The Brunei national football team (also known as Brunei Darussalam national football team) nicknamed Tebuan (The Wasps), is the national team of the Brunei and is controlled by the National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam. The team was founded in 1959 and joined FIFA in 1969. In the past, they have also frequently featured in the Malaysian league and cup competitions as one of the state representative sides.
History
Brunei Football Association was formed on 15 March 1956 and at that time was known as the Brunei State Football Amateur Association. In 1993, the word "Amateur" was dropped, and since then, the FA has been known as the Football Association of Brunei Darussalam. Brunei's experience of international football has been more or less restricted to regional Asian competitions, such as the Southeast Asian Games and the Tiger Cup. So far, Brunei has entered the World Cup qualifiers only three times, in 1986, 2002 and 2018. On these occasions, they did not qualify for the competition. They have made five appearances in the Asian Cup qualifiers, but they have never passed the first qualification round.
Their best achievement was perhaps being Champion of the Malaysia Cup in 1999. Back then, Brunei entered a team to compete in the professional Malaysian league and despite competing against Malaysian clubs, Brunei had previously never made an impact. However, in 1999, they shocked everyone by lifting the Malaysia Cup.
Today there are approximately 2,500 footballers playing with Brunei's 22 registered clubs. Footballers are mostly amateurs or semi professionals.
Suspension
The Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (BAFA) was suspended due to governmental interference in its affairs, which started with a decision by the Brunei authorities to dissolve BAFA and to replace it with a new federation in December 2008.[2] The suspension was applied with immediate effect and meant that the Brunei club DPMM were no longer permitted to play in the Singapore S-League until it was resolved.
On 19 March 2010, the FIFA Executive Committee agreed to submit to the next FIFA Congress the expulsion of the Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (BAFA) if the BAFA has not been reinstated by then, after noting that no major progress had been made since the BAFA was suspended in September 2009.
FIFA warned that unless BAFA came to FIFA's Congress on 9 June and 10 in South Africa having met the conditions for reinstatement it would be expelled.[3] Brunei were re-instated on 31 May 2011.[4]
Competition records
World Cup Record
Asian Cup record
| Asian Cup Finals |
|
Asian Cup Qualifications |
| Year |
Result |
Position |
GP |
W |
D* |
L |
GS |
GA |
GP |
W |
D* |
L |
GS |
GA |
GD |
.png) 1956 to .svg.png) 1968 | Did not enter | − | − | − | − | − | − | − |
− | − | − | − | − | − | − |
 1972 | Did not qualify | − | − | − | − | − | − | − |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 18 | −18 |
| 1976 | Did not qualify | − | − | − | − | − | − | − |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 13 | −12 |
 1980 | Withdrew | − | − | − | − | − | − | − |
− | − | − | − | − | − | − |
 1984 | Withdrew | − | − | − | − | − | − | − |
|
 1988 | Did not enter | − | − | − | − | − | − | − |
 1992 | Did not enter | − | − | − | − | − | − | − |
 1996 | Did not enter | − | − | − | − | − | − | − |
 2000 | Did not qualify | − | − | − | − | − | − | − |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 11 | −11 |
 2004 | Did not qualify | − | − | − | − | − | − | − |
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | −5 |
   2007 | Did not enter | − | − | − | − | − | − | − |
| 2011 | Did not qualify | − | − | − | − | − | − | − |
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | −5 |
 2015 | Withdrew | − | − | − | − | − | − | − |
|
| 2019 | Did not qualify | − | − | − | − | − | − | − |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 |
| Total | 0/16 | − | − | − | − | − | − |
15 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 56 | −52 |
AFC Challenge Cup record
| AFC Challenge Cup |
|---|
| Year |
Round |
GP |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
 2006 | Group Stage | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
 2008 | Did not qualify | − | − | − | − | − | − |
 2010 | Did not qualify | − | − | − | − | − | − |
 2012 | Suspended | − | − | − | − | − | − |
 2014 | Withdrew | − | − | − | − | − | − |
| Total | Best: Group Stage | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
AFC Solidarity Cup record
ASEAN Championship
This competition was formerly known as the Tiger Cup
(6 July 2017)
