FIFA (Federation International de Football Association)

FIFA (the Federation Internationale de Football Association) is the World Governing Body for Football (Soccer). 211 Nations are members. It’s primary competitions are the FIFA World Cup, FIFA Women’s World Cup and FIFA Club World Cup

Intercontinental Soccer

As well as the Continental Associations and Regional Zones within them, there are Inter-Continental Competitions such as Pan-American Competitions (North, Central and South America); Arab Cups (North Africa and West Asia), and Commonwealth of Independent States (Russia, Kazakhstan and the other 9 Independent States which make up the CIS).

Inter-American Games

As well as the Continental Associations and Regional Zones within them, there are Inter-Continental Competitions such as Pan-American Competitions (North, Central and South America); Arab Cups (North Africa and West Asia), and Commonwealth of Independent States (Russia, Kazakhstan and the other 9 Independent States which make up the CIS).

World Club Pre-Season Tours

Preseason Tournaments

UEFA Europe Preseason Tournaments

CONMEBOL South America Preseason Tournaments

AFC Asia Preseason

Preseason Tournaments held in Asia in the 1990s included the Merlion Cup in Singapore, the Dunhill / Merdeka Cup in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Hong Kong’s Carlsberg Challenge. These tournaments often featured top European Club and National Teams playing during preseason tours.

CONCACAF North America Preseason

Preseason tournaments held in USA include the International Champions Cup featuring top European and South American teams which has been held over the past few years; the United Soccer Association, a preseason league where European and South American teams (including Shamrock Rovers and Glentoran) played as American-based teams over the summer of 1967; and the International Soccer League from 1960 to 1965, an extended preseason tournament, again featuring top European and South American teams.

Commonwealth Cup

Pan-Arab Cups

UEFA (Union European de Football Association)

UEFA (the Union of European Football Associations) is a Regional Governing Body within FIFA, which runs Football (Soccer) in Europe, including Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Cyprus, Israel, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia.

UEFA’s Primary Competitions are the UEFA European Championships (Men’s and Women’s and Underage – Countries), UEFA Champions League (Club Tournament) and UEFA Nations League (Country Tournament)

English Premier League & UK Leagues

The Football Association of England is the oldest Soccer Association in the World.

Italy Serie A & Mediterranean National Leagues

Spain La Liga & Iberia

Germany Bundesliga & Central and Northern European Leagues

France Ligue 1-4

CONMEBOL (Confederation Sudamericana de Futbol)

Confederation Sudamericana de Futbol (CSF) or more popularly known as CONMEBOL is the Governing Body for Football (Soccer) in South America (excluding Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname). CONMEBOL’s Primary Competitions are the Copa America (South American Nations Championship – now including two North or Central American Countries), and the Libertadores Cup (South American Club Championship). The Football Leagues of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuala and the Brazilian State Leagues are included where an Irish connection has been found.

CONMEBOL (Confederation Sudamericana de Futbol)

Confederation Sudamericana de Futbol (CSF) or more popularly known as CONMEBOL is the Governing Body for Football (Soccer) in South America (excluding Guyana, French Guiana and Suriname). CONMEBOL’s Primary Competitions are the Copa America (South American Nations Championship – now including two North or Central American Countries), and the Libertadores Cup (South American Club Championship). The Football Leagues of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Paraguay, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuala and the Brazilian State Leagues are included where an Irish connection has been found.

South American National Leagues

Brazil State Championships

CONCACAF (North America)

CONCACAF is the Regional Continental Association for North, Central American and Caribbean Football Associations, and governs Soccer at the Continental level throughout North, Central America and the Caribbean. Within CONCACAF, there are sub-federations NAFU (North American Football Union) containing Soccer Canada, The United States Soccer Federation and the Mexican Football Federation; UNCAF (Union Centroamericana de Futbol) which is a regional federation for the seven Central American Nations, plus CFU (Caribbean Football Union) which represents the Soccer Associations of the Caribbean Islands plus Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana, geographically part of South America, but small enough and bordering the Caribbean that they are part of the CFU and CONCACAF rather than the giant Footballing countries of CONMEBOL (Confederation Sudamericana de Futbol) – the South American Confederation.

NAFU North American Football Union

UNCAF Central America

CFU Caribbean Football Union

Both Montserrat and Barbados have populations partly descended from Irish captives enslaved by Oliver Cromwell. Montserrat is the only other country in the world where St. Patrick’s Day is a National Holiday, and the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Barbados is St. Patrick’s Cathedral. ^{1 2}

1. Go Barbados (2022) St. Patrick’s  Roman Catholic Cathedral [Internet] Available from: https://barbados.org/churches/stpatrick.htm#.YlKtYpHMI2w [Accessed 10 April 2022] ↩︎
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2. Irish America (2022) The Irish of Barbados [Internet] Available from: https://www.irishamerica.com/2015/10/the-irish-of-barbados-photos/#:~:text=Captain%20West%20was%20instructed%20to%20return%20to%20London,sold%20in%20Barbados%20for%20between%20%C2%A310%20and%20%C2%A335. [Accessed 10 April 2022] ↩︎

AFC (Asian Football Confederation)

The Asian Football Confederation governs Football (Soccer) throughout Asia, including Australia and Guam, but excluding Kazakhstan, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkey and Israel who are in UEFA (Europe).

AFC’s Primary Competitions are the Asian Cup (National Teams) and the AFC Champions League (Club teams). Within the AFC there are Regional Associations which also run their own National and Regional Club Competitons: EAFF (East Asia), ASEAN (South East Asia), SAFF (South Asia), CAFA (Central Asia) and WAFF (West Asia).

CAF (Confederation of African Football)

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) was founded in 1957 by three countries: Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan, playing the first African Nations Cup that year. It was not, however, until 1960 and the independence of a large amount of African countries that the CAF took on the appearance of a genuine Continental Federation.

OFC (Oceania Football Confederation)

The Oceania Football Confederation runs Football (Soccer) throughout Oceania (Pacific Islands), with the exception of Australia and Guam which are in the Asian Football Confedration, and Hawaii, which is a constituent part of the United States of America.