Major

English Premier League & UK Leagues

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

England Flag
England Flag [1]

References:

[1] Royalty-free stock vector ID: 564515431

Flags of Europe . Vector

M

By montree meejaroen

FA England

Football Association Premier League

FA English Premier League (Seasons):

English Soccer Organisation:

The Football League 1888-1991

English Football League & Non-League Champions (Seasons):

1980-81 Champions: Aston Villa FC

Irish Player: Eamonn Deacy (Aston Villa FC)

Preseason Tournaments

Watney Preseason Cup (Derby – Editions):

Minor Leagues

Frank Stapleton Signed Photograph
Frank Stapleton Signed Photograph

Picture Credit: Frank Stapleton, Arsenal, Manchester Utd and Ireland Birthday Card – Author’s Personal Collection

Celtic National Leagues

Celtic Nations; Scandinavian & Baltic Nations; FA Premier League;

Celtic & Atlantic Nations

UEFA Celtic Nations Leagues Final Tables (Seasons): 

Scottish Football League Timeline:

Welsh Premier League Final Tables (IRL & NIR Players)

Italy Serie A & Mediterranean National Leagues

Frank Stapleton Signed Photograph
Frank Stapleton Signed Photograph

Picture Credit: Frank Stapleton, Arsenal, Manchester Utd and Ireland Birthday Card – Author’s Personal Collection

Italy Serie A & Mediterranean National Leagues

Celtic Nations; Scandinavian & Baltic Nations; FA Premier League;

Mediterranean Nations

UEFA Mediterranean National Leagues Final Tables (Seasons):

Spain La Liga & Iberia

Frank Stapleton Signed Photograph
Frank Stapleton Signed Photograph

Picture Credit: Frank Stapleton, Arsenal, Manchester Utd and Ireland Birthday Card – Author’s Personal Collection

Spain La Liga & Iberia

Celtic Nations; Scandinavian & Baltic Nations; FA Premier League;

FEFA Basque Provinces Champions lists

FEFA Spain North Region / Basque Country Champions Lists

France Ligue 1-4

Frank Stapleton Signed Photograph
Frank Stapleton Signed Photograph

Picture Credit: Frank Stapleton, Arsenal, Manchester Utd and Ireland Birthday Card – Author’s Personal Collection

France Soccer Leagues 1-4

Celtic Nations; Scandinavian & Baltic Nations; FA Premier League

French Soccer Leagues Champions (Seasons):

Germany Bundesliga, Central & Northern European Leagues

Frank Stapleton Signed Photograph
Frank Stapleton Signed Photograph

Picture Credit: Frank Stapleton, Arsenal, Manchester Utd and Ireland Birthday Card – Author’s Personal Collection

Central & Northern European National Leagues

Celtic Nations; Scandinavian & Baltic Nations; FA Premier League;

Scandinavia & Baltic Nations

UEFA Scandinavian & Baltic National Leagues Final Tables (Seasons): 

Central European Nations

UEFA Central European National Leagues Final Tables (Seasons):

Russian Premier Liga & CIS National leagues

soccer stadium
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

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).

FIFA CIS Commonwealth Cup

Pan-American Games; CIS Cups; Pan-Arab Competitions; Idian Ocean Games

USSR & CIS Competitions

USSR Soccer League Champions (Levels 1-4) (Seasons):

Central Asian Football Associations (CAFA) National Leagues (Seasons): 

Major League Soccer & CONCACAF National Leagues

NAFU North American Football Union

LA Galaxy at Colorado Rapids - Robbie Keane in action

USSF United States Soccer Federation

LA Galaxy at Colorado Rapids - Robbie Keane in action

Soccer Canada

four women embracing each other while smiling
Photo by Mica Asato on Pexels.com

Soccer Canada

Soccer Canada

Canadian Soccer Association

Canadian Championship [Major Premier Cup] (Seasons):

Canadian Premier League [D1] (Seasons):

UNCAF Central America

soccer ball on grass field during daytime
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

UNCAF Central America

UNCAF; CFU; Soccer Canada

UNCAF (Union Centroamericano de Futbol)

UNCAF Central American National Leagues (Seasons): 

CFU Caribbean Football Union

anonymous soccer player on field during match
Photo by RF._.studio on Pexels.com

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. [References: 3,4]

[3] Go Barbados (2022) St. Patrick’s  Roman Catholic Cathedral [Internet] Available from: https://barbados.org/churches/stpatrick.htm#.YlKtYpHMI2w [Accessed 10 April 2022]

[4] 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]

CFU Caribbean Football Union

CFU Caribbean Cup

Haiti Championnat National Division Ligue 1

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.

green and blue soccer field
Photo by Pablo Cordero on Pexels.com

South American National Leagues

Preseason Tournaments; CBF Brazilian State Leagues

Argentina FA Final Tables

Velez Sarsfield – named after Irish-Argentine Patriot.

FF de Chile Final Tables

O’Higgins – named after General O’Higgins Liberator and son of Irish emigrant

Chile 2020-21: O’Higgins finished 10th in Primera Division

Venezuela FA Final Tables

Galicia – named after Atlantic Celtic Region of NW Spain.

Brazilian State Championships

Maranhao State Championship

Expressinho – Founded on St. Patrick’s Day 1975 and play in Green.

Rio & Sao Paulo State Championships (Seasons): 

Japan J-League & Asian National Leagues

woman in a black uniform playing soccer on a grass field
Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva on Pexels.com

Asian Football Confederation

National Leagues

EAFF (East Asia): 2019

Hong Kong Premier League (Seasons): 2018-19

Hong Kong Cup Finals (Seasons):

ASEAN (South East Asia): 2019

SAFF (South Asia): 2020-21

South Africa NSL & African National Leagues

There has been an Irish presence in numerous African National Leagues.

Bloemfontein Stadium, South Africa
Bloemfontein Stadium, Free State/South Africa

Bloemfontein, South AfricaG

Royalty-free stock photo ID: 1704541288

By Grant Duncan-Smith

CAF Africa

CECAFA East & Central Africa National Leagues

Numerous Irish-named players playing for both National team and Premier League teams

COSAFA Southern Africa National Leagues

COSAFA Castle Cup (Editions): 2000 1997

South Africa

National Soccer League Castle League (Top Division)

Bloemfontein Celtic, with the name of the famous Glasgow Irish Soccer Club played in the National Soccer League.

Australia A-League & Oceania National Leagues

Flag of New Zealand – Isolated by Enda Mulcahy for Eirball from Vector Contributorgrebeshkovmaximall world countries national flags [Internet] Available from: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/all-world-countries-national-flags-1610621497 [Accessed 12 July 2022]

Soccer New Zealand

SNZ

Soccer New Zealand

1962 League Champions: Northern (Dunedin), 1962 Cup Champions: Hamilton Technical Old Boys, 1962 Irish Connection: Shamrock (Christchurch)