Sealand national football team – Wikipedia

The SEALS national football team is the team that represents the Principality of Sealand. It is not a member of FIFA or UEFA, but is an associate member of the N.F.-Board, an organisation for teams who are not members of FIFA. They were admitted to the N.F.-Board as a provisional member in 2005 and as an associate member in 2006.

The Sealand National Football Association (SNFA) was founded in 2003. In 2004, they played their first game against land drawing 22.[1] All the players on the Sealand team were members of Vestbjerg Vintage Idrtsforening, a veterans side from Aalborg. However, the Danish-based SNFA ended their activities in 2006 and Sealand football took a break.

On 23 December 2009, Scottish author Neil Forsyth was appointed head of the revived SNFA.[2] He stated a goal of participation in the 2010 VIVA World Cup, a dream ultimately ended by a lack of finance. On 5 May 2012, Sealand took to the field against fellow N.F.-Board members the Chagos Islands at Weycourt in Godalming, Surrey. The Chagossians won 31, with Ryan Moore scoring for Sealand. The team was captained by former Bolton Wanderers defender Simon Charlton and also included actor Ralf Little.[2][3][4]

Sealand played an away game against Alderney on August 25, 2012.[5] After drawing the match by a scoreline of 11, Sealand won 54 on penalties. On March 9, 2013 Sealand won their first ever international when they beat Alderney 21 in Godalming.

Sealand competed in the Tynwald Hill Tournament on the Isle of Man in July 2013. The tournament was held at Mullen-e-Cloie, St John's. Following a late 53 defeat to Tamil Eelam and an 80 demolition at the hands of eventual winners Occitania, Sealand finished bottom of their group and went on to the 5th place playoff where they beat Alderney 21.

In February 2014 Sealand recorded their record win as they beat the Chagos Islands 42 in Godalming.[6]

In May 2014 Sealand drew 11 with the Chagos Islands at Crawley Town a fortnight before another draw, 22 with Somaliland (who were making their non-FIFA debut) in London.

Sealand underwent a European tour for the first time in August 2014 which proved to be hugely successful. In Chur a record 61 win over Raetia saw Dan Hughes become the record-scorer with 4 goals, before a 32 win over Seborga in Ospedaletti, Italy. Hughes added to his tally in that game and the Seals extended their unbeaten international run to 6 games.[7]

Sealand's kit has the same colors as the flag of Sealand. Their original kit consisted of a red shirt with white trim, black shorts and white socks, and was provided by JJB with sponsorship from UK investment firm Property Secrets.[8]

For the Tynwald Tournament, Sealand introduced a new Nike home kit, in red, with a white stripe down the right-hand side. In the 80 defeat to Occitania, Sealand debuted their Stanno away kit of a white shirt with pale red shorts.

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Sealand national football team - Wikipedia