Panjab football team

Panjab
Association Panjab Football Association
Confederation ConIFA
Head coach Reuben Hazell
Home stadium Hadley Stadium, Smethwick
First colours
Second colours
First international
Isle of Man Ellan Vannin 8–1 Panjab Sikh Empire
(Douglas, Isle of Man; 30 May, 2015)
Biggest win
Sikh Empire Panjab 9–1 Alderney 
(Douglas, Isle of Man; 31 May, 2015)
Biggest defeat
Isle of Man Ellan Vannin 8–1 Panjab Sikh Empire
(Douglas, Isle of Man; 30 May, 2015)
ConIFA World Football Cup
Appearances 1 (first in 2016)
Best result Runners-Up 2016
Website Panjab Football Association

The Panjab Football Team is a representative football team formed in 2014 in the United Kingdom to represent the Punjabi diaspora. Initially, this will cover the Punjabi community in the UK, before expanding further afield. The team is governed by the Panjab Football Association, not to be confused with the Punjab Football Association, which is the state governing body of football in the Punjab region of India.

Background

The Panjab FA was founded in 2014 with the primary aim of establishing a team to represent the community of the Punjab across the world.[1] The Punjab region is an area that stretches across parts of eastern Pakistan and northern India, and the association has aligned itself within the boundaries of this area, as represented by the Sikh Empire under Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the 19th century.[2] To this end, the association applied for membership of the Confederation of Independent Football Associations (ConIFA), an international body designed to allow nations, unrecognised states, minorities, stateless peoples and others ineligible to join FIFA to take part in competitive international football. The Panjab FA joined ConIFA on 7 April 2014.[3]

Following the establishment of the association and the confirmation of its membership of ConIFA, a series of trials was held in order to select the initial squad selection.[4] The first of these took place in December 2014,[5] with subsequent trials into 2015. On 22 December 2014, the first match organised by the Panjab FA saw a team of trialists take on the Sealand national "B" team, in which the Panjab XI won 4-1.[6][7]

In early 2015, the association continued the development of its structures, with the recruitment of coaches and scouts, and the first full training session of the initial national squad. In May 2015, it was announced that the team would participate in its first full international fixtures when it was invited to take part in the Niamh Challenge Cup in the Isle of Man, a four team tournament that would not only provide the first international opposition for the team, but also provide a route to qualify for the 2016 ConIFA World Football Cup. The team was also due to participate in a second friendly tournament, the Benedikt Fontana Cup, held in Raetia, and which would provide a second opportunity to qualify for the WFC.[8] However, they subsequently pulled out of this tournament, to be replaced by the Chagos Islands.,[9] the team will compete at the 2016 ConIFA World Football Cup.

2016 ConIFA World Football Cup

Panjab was selected as one of the twelve participants in the 2016 ConIFA World Football Cup in January 2016.[10] At the subsequent draw, the team was placed in Group D alongside Sápmi and Somaliland. The team finished top of the group, before playing Western Armenia in the quarter-final, and Padania in the semi-final. Victory saw them face the hosts, Abkhazia in the final, where they led until the 88th minute before losing on penalties.[11]

Matches

References

  1. ↑ "Mission Statement". Panjab FA. Panjab Football Association. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  2. ↑ "Background". Panjab FA. Panjab Football Association. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  3. ↑ "Panjab FA accepted as member of Conifa". Panjab FA. Panjab Football Association. 7 April 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  4. ↑ "National Team Trials". Panjab FA. Panjab Football Association. 30 September 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  5. ↑ "1st ever trial day for Panjab national football team.". Twitter. Panjab Football Association. 14 December 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  6. ↑ "PANJAB FA TRIALIST XI 4-1 SEALAND FA "B"". Panjab FA. Panjab Football Association. 22 December 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  7. ↑ Panjab XI 4-1 Sealand "B", Youtube
  8. ↑ "CONIFA Summer 2015". ConIFA. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  9. ↑ "Chagos ersetzt Panjab". FA Raetia (in German). 22 May 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  10. ↑ "#Abkhazia2016 participants". ConIFA. 17 January 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  11. ↑ "#Abkhazia2016 Match Summaries – Day 8". ConIFA. 5 June 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
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