Federación_Vasca_de_Fútbol

Basque Football Federation

Basque Football Federation

Governing body of association football in the Basque Country

The Basque Football Federation (Basque: Euskadiko Futbol Federakundea, EFF; Spanish: Federación Vasca de Fútbol, FVF) is the body responsible for managing association football in the Basque Country autonomous region. Its offices are in Bilbao (in the Otxarkoaga-Txurdinaga district).

Quick Facts Short name, Founded ...

The federation manages several leagues such as the Basque Youth League and the Basque Women's Football League, as well as the Basque regional stage of the Federation Cup. It also organises Group 4 of the regionalised Tercera División (the fourth tier of the men's Spanish football league system), although unlike most parts of the country, the leagues at the fifth level and below are administered separately by provincial federations for Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa.

The federation organises and selects the Basque Country national football team which draws its players not only from the Basque Country autonomous region, but also the neighbouring Basque regions of Navarre and the French Basque Country.[1][2][3] The women's senior national team also follows this model, but the various youth representative squads contesting nationwide competitions, and the Basque amateur-level selection playing in the Spanish stage of the UEFA Regions' Cup, are composed of players only from the Basque Country autonomous region.

The Basque Football Federation is part of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

History

In the early 20th century, football federations were formed for each of the Basque regions of Biscay (1913, as the 'North Federation' with Cantabria) and Gipuzkoa (a 1918 offshoot), with each holding their own tournaments (the Biscay Championship and Gipuzkoa Championship respectively). As long ago as 1931 the idea of creating a single federation for the whole Basque Country was considered,[4] but for various reasons this was not done at that time. In 1988 the Basque Football Federacion was finally created, encompassing the original provincial federations as well as a new one for Álava (split off from Gipuzkoa the previous year), each of which continues to organise football competitions within their area.[5][6]

Purpose

The Basque Football Federation's purpose is to promote, organise and authorise association football competition across the Basque Country autonomous region.

In addition to this, it selects and arranges fixtures for the Basque Country national football team l,[7] for which it aims to gain UEFA and FIFA affiliation so that it can participate in regular international competitions.[8]

FIFA affiliation

The Basque Football Federation has as one of its aims the official participation of the Basque Country national team in international competitions.[8]

In 1979, Pablo Porta, president of the Spanish Football Federation, stated that the Basque Country might participate in the next World Cup; he explained that in the same way that Welsh clubs participate in the English league but are also represented by the Wales national team, so the same model could be used in Spain.[9] However this idea has not been implemented.

In 2010, the Basque Football Federation changed its statutes to claim responsibility for international competitions in the greater Basque Country, but the Supreme Court of Spain suspended these new statutes.[10]

In 2012, it was decided by the Constitutional Court of Spain that the Basque Country could compete in international competitions so long as it did not compete against Spain.[11]

In early 2019, the Federation voted in favour of applying to FIFA and UEFA for official recognition for the team.[12]

In December 2020, Basque federation applied for UEFA and FIFA recognition.[13]

Competitions

The Basque Football Federation organises the following competitions:

Champions

These tables provide the winners of the competitions administered by the Basque Football Federation each season.

Tercera División

Winners of the Basque Country fourth tier group,[15] with possible promotion to the level above and an entry to the following season's Copa del Rey.[16]

More information Season, Winning Club ...
  1. Ineligible for promotion due to the presence of another team in the same club structure in the level above.
  2. Ineligible for the Copa del Rey due to being a subsidiary of another club.

Women

Liga Vasca Femenina

The Liga Vasca (Basque League) was introduced (along with other regional sections) in the 2012–13 season as a stage between the provincial leagues and the Segunda División, which is also divided into geographical groups.[17] The table also shows the winner of the promotion playoff between the Álava, Gipuzkoa and Biscay leagues in the seasons prior to the introduction of the all-Basque league.[18]

More information Season, Winning Club ...
  1. 14 teams in group.
  2. 16 teams in group.
  3. Became a 4th-level league rather than 3rd-level after the introduction of the Segunda División Pro in 2019.
  4. League curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain.
  5. seventeen teams in two winter subgroups followed by two spring subgroups.

