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2018 CONIFA World Football Cup qualification

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The 2018 CONIFA World Football Cup qualification was the process to decide a number of the teams that will play in the 2018 CONIFA World Football Cup. This is the second tournament to feature a qualification process, following on from the 2016 qualification. The first qualification match played was on 13 March 2016 between the Tamil Eelam team and the team representing the Romani people, with the first goal scored by Tamil Eelam's Panushanth Kulenthiran.

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Background

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The Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA) was founded in June 2013, as an organisation to represent football associations that are not eligible or choose not to join FIFA.[1] One year later, it held its first official tournament, the 2014 ConIFA World Football Cup, in Sweden, to which the twelve participating teams were invited. The success of this tournament led to the decision to make it a biannual competition, with continental tournaments taking place in between, the first of which was the 2015 ConIFA European Football Cup.

ConIFA published a set of qualification criteria for the World Football Cup ahead of its 2017 Annual General Meeting, setting out the various methods in which teams could qualify for the WFC.[2] This was subsequently revised into an official version for publication in June 2017.[3]

  • Host – Barawa
  • World Football Cup Holder – Abkhazia
  • Wild Card – CONIFA's Executive Committee were required to give a Wild Card place to a team that has not yet qualified for the WFC no later than 9 months prior to the start of the tournament - this was given to Western Armenia. The Committee also had the right to issue a second Wild Card if approved by CONIFA's Annual General Meeting, which occurred and was given to Tibet.
  • Qualification tournament – Any member of CONIFA had the right to request that a tournament it hosts be sanctioned as a qualifier, providing it is held between 1 January of the year of the previous WFC, and 31 December of the year before the next WFC, and consists of at least four CONIFA members. The request to have the tournament sanctioned as a qualifier must be submitted at least two months prior to the start, and must be approved by CONIFA's Executive Committee. Three such tournaments were held, the ConIFA Challenger Cup, the Hungary Heritage Cup and the World Unity Cup 2016.
  • Continental tournament – If a ConIFA continental championship is held after the previous WFC, then a number of its participants qualify for the WFC; the total qualifiers is worked out by the number of participants in the tournament divided by 4. Only one such tournament was held, the ConIFA European Football Cup 2017 at which both the winner and runner-up qualified.
  • Qualification points – The remaining places (which numbered 8) were distributed according to the final positions in the various CONIFA continental rankings according to their accumulated ranking points, distributed by a system which rewarded playing matches against both CONIFA and other opponents. Where two or more teams from the same continental zone had the same number of qualification points, qualification was to be determined by the CONIFA World Rankings.

CONIFA is split into six continental zones, with the total number of places in the World Football Cup based on the number of CONIFA members from each zone. As of June 2025, the distribution of places for the WFC, dependent on the size of the final tournament, is:[2]

More information No of finals spots, Europe ...

[a]: There were no South American members of ConIFA at the time of the tournament
The first qualifying process was undertaken for the 2016 ConIFA World Football Cup, which saw a series of friendly matches and tournaments, together with the 2015 ConIFA European Football Cup, designated as qualifiers for the 2016 WFC.[4][5][6] However, this decision was taken at a late stage prior to the start of the European Football Cup tournament, only a year prior to the planned start of the 2016 WFC in Abkhazia. As a consequence, for its 2018 WFC tournament, ConIFA began designating planned friendly matches as qualifiers from the beginning of 2016, allowing a greater time for those teams achieving qualification to plan for the tournament. The first of these was the ConIFA Challenger Cup, held in Remscheid on 12 and 13 March 2016.[7]

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Qualified teams

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Qualification

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ConIFA Challenger Cup

The ConIFA Challenger Cup was a two team competition held over two days. The two participants, Tamil Eelam and Romani people, each played a 45-minute match against a local select side from the town of Remscheid, where the tournament was being held, on the first day, before playing off against each other on the second.[8]

13 March 2016 (2016-03-13) Final Tamil Eelam  4–1  Romani people Stadion Reinshagen, Remscheid, Germany
19:45 CET Kulenthiran 17', 90'
Sivanesamurthy 23'
Navaneethakrishnan 78'
Report Eyob 82'
Note: Tamil Eelam qualify for WFC; Romani People – 3 qualifying points

Hungary Heritage Cup

The Hungary Heritage Cup was a four-team competition held at the beginning of August 2016 in Szarvas, celebrating the heritage of various members of the Hungarian diaspora. The four teams featured two current members of ConIFA, together with two other teams, with the winner qualifying for the World Football Cup.

