I was just thinking about all theses tiny countries that are in the qualification process for major tournaments and why they bother. eg. Faroe Islands, Lichenstein etc. The answer of course is because they are members of FIFA. So then I had a look at FIFA's website to see all the other minor members. I'm sure through this board many of you will have heard about Montserrat, mainly because they are so crap. Them, Bhutan and a couple of other small islands generally prop up FIFA's ranking system (which we all know for its gross inaccuracies). However, Montserrat is one of those dependant states. A Dependant of Great Britain in fact. Like Bermuda and the British Virgin Islands it competes in the CONCACAF qualifying and has the possibility of playing the USA and Mexico in the further stages of that qualification and then onto to the World Cup itself. So why I wonder do other Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies of Great Britain not follow suit? There are many other far flung islands like the Cayman's, St. Helena and the Falklands. But there are also many far nearer home. Gibraltar of course but also Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. Jersey and Guernsey, known as the Channel Islands are basically rich boy's tax havens, so they probably wouldn't want a bunch of Eurotrash football fans stomping around their smart marinas every time there's a footy game. But the Isle of Man? They host the TT for goodness sake. teh Tourists Trophy a huge motorbike race which attracts loads of bikers from all over Europe and I'm sure they don't just sit around drinking sodas all weekend. So my question is, why on earth haven't they taken the initiative and requested membership with UEFA and FIFA. And what is the process of doing so. Do you have to have a national association in place. If so, I'll start one and run it. Do you have to have a professional league in place? Doubt it. Does San Marino, Leichenstein, Andorra, Faroe Islands etc? Infact (and if you haven't already realised how bored I am at work some days you will now) I'm going to write to them and ask them. Just for a laugh and all but if I get a reply I'll post it here.
That's a good question, but I don't know the answer. I do know that Americans could play for the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Guam in addition to the US. Martinique just played in the CONCACAF Gold Cup too.
From the FIFA statutes: - FIFA is the international federation of football associations. - FIFA consist of the national associations. - Only one association shall be recognised in each country. - Each of the four British associations shall be recognised as a member of FIFA. - A football association in a region which has not yet gained independence may, with authorisation of the national association of the country on which it is dependent, also ask to become affiliated to FIFA. So, in the Isle of Man case, either change FIFA:s statutes to allow five British associations or convince FIFA and the British associations that Isle of Man is merely not yet independent.
Sounds a little suspect. Dependencies, Principalites - all the same to me. They both have their own currency and government so what makes the Isle of Man different from San Marino or Monaco. And there's plenty of other countries playing football in the Carribean so why ley Montserrat in? I think if the Isle of Man kicked up enough of a fuss they could do it. What about the Vatican City? Could they put out a team?
An American can play for their dependencies provided they meet the FIFA eligibility rules. The British posession have a great deal of self rule. They are basically de facto independent nations. The French territories, on the other hand, are treated more like French provinces. Gibraltar can't enter FIFA or UEFA since it's still considered a disputed territory.
Gibraltar did try to become a member of UEFA a few years ago, but because Spain was opposed to this and treatened to step out of UEFA Gibraltar wasn't allowed to become a member.
I just got a reply from the Isle of Man government: Dear Mr Reed, Thanks for your e-mail - good point. I am passing this on within Government for further consideration. Regards Alistair Ramsay Press and Public Relations Officer, Isle of Man Government So there you go. Perhaps we can start a movement to get the Isle of Man into FIFA/UEFA.
We should get the Pope to form a Vatican team. Scour the Catholic world for uncapped players and have the Pope unilaterally grant them Vatican citizenship.
How is it that Palestine is a member under those rules? http://www.fifa.com/en/organisation/na/index,PAL.html
Would the Falklands join CONMEBOL? They had one player who played in the minor leagues of Boca Juniors, in Argentina. I don't know what happened to him. But I would imagine they would get hammered in CONMEBOL. They'd be better off accepting Argentine sovereignty. Then perhaps they can celebrate winning the next World Cup.
The Faroe Islands joined FIFA just before they changed the rules on how to become a member.... I believe... If the Faroe Islands applied under the current rules, they would not be able to join.
I think they would. There is a fairly advanced discussion on full independence for Faroe Islands (from Denmark, that is). Taking that in account, and the danish FA not opposing the idea, I think Faroe Islands could become a FIFA member even today.
Greenland currently tries to become a FIFA member too. I did a google search and found this somehow related article: http://www.play-the-game.org/magazine/pdf-02/37-david.pdf Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein etc. are all independent countries, so they had no problem to join FIFA (the Vatican City could too if they wanted i think).
Using the UK model... ...we should let Texas and California join FIFA. They'd still be bigger than most of the countries in CONCACAF and we'd have two more votes. The California National Team would look cool in their tie-die kits. The Texas National Team would have trouble with headers because they'd refuse to remove their hats.
Can anyone answer me why monaco dont have a national team and also do u think if catalonia ever broke away from spain and became independent would they put out a team, it could be a good team with many barcelona youngsters in the side
Since leagues are not allowed to go over two or more nations. Monoco had to make a choice. When FC Monoco were admitted into the French League and the French FA, Monoco forever gave up their right to thier own FA and thus cannot be a member of UEFA or FIFA. Also, Monoco would revert back to French control should the Gramaldi(sp?) family not have a male heir. As to Catalonia, if they were to break off from Spain and become a new nation, then yes they could join UEFA and FIFA. This is basicly what happen in Yugoslavia and the late USSR. Russia is consitered to be the old USSR, just with a new name and the other 14 nations are new.
Back in the early 80s, before the LA Olympics, there was a movement afoot by some of the autonomous American and Canadian "Native Americans" to apply to the IOC and various sporting federations for membership. Given the jurisdictional seperation of aboriginal lands in the US and Canada, combined with the sporting independence of other territories like the Virgin Islands, Solomon Islands, Puerto Rico..., that they could've pulled it off. I'm not sure why it never went forward, probably because of a lack of cohesiveness and cultural differences amongst the various farflung Indian communities.
Why should this be true? Liechtenstein also doesn't have their own league. FC Vaduz plays in the 2nd Swiss division and the other teams in lower Swiss divisions. But Liechtenstein does have a national team. A few other examples of teams that play in another league than the country they are from: Derry City from Northern Ireland plays in the Irish league. Cardiff City and Swansea City from Wales play in the English league. I think the reason Monaco doesn't have their own FA is that the interest for football is very low, as also can be seen at the very low attendences at AS Monaco home games.