Copa Vasca Femenina

The Copa Vasca (Basque Cup) has been held since the 1980s. In its current incarnation, it is usually disputed between clubs from the region who are not in the Primera División; the senior team of Athletic Bilbao have never taken part since their formation in 2002, although their B-team has featured in several finals.

From 2020, the Copa Vasca was incorporated as 'Group B' of the Copa Euskal Herria (Basque Country Cup), which does include top division clubs – all of the finals of that competition have featured Athletic Club or Real Sociedad (usually both).[19]

More information Season, Province ...
  1. Athletic B won on penalties
  2. San Ignacio won on penalties
  3. Añorga won on penalties
  4. Editions now numbered alongside Copa Euskal Herria

Notable clubs affiliated to BFF

(as of 2021–22 season) La Liga

Segunda División

Primera División RFEF

Segunda División RFEF

Primera División (women)

Segunda División Pro (women)

Presidents

  • Laurentzi Gana Gorozika (1992–?)
  • Iñaki Dobaran Garetxana (2006–2009)[8]
  • Santiago Arostegi Oleagordia (2009–2012)[43][44]
  • Luis Maria Elustondo Ciarreta (2012–present)[45]

General Secretary

  • Jon Ander Gamboa (1993-2014)[46]
  • Kepa Allica (2014–present)[47]

