Yes, it's done! Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guyana, Saint-Martin and Sint-Maarten are CONCACAF full members Friday, April 19 in Panama. So these five countries will participate in all competitions in the confederation, will receive financial aid, will be entitled to many facilities in the area, will also get TV rights etc, etc... But for now, they still cannot compete in FIFA because they aren't affiliated. Regarding the four French territories, it seems that the French Football Federation put a saveguard, which means that the FFF prohibit these four countries to compete in FIFA. Why? Because France was probably afraid that it might jurisprudence. Cleary, France fears that regions such as Corsica, the Basque Country or Brittany request membership in FIFA. It's further necessary that these French regions are already affiliated to UEFA, which is not the case at all! For cons, these Caribbean countries are in a different area and are very far from France, so they all have the right to participate in World Cup qualifying as the British, Dutch or US territories in the Caribbean. This is already what happens for volleyball! Yes, since last year, Guadeloupe and Martinique began volleyball World Cup qualifying! So why it stuck there for soccer? Soccer would be more conservative than volley? Moreover, CONCACAF and the rest of the World are still struggling to understand the lack of Guadeloupe and Martinique to FIFA. (Guadeloupe = semifinal in 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup + quaterfinal in 2009/ Martinique = quaterfinal in 2002). This is why we ask the support of all CONCACAF teams and why not the World, in order to bend the French authorities. We already have a weight support, it's CONCACAF President and FIFA Vice-President Mr. Jeffrey Webb from Cayman Islands, a British territory, who is well placed to understand our situation. Moreover, Mr. Jeffrey Webb said the other day that Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guyana, Saint-Martin and Sint Maarten could join FIFA in 2015. France will finally agree for 2015? Finger crossed!
I'd love for the French 4 + Sint-Marteen to be able to join FIFA, but I think the French will be reluctant. They've been mining those territories for players for a long time. Plus, technically speaking, none of those five are actual, independent countries, so this is a bit tricky. Yes, I know, technically, neither are England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. And that's why this gets so tricky. Neither are the British Virgin Islands, or Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands. Or some other FIFA members. Still, I hope you guys get all the support you need. I believe if Martinique and Guadeloupe were full FIFA members, they could retain some more of their players, and be a regular force in CONCACAF, maybe even enabling us to go to a 16 team CONCACAF Gold Cup. I think we'd have 16 reasonably strong teams, or at least only a couple minnow types. 1: Mexico; 2: USA; 3: Costa Rica; 4: Honduras; 5: Panama; 6: Jamaica; 7: El Salvador; 8: Canada; 9: Trinidad & Tobago; 10: Haiti; 11: Guatemala; 12: Cuba; 13: Guadelopue; 14: Martinique. For the last two spots, some combination of: Suriname, Guyana, Grenada, Antigua & Barbuda, St. Kitts & Nevis, French Guyana, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, or Dominican Republic. Good luck.
Can we give some of the obviously South American teams to COMEBOL? Why the hell are teams on the South American continent not playing for COMEBOL?
Don't forget Gibraltar for UEFA. This tiny piece of land was made full member of the European organization on May 24th. So Gibraltar will take part in UEFA EURO 2016 as the other 53 members. For 2018 FIFA World Cup, Gibraltar would be deprived of the party? I don't think so because Gibraltar will be certainly accepted by FIFA in 2014 or 2015. So Guadeloupe as a full member of CONCACAF, should follow the train. Especially since CONCACAF trying to gain an extra for the 2018 World Cup. There are fewer Guadeloupean or Martinican players in A French team. I think France has nothing to fear from a possible affiliation of Guadeloupe and Martinique to FIFA because neither Corsica, Brittany or the Basque Country may not apply for a place at FIFA. Why? Because UEFA said in the law, as being a member of its organisation, you must be an independent country recognized by international community. Gibraltar's case is exceptional because its request for affiliation to UEFA predates the law.