |
The UNPO Cup was organised by the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization and NF-Board, and took place in The Hague 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 | South Moluccas |
The first VIVA World Cup, 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.
| Host Nation | Year | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| Occitania | 2006 | Sápmi |
| Sápmi | 2008 | Padania |
| Padania | 2009 | Padania |
| Gozo | 2010 | Padania |
The ELF Cup, 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.
| Host Nation | Year | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Cyprus | 2006 | Northern Cyprus |
The Island Games, 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.
| Host Nation | Year | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| Faroe Islands | 1989 | Faroe Islands |
| Åland | 1991 | Faroe Islands |
| Isle of Wight | 1993 | Jersey |
| Gibraltar | 1995 | Isle of Wight |
| Jersey | 1997 | Jersey |
| Gotland | 1999 | Ynys Môn |
| Isle of Man | 2001 | Guernsey |
| Guernsey | 2003 | Guernsey |
| Shetland | 2005 | Shetland |
| Rhodes | 2007 | Gibraltar |
| Åland | 2009 | Jersey |
| Isle of Wight | 2011 | Isle of Wight |
The Europeada is a football tournament for indigenous 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.
| Host Nation | Year | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | 2008 | South Tyrol |
| TBA | 2012 |
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.
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.
A women's football tournament to the Island Games is played from 2001 edition:
| Host Nation | Year | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| Isle of Man | 2001 | Faroe Islands |
| Guernsey | 2003 | Faroe Islands |
| Shetland | 2005 | Faroe Islands |
| Rhodes | 2007 | Åland Islands |
| Åland | 2009 | Åland Islands |
| Isle of Wight | 2011 | Åland Islands |
A women's football tournament to the VIVA World Cup is played from 2008 edition:
| Host Nation | Year | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| Sápmi | 2008 | Sápmi |
| Gozo | 2010 | Padania |
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.
Despite the fact many non-FIFA associations have their own league, there are no international or continental club tournaments.
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