January 8 – The non-FIFA Confederation of International Football Associations (CONIFA) ratified the membership of Yorkshire on Saturday. Yorkshire will play its first friendly against the Isle of Man in January.
CONIFA is the international governing body for Non-FIFA affiliated Associations for football, an umbrella association for states, minorities, stateless peoples and regions that are not recognised by FIFA. The governing body was founded in 2013 to oversee international competition among the non-FIFA affiliated associations in the world.
This weekend CONIFA welcomed Yorkshire in its ranks as the membership of the north English county was ratified at the organisation’s annual general meeting in Kyrenia, Northern Cyprus. The team is made up solely of players who were born in Yorkshire and will play its first friendly at the end of the month at Hemsworth against the Isle of Man.
CONIFA’s delegates unanimously accepted and passed Yorkshire’s application for membership. Yorkshire will join a group of eclectic teams, including Somaliland, Greenland and Tibet, as members of CONIFA.
This year London will host the bi-annual World Football Cup, CONIFA’s main tournament in May and June. Kyrenia hosted the draw with hosts Barawa placed in Group 1.
Group 1
Barawa
Ellan Vannin
Tamil Eelam
Cascadia
Group 2
Abkhazia
Northern Cyprus
Felvidek
Tibet
Group 3
Padavia
Szekely Land
Kiribati
Matabeleland
Group 4
Panjab
United Koreans in Japan
Western Armenia
Kabylia
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