1 August 2016 (2016-08-01) Semi-final Felvidék 1–1
(5–4 p)
Kárpátalja Erzsébet-ligeti Sporttelep, Szarvas, Hungary
17:45 CEST Renczes 30' Report ? 42'
Note: Felvidek – 9 qualifying points; Kárpátalja – 3 qualifying points
1 August 2016 (2016-08-01) Semi-final Délvidék 3–1 Székely Land Erzsébet-ligeti Sporttelep, Szarvas, Hungary
15:00 CEST Mindlecz 16'
Pozsár 63'
Könyves 77'
Report Bajkó 78'
Note: Délvidék – 9 qualifying points; Székely Land – 3 qualifying points
3 August 2016 (2016-08-03) Final Délvidék 1–2 Felvidék Erzsébet-ligeti Sporttelep, Szarvas, Hungary
16:45 CEST Nagy Report Érsek
Magyar
Note: Délvidék – 3 qualifying points; Felvidek qualify for WFC

World Unity Cup 2016

The World Unity Cup was planned as a four-team tournament held at the end of August 2016 in Sutton. The competition was organised jointly by three ConIFA members representing displaced peoples, with the winner qualifying for the World Football Cup.[9]

Subsequent to the announcement, both Darfur and Ellan Vannin withdrew, and the tournament was reorganized as a three-team event, with the Barawa team replacing them.[10]

25 August 2016 (2016-08-25) Group stage Barawa  0–5  Tamil Eelam Borough Sports Ground, Sutton, England
18:00 BST Kasthuran 28'
Jan 30'
Navaneethakrishnan 52'
Kulenthiran 75', 84'
Note: Barawa – 3 qualifying points; Tamil Eelam – N/A (already qualified for WFC)
26 August 2016 (2016-08-26) Group stage Barawa  2–3  Chagos Islands Borough Sports Ground, Sutton, England
18:15 BST Sufi Bhujan
Robertson
Sooprayen
Note: Chagos Islands – 9 qualifying points; Barawa – 3 qualifying points
27 August 2016 (2016-08-27) Group stage Chagos Islands  P–P  Tamil Eelam Borough Sports Ground, Sutton, England
19:30 BST
28 August 2016 (2016-08-28) Final Chagos Islands  1–5  Tamil Eelam Borough Sports Ground, Sutton, England
18:45 BST Gaspard 48' Navaneethakrishnan 4' (pen.)
Sivanesamurthy 8', 11'
Kulenthiran 68'
Chandran 70' (pen.)
Note: Chagos Islands – 3 qualifying points; Tamil Eelam – N/A (already qualified for WFC)

ConIFA European Football Cup 2017

The 2017 European Football Cup was announced in January 2017 with a total of eight teams due to take part. The winner of the competition was guaranteed a place at the World Football Cup.

More information Key to colours in group tables ...

