Sápmi National Football Team

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The Sápmi national football team is a team representing the Sámi people, who inhabit the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. The team does not have official membership in UEFA or FIFA, which means it does not participate in international competitions sanctioned by these organizations.

History

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The concept of organizing football teams for the Sámi people dates back to 1979 and was revived in 2001, with the Norwegian Sports Federation and the Norwegian Football Federation taking control. The team's first game is reported to have been played against the Åland Islands national team.

Organization

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The Sami Football Federation (North Samice: Samiler Spábbáčiekčanlihttu) provides official status for the team, which has been a member of the NF-Board since 2003. In 2014, the team joined the Confederation of Independent Football Associations (ConIFA), allowing it to participate in international competitions.

Tournaments and Matches

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The Sápmi national football team has participated in several tournaments, including:

* The KTFF 50th Anniversary Cup in 2005 in Northern Cyprus, where they finished third after losing matches against Northern Cyprus and Kosovo.
* The Viva World Cup 2006, which they won by defeating Monaco 21-1 in the final.

The team has also played friendly matches against other national teams, including Estonia (four times) and East Germany (once).

Current Status

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As a member of ConIFA, the Sápmi national football team participates in international competitions. However, it still lacks official recognition from UEFA or FIFA, which would allow it to compete in their sanctioned tournaments.

The Football Lapland Association has expressed interest in seeking membership with FIFA, but no updates on this status are available as of now.

Notable Matches

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* In 2006, the team won the Viva World Cup by defeating Monaco 21-1.
* On November 17th, the Sápmi national football team won a match against Greenland with a score of 5-0.