Football Association of Greenland
The Football Association of Greenland (Greenlandic: Kalaallit Nunaanni Isikkamik Arsaattartut Kattuffiat; Danish: Grønlands Boldspil-Union) (GBU) is the governing body of association football in the island country of Greenland. The GBU was founded in 1971. It runs the Greenland national football team.
| Founded | 1971 |
|---|---|
| FIFA affiliation | N/A |
| 2016 | |
| President | Lars Lundblad |
| Website | http://www.gbu.gl |
Greenland held three editions of a nation football team friendly tournament known as the Greenland Cup from 1980-84.
Greenland is not a member of FIFA (as of 2018) and therefore cannot play in the FIFA World Cup. In addition to FIFA, Greenland is neither a member of CONCACAF or UEFA. This is because Greenland cannot sustain a grass pitch due to the permafrost which envelops Greenland. An artificial grass pitch was laid at Nuuk Stadium in 2016, which FIFA now allows, but the stadium still lacks other required features. Following the entry of Gibraltar into UEFA and later FIFA, Greenland may be the next to try to enter.[1] However, the organisation did join the Confederation of Independent Football Associations (ConIFA) in May 2016.[2]
Football is the most popular sport in Greenland with about 5,500 players, out of a population of ~55,000. The Greenland Football Federation was started in 1971 and they have their office in Nuuk. The president of GBU since 2011 is Lars Lundblad. In Greenland, football can usually be played outside from the end of May until the middle of September, with the south of Greenland able to play for longer than in the north. All the football grounds are sand pitches. Many towns have indoor halls and the football players play indoor football from October to about April. Greenland are building more indoor stadiums so the game can be played all year round and under FIFA requirements, this is similar to what Iceland have accomplished in recent history.
The Greenland football championship is the Greenlandic Football Championship.