Group A

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Source: [citation needed]
(Q) Qualified for the phase indicated
5 June 2017 Abkhazia  2–1  South Ossetia Kyrenia, N. Cyprus
20:00 EEST Kortava
Shoniya
Kadjaev Stadium: Mete Adanır Stadium
6 June 2017 South Ossetia  0–8  Northern Cyprus Kyrenia, N. Cyprus
20:00 EEST Yasinses
Taskiran
Çıdamlı
Turan (pen.)
Gok
Stadium: Mete Adanır Stadium
6 June 2017 Kárpátalja 2–2  Abkhazia Nicosia, N. Cyprus
20:00 EEST Robert
Roman
Semyonov Stadium: Atatürk Stadium
7 June 2017 South Ossetia  1–4 Kárpátalja Famagusta, N. Cyprus
20:00 EEST Kochiev Mile
Baksa
Tibor
Stadium: Dr. Fazıl Küçük Stadium

Group B

More information Pld, W ...
Source: [citation needed]
(Q) Qualified for the phase indicated
5 June 2017 Padania  1–0 Isle of Man Ellan Vannin Morphou, N. Cyprus
20:00 EEST Rota Stadium: Üner Berkalp Stadium
7 June 2017 Ellan Vannin Isle of Man 2–4 Székely Land Kyrenia, N. Cyprus
20:00 EEST McNulty Bajko Stadium: Mete Adanır Stadium
7 June 2017 Padania  2–0 Felvidék Nicosia, N. Cyprus
20:00 EEST Rota
Rosset
Stadium: Atatürk Stadium

Knockout stages

9 June 2017 Semi-final 1 Northern Cyprus  2–1 Székely Land Atatürk Stadium, Nicosia, Northern Cyprus
20:00 EEST Onet
Turan
Petru
9 June 2017 Semi-final 2 Padania  0–0
(6–5 p)
 Abkhazia Mete Adanır Stadium, Kyrenia, Northern Cyprus
20:00 EEST
Penalties
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10 June 2017 Final Northern Cyprus  1–1
(2–3 p)
 Padania Atatürk Stadium, Nicosia, Northern Cyprus
20:00 EEST Turan Pllumbjai
Penalties
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Note: Padania and Northern Cyprus qualify for WFC

Qualification points standing

The following is a list of games not part of sanctioned ConIFA tournaments for which teams have accrued qualifying points:α