See also

References

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    "Arostegui: 'Si queremos que nos tomen en serio, debemos ser serios'". El Mundo. 27 December 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  2. [2]
    "Roberto Torres, convocado por la selección vasca". Noticias de Navarra. 23 December 2014. Archived from the original on 15 July 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
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    "Un futbolista francés entra en la convocatoria de la selección vasca". Libertad digital. 22 December 2011. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  4. [4]
    "Se pretende crear la Federacion Vasca". La Libertad. 18 September 1931. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  5. [5]
    "La Federación Vizcaína de Fútbol empieza a festejar su Centenario". El Mundo Deportivo. 20 September 2013. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
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    "Aclaración de la Federación Guipuzcoana de Fútbol". Noticias de Gipuzkoa. 27 October 2014. Archived from the original on 21 December 2014. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  7. [7]
    "La selección boliviana juega en San Sebastián..." ABC. 20 December 1993. Retrieved 14 May 2015.
  8. [8]
    "Aspiraciones de oficialidad". El Diario Vasco. 27 September 2006. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  9. [9]
    "Hacia una selección de Euskadi". Diario de Las Palmas. 12 January 1979. p. 27. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  10. [10]
    "El Supremo ratifica la suspensión de la reforma de estatutos de la Vasca". El Diario Vasco. 31 March 2010. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
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    "El Constitucional avala las selecciones vascas si no compiten contra España" [The Constitutional Court guarantees the Basque selections if they do not compete against Spain]. El País. 20 April 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  12. [12]
    "Euskal Selekzioa will play Panama on 29 May in South America". Inside Athletic Club. 23 February 2019. Retrieved 24 February 2019.
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    "Basque federation applies for UEFA, FIFA recognition". Reuters. 15 December 2020.[dead link]
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  19. [19]
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    "Pauldarrak y Athletic B juegan este sábado en Serralta la gran final de Copa Vasca" [Pauldarrak and Athletic B play the grand final of the Basque Cup this Saturday at Serralta]. Ligas Fútbol Femenino (in Spanish). 8 June 2017. Archived from the original on 14 March 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  23. [23]
    "El Athletic Femenino B campeón de la Copa Vasca" [Athletic B champion of the Basque Cup]. AupaAthletic (in Spanish). 14 June 2004. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  24. [24]
    "El Athletic B se ha proclamado campeón de la Copa Vasca" [Athletic B has been proclaimed champion of the Basque Cup]. AupaAthletic (in Spanish). 22 May 2005. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  25. [25]
    "Históricos: Temporada 2007–08, Copa Vasca Femenina" [Historical: 2007–08 Season, Women's Basque Cup] (in Spanish). Basque Football Federation (FVF/EFF). Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  26. [26]
    "Históricos: Temporada 2008–09, Copa Vasca Femenina" [Historical: 2008–09 Season, Women's Basque Cup] (in Spanish). Basque Football Federation (FVF/EFF). Retrieved 13 March 2018.
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    "Copa Vasca Femenina (2009/2010): Calendario" [Women's Basque Cup (2009/2010): Fixtures]. Txapeldunak (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 March 2018.
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  29. [29]
    "Copa Vasca Femenina (2011/2012): Calendario" [Women's Basque Cup (2011/2012): Fixtures]. Txapeldunak (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  30. [30]
    "Copa Vasca Femenina (2012/2013): Calendario" [Women's Basque Cup (2012/2013): Fixtures]. Txapeldunak (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  31. [31]
    "Copa Vasca Femenina (2013/2014): Calendario" [Women's Basque Cup (2013/2014): Fixtures]. Txapeldunak (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  32. [32]
    "Copa Vasca Femenina (2014/2015): Calendario" [Women's Basque Cup (2014/2015): Fixtures]. Txapeldunak (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  33. [33]
    "El Athletic B levantó la Copa Vasca tras derrotar al Añorga con doblete de Paula" [El Athletic B lifts the Basque Cup after defeating Añorga through a double by Paula]. Txapeldunak (in Spanish). 22 June 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2018.
  34. [34]
    "Copa Vasca Femenina (2016/2017): Calendario" [Women's Basque Cup (2016/2017): Fixtures]. Txapeldunak (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  35. [35]
    "Copa Vasca Femenina (2016/2017): Calendario" [Women's Basque Cup (2016/2017): Fixtures]. Txapeldunak (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  36. [36]
    "El Pauldarrak se lleva su segunda Copa Vasca en detrimento del Athletic B al que se le resiste el doblete" [Pauldarrak take their second Basque Cup to deny Athletic B a double]. Ligas Fútbol Femenino (in Spanish). 10 June 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  37. [37]
    "Copa Vasca Femenina (2017/2018): Calendario" [Women's Basque Cup (2017/2018): Fixtures]. Txapeldunak (in Spanish). Retrieved 11 June 2018.
  38. [38]
    "Athletic Club B, champion of the Basque Women's Cup". Athletic Bilbao. 15 June 2019. Retrieved 18 June 2019.
  39. [39]
    "Añorga 5-0 Aurrera, X. Euskal Herria Kopan" [Añorga 5-0 Aurrera, in the 10th Basque Country Cup]. Euskal Herria Kirola (in Basque). 12 October 2020. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
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    ""B multzoa • FINALA Añorga txapeldun!"!" [Group B • FINAL Añorga champions!]. Euskal Herria Kirola (in Basque). 29 August 2021. Retrieved 22 October 2021.
  41. [41]
    "San Ignacio txapeldun" [San Ignacio champions]. Euskal Herria Kirola (in Basque). 4 September 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2023.
  42. [42]
    "Reala "B"-k eraman du bere kategoriako txapela" [Real "B" won the title of its category]. Euskal Herria Kirola (in Basque). 3 September 2023. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  43. [43]
    "Fútbol. Santiago Arostegi nuevo presidente del Federación Vasca de Fútbol". Bizkaia net, 29 January 2009. Retrieved 20 May 2015.
  44. [44]
    "La Federación plantea que rote el estadio donde juega la selección vasca" [The Federation proposes that it rotate the stadium where the Basque team plays – The Basque newspaper]. El Diario Vasco (in Spanish). 11 December 2012. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  45. [45]
    "Elustondo accede hoy al cargo de presidente en presencia de Villar". El Diario Vasco. 8 February 2013. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  46. [46]
    "Kepa Allica, nuevo secretario general de la FVF". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 2014-10-24. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
  47. [47]
    "Gamboa recuerda que fue el fútbol vasco el que decidió integrarse en la Federación Española". El Correo (in European Spanish). 2010-12-14. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
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