ELF Cup

Overview

The ELF Cup is a football tournament organized by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The tournament's motto is "Equality, Liberty, Purity, Fraternity" (Kardeşlik in Turkish). It was first held in 2006 and has been a platform for teams from nations not recognized by FIFA or continental organizations.

History

The ELF Cup 2006 was the inaugural edition of the tournament. Initially, it was organized only for NF-Board members, but three Asian Football Confederation (AFC) member teams participated: Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. However, under pressure from FIFA, Afghanistan withdrew and was replaced by Tibet.

Participating Teams

The following teams participated in the ELF Cup 2006:

* Crimean Tatars - a public living in Crimea with a unique status
* Gagauzya - an autonomous management located in Moldova
* Grönland - an autonomous management in Denmark, represented by its national futsal team
* Kyrgyzstan - a member of AFC and FIFA, represented by its national futsal team
* Tajikistan - a member of AFC and FIFA, represented by its national futsal team
* Tibet - an autonomous management in China, represented by its national Under-20 team
* Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus - the host nation and winner of the tournament
* Zanzibar - a friendly management to Tanzania, but a member of CAF

Tournament Format

The eight teams were divided into two groups of four teams. The direct elimination phase consisted of semifinals, with the first team of group A facing the second team of group B, and the second team of group A facing the first team of group B.

Venues

The ELF Cup 2006 was held from November 19 to 25, 2006. The stadiums used for the tournament were not specified in the sources provided.

Winner

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus won the inaugural ELF Cup 2006.