6 January 2016 (2016-01-06) Friendly Olympique de Marseille (CFA) 3–2  Western Armenia Stade Roger Lebert, Marseille, France
16:00 CET Militosyan
Note: Western Armenia – 1 qualifying point
20 February 2016 (2016-02-20) Friendly Leicester City FC International Academy 2–2 Sikh Empire Panjab Belvoir Drive, Leicester, England
12:00 BST Virk
Minhas
Note: Panjab – 2 qualifying points
20 March 2016 (2016-03-20) Friendly Manchester International Football Academy 1–9 Sikh Empire Panjab Salford Sports Village, Salford, England
13:00 BST Singh
Singh
Shanker
Purewal
Riaz
Note: Panjab – 3 qualifying points
24 April 2016 (2016-04-24) International Friendly Panjab Sikh Empire 0–2  Jersey Aggborough Stadium, Kidderminster, England
15:00 BST
Note: Panjab – 2 qualifying points
16 May 2016 (2016-05-16) International Friendly Romani people  0–2  Padania Arena Civica, Milan, Italy
21:00 CET Rota
Rosset
Note: Padania – 9 qualifying points; Romani People – 3 qualifying points
19 May 2016 (2016-05-19) International Friendly Abkhazia  0–0 Donetsk People's Republic Donetsk PR Dinamo Stadium, Sukhumi, Abkhazia
20:00 GET
Note: Donetsk PR – 6 qualifying points; Abkhazia – N/A (already qualified for WFC)
19 June 2016 (2016-06-19) 2016 Europeada Group C Carinthian Slovenes Carinthia 0–1 Felvidék St Johann, Ahrntal, Italy
15:00 CET Lagos
Note: Felvidék – 6 qualifying points
19 June 2016 (2016-06-19) 2016 Europeada Group D Occitania  4–1 Aromanians Sporthalle-Palasport, Sand in Taufers, Italy
15:00 CET Irigoyemboyde
Natal
Lafuente
Note: Occitania – 6 qualifying points
19 June 2016 (2016-06-19) 2016 Europeada Group E South Tyrol 3–0 Isle of Man Ellan Vannin Sommersportzone, Olang, Italy
15:00 CET
Note: Ellan Vannin – 2 qualifying points
20 June 2016 (2016-06-20) 2016 Europeada Group C Sorbs 2–2 Felvidék Waldstadion, Mühlwald, Italy
16:00 CET Sauer
Domaschke
Meszlenyi
David
Note: Felvidék – 4 qualifying points
20 June 2016 (2016-06-20) 2016 Europeada Group E Ellan Vannin Isle of Man 2–3 North Frisians Fussballplatz, Niederdorf, Italy
16:00 CET Davies
Note: Ellan Vannin – 2 qualifying points
20 June 2016 (2016-06-20) 2016 Europeada Group D Occitania  4–1 Slovaks in Hungary St Johann, Ahrntal, Italy
18:30 CET Bertini
Massare
Irigoyemborde
Note: Occitania – 6 qualifying points
21 June 2016 (2016-06-21) 2016 Europeada Group C North Schleswig Germans Schleswig-Holstein 0–10 Felvidék Sporthalle-Palasport, Sand in Taufers, Italy
16:00 CET Zoli
Meszlenyi
Kalmar
Pragai
Zoller
Jozsef Katona
Meszaros
?
Note: Felvidék – 6 qualifying points
21 June 2016 (2016-06-21) 2016 Europeada Group E Ellan Vannin Isle of Man 2–0 Germans in Upper Silesia Sommersportzone, Olang, Italy
16:00 CET Jones
Doyle
Note: Ellan Vannin – 6 qualifying points
21 June 2016 (2016-06-21) 2016 Europeada Group D Occitania  1–1 Danes in Germany Waldstadion, Mühlwald, Italy
18:30 CET Barremaecker
Note: Occitania – 4 qualifying points
23 June 2016 (2016-06-23) 2016 Europeada QF Occitania  0–0
(5–3 p)
Felvidék Sommersportzone, Olang, Italy
18:00 CET
Penalties
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Note: Occitania – 9 qualifying points; Felvidek – 3 qualifying points
23 June 2016 (2016-06-23) 2016 Europeada SF Occitania  A–A Croats in Serbia Ciamp dal sport Pradel, San Martin de Tor, Italy
15:30 CET
Note: Match abandoned after 41 minutes because of unsportmanlike behavior; Occitania awarded 3–0 victory;[11] Occitania – 6 qualifying points
25 June 2016 (2016-06-25) 2016 Europeada Final South Tyrol 2–1  Occitania Sporthalle-Palasport, Sand in Taufers, Italy
16:00 CET Martinez
Note: Occitania – 2 qualifying points
7 August 2016 (2016-08-07) Friendly Barawa  1–5 Cricklewood Wanderers FC Silver Jubilee Stadium, London, England
14:30 BST
Note: Barawa – 1 qualifying point
