Couldn't Puerto Rico also still be recognized as a different entity by FIFA? Kind of like how England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are all different "nations" with respect to how FIFA views them?
It's also complicated by the fact that while Puerto Ricans voted in favor of the referendum, they also voted out a number of pro-statehood officials. As this article explains: http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/puerto-rico-vote-endorses-statehood-with-asterisk-1.4200471 But Tuesday's vote comes with an asterisk and an imposing political reality: The island remains bitterly divided over its relationship to the United States and many question the validity of this week's referendum. Nearly a half million voters chose to leave a portion of the ballot blank. And voters also ousted the pro-statehood governor, eliminating one of the main advocates for a cause that would need the approval of the U.S. Congress. "Statehood won a victory without precedent but it's an artificial victory," said Angel Israel Rivera Ortiz, a political science professor at the University of Puerto Rico. "It reflects a divided and confused electorate that is not clear on where it's going." I just wanted to make sure people understand that despite this referendum.................we're a looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong way from Puerto Rican statehood. It's a very complicated issue.
Well, they could....But the home nations are a big exception that was grandfathered in. A lot of confederations really don't like the privileges that the home nations have and would prefer them becoming Great Britain. So politically speaking, I don't think CONCACAF would allow it.
Kind of doubt it, Puerto Rico wouldn't really have any "special" political status anymore if it became a state (those examples do). Even Catalunya's "national" team doesn't have recognition in international competition for the same reason.
As I said in another thread, Puerto Rico would be like the Catalonian and Basque Country national teams. Both are recoginised by UEFA or FIFA and are comprised of Spaniards from those regions. They play couple of friendlies a year. Numerous full Spanish national teamers suit up for these regional nation tem,s. Quite frankly, Basque Country and Catalonia could probably compete well in an international tournament -- if eligible.
While I don't disagree with your overall conclusion, I'd point out that the outgoing chief executive in PR was a member of the RNC. The idea that all PR officeholders are Dems is patently false. He narrowly lost this time and was a proponent of statehood.
He won not because he was republican as the majority of the PR population don't follow the Democratic/Republican party system at all but the political parties in Puerto Rico. But that is stuff for the thread of this in the Politics Forum. Yeah Puerto Ricans in the state are different from the ones in Puerto Rico. That isn't true at all in PR.
As far as I know, FIFA does not recognize Catalonia and clubs will not release players to represent it. I dunno about the Basques, though.