Maiden CONIFA Women’s World Football Cup kicks off in Paonta Tibetan settlement

DHARAMSALA, 1 July: The inaugural Confederation of Independent Football Associations’ (CONIFA) Women’s World Football Cup (WWFC) 2022 kicked off today at Paonta Cholsum Tibetan Settlement at Paonta Sahib, an industrial town of Himachal Pradesh in India.

According to CONIFA’s official webpage, Conifa.org, the tournament will see Team Tibet, FA Sapmi and Matabeleland FC representing Asia, Europe and Africa participate in the first-ever WWFC in the history of CONIFA. The maiden tournament being held over 1st to 6th July, 2022 is hosted by the Tibet National Sports Association (TNSA).

The inaugural match was played between Team Tibet and FA Sapmi, the latter won the match with a score line of 13:1 goals.

This is Tibetan women’s debut to international football.  Ngawang Oetso, the right winger of Team Tibet scored the only goal scored by the team.

Though four teams were announced to be taking part in the tournament, the other two teams have reportedly withdrawn.

However, CONIFA has said that the teams participating in the inaugural tournament will automatically qualify for the next CONIFA WWFC to be held in 2024.

The CONIFA World Football Cup is an international football tournament organised by CONIFA for the football federation of states, minorities, stateless peoples and regions unaffiliated with FIFA.

Founded on 7 June 2013, CONIFA organised the first World Football Cup in June 2014 in Ostersund, Sweden.

Until now, CONIFA has organised the World Football Cup only for the men’s team.