13 August 2016 (2016-08-13) International Friendly Donetsk PR Donetsk People's Republic 1–1 Luhansk People's Republic Luhansk PR Metallurg Stadium, Yenakiyevo, Donetsk People's Republic
20:00 EEST Klyuyev Titarenko
Note: Donetsk PR – 6 qualifying points; Luhansk PR – 6 qualifying points
28 August 2016 (2016-08-28) Friendly Barawa  3–2 Tamil Eelam UK Tamil XI Borough Sports Ground, Sutton, England
16:00 BST
Note: Barawa – 3 qualifying points
25 October 2016 (2016-10-25) Friendly Östersunds FK Academy 1–6  Darfur Jämtkraft Arena, Östersund, Sweden
20:00 CEST
Note: Darfur – 3 qualifying points
26 November 2016 (2016-11-26) International Friendly Ryūkyū 0–9 Korea United Koreans of Japan Gosamaru Field, Nakagusuku, Japan
12:00 JST Tae
Gomi
Seong-cheol
Awe
Kaijin
Yoshiaki
Note: United Koreans of Japan – 9 qualifying points; Ryūkyū – 3 qualifying points
4 March 2017 (2017-03-04) Friendly Leicester City FC International Academy 4–3 Sikh Empire Panjab Belvoir Drive, Leicester, England
13:00 GMT
Note: Panjab – 1 qualifying point
12 March 2017 (2017-03-12) International Friendly Raetia  0–5  Tamil Eelam Sportplatz Gufalons, Trübbach, Switzerland
13:00 CET Kulenthiran
Prashanth
Prabashan
?
Note: Raetia – 3 qualifying points; Tamil Eelam – N/A (already qualified for WFC)
9 April 2017 (2017-04-09) Friendly Barawa  4–3 Tokyngton Harvest FC Coles Park Stadium, London, England
18:45 BST
Note: Barawa – 3 qualifying points
23 April 2017 (2017-04-23) International Friendly Jersey  0–2 Sikh Empire Panjab Springfield Stadium, Saint Helier, Jersey
12:45 BST Purewal
Sandhu
Note: Panjab – 6 qualifying points
6 May 2017 (2017-05-06) Friendly Peckham Town FC 4–0  Somaliland Menace Arena, London, England
15:00 BST
Note: Somaliland – 1 qualifying point
6 May 2017 (2017-05-06) Friendly Occitania  2–2 Sélection Quartiers Stade Borderouge, Toulouse, France
17:00 CET
Note: Occitania – 2 qualifying points
27 May 2017 (2017-05-27) Friendly Stockport Town FC 0–7 Isle of Man Ellan Vannin Stockport Sports Village, Woodley, England
14:30 BST Doyle
Whitley
Simpson
Quaye
Cowin
? (o.g.)
Note: Ellan Vannin – 3 qualifying points
28 May 2017 (2017-05-28) International Friendly Panjab Sikh Empire 1–2 England England "C" Damson Park, Solihull, England
15:00 BST Virk
Note: Panjab – 2 qualifying points
3 June 2017 (2017-06-03) Friendly Rodez AF 2–2  Occitania Stade Paul Ligon, Rodez, France
18:00 CET
Note: Occitania – 2 qualifying points
17 June 2017 (2017-06-17) Friendly Western Sahara  3–3 United Nations UN Select XI Local Field, Tindouf, Algeria
18:00 AST Boglaida
Mohammed
Note: Western Sahara – 2 qualifying points
25 June 2017 (2017-06-25) 2017 Island Games Group B Greenland  3–0  Western Isles Gutavallen, Visby, Sweden
17:00 CEST Svane
Zeeb
Bistrup
Note: Greenland – 6 qualifying points
26 June 2017 (2017-06-26) 2017 Island Games Group B Frøya  2–2  Greenland Fardhem IP, Hemse, Sweden
17:00 CEST Mathæussen
Juhl
Note: Greenland – 4 qualifying points
27 June 2017 (2017-06-27) 2017 Island Games Group B Gotland  0–1  Greenland Visborgsvallen, Visby, Sweden
17:00 CEST Mathæussen
Note: Greenland – 6 qualifying points
29 June 2017 (2017-06-29) 2017 Island Games SF Greenland  1–1
(3–1 p)
 Menorca Björkome IP, Väskinde, Sweden
13:00 CEST Juhl
Penalties
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Note: Greenland – 4 qualifying points
30 June 2017 (2017-06-30) 2017 Island Games Final Greenland  0–6 Isle of Man Isle of Man Gutavallen, Visby, Sweden
13:00 CEST
Note: Greenland – 2 qualification points
10 December 2017 (2017-12-10) International Friendly Matabeleland Cancelled  Darfur White City Stadium, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
Note: The game was cancelled due to travel problems.
More information Key: ...
More information Ranking, Europe ...
More information ConIFA World Rankings ...

:1. Teams that have already qualified no longer accrue qualification points

Wild Card

In May 2017, CONIFA announced on its website that five of its members had completed the necessary process to be considered for the WFC Wild Card place by the deadline of 2 May 2017. The wild card spot was decided at the CONIFA Executive Committee meeting, held during the European Football Cup in Northern Cyprus. The five teams under consideration were:[13]

More information Team, Zone ...

At the Executive Committee meeting, held in Northern Cyprus on 8 June 2017, Tibet were awarded the Wild Card place.

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Top goalscorers

6 goals
5 goals
4 goals
  • Sikh Empire Gurjit Singh
3 goals
  • Tamil Eelam Gvinthan Navaneethakrishnan
  • Tamil Eelam Sujan Sivanesamurthy
  • Korea On-Song Tae
  • Isle of Man Sean Doyle
  • Renàto Meszlènyi
  • Northern Cyprus Ertaç Taşkıran
  • Northern Cyprus Halil Turan
  • Padania Andrea Rota
2 goals
  • J. Sufi
  • Western Armenia Vahagn Militosyan
  • Sikh Empire Terlochan Singh
  • Sikh Empire Rajpal Virk
  • Occitania Guillaume Lafuente
  • Occitania Mathieu Irigoyemboyde
  • Occitania Mickael Bertini
  • Isle of Man Furo Davies
  • Isle of Man Ciaran McNulty
  • Korea Yuuki Gomi
  • David Zoller
  • Abkhazia Anatoli Semyonov
  • Northern Cyprus Mustafa Yasinses
  • Northern Cyprus İbrahim Çıdamlı
  • Zakarpattia Oblast Krisztián Mile
  • Padania William Rosset
  • Greenland Norsaq Lund Mathæussen
  • Western Sahara Mohamed Boglaida
1 goal
  • Grmawi Eyob
  • Sandor Mindlecz
  • Daniel Pozsár
  • Norbert Könyves
  • Zoltán Nagy
  • László Szőcs
  • Silion Petru
  • Gabor Renczés
  • Ádám Érsek
  • Zoltan Magyar
  • Kalmar Lajos
  • Mèszàros David
  • Nemeth Zoli
  • Lajos Kalmar
  • György Pragai
  • Jozsef Katona
  • David Meszaros
  • Richard Krizan
  • Tamil Eelam Johnath Chandran
  • Tamil Eelam Ragvan Prashanth
  • Tamil Eelam Prabashan
  • Chagos Archipelago Didier Gaspard
  • Chagos Archipelago Mervin Bhujan
  • Chagos Archipelago Hansley Robertson
  • Chagos Archipelago Diveeyen Sooprayen
  • Sikh Empire Aaron Minhas
  • Sikh Empire Karum Shanker
  • Sikh Empire Amar Purewal
  • Sikh Empire Rio Riaz
  • Occitania Quentin Chalut Natal
  • Occitania Boris Massarè
  • Occitania Pierre Barremaecker
  • Occitania Brice Martinez
  • Isle of Man Frank Jones
  • Isle of Man Ste Whitley
  • Isle of Man Dan Simpson
  • Isle of Man Sean Quaye
  • Isle of Man Liam Cowin
  • Isle of Man Chris Bass
  • Korea Lee Seong-Cheol
  • Korea Kang Awe
  • Korea Akimoto Kaijin
  • Korea Lee Yoshiaki
  • Donetsk People's Republic Vladislav Klyuyev
  • Luhansk People's Republic Valeriy Titarenko
  • Northern Cyprus Serhan Önet
  • Northern Cyprus Uğur Gök
  • Abkhazia Dmitri Kortava
  • Abkhazia Ruslan Shoniya
  • South Ossetia Alan Kadjaev
  • South Ossetia Solsan Kochiev
  • Zakarpattia Oblast David Robert
  • Zakarpattia Oblast Ohar Roman
  • Zakarpattia Oblast Zoltan Baksa
  • Zakarpattia Oblast Kész Tibor
  • Padania Ersid Pllumbaj
  • Greenland Niels Svane
  • Greenland Nukannguaq Zeeb
  • Greenland Johan Bistrup
  • Greenland Malik Juhl
  • Western Sahara Hamid Mohammed
  • Own Goal
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