# Northern Cyprus national football team

The Northern Cyprus national football team (Turkish: Kuzey Kıbrıs Millî Futbol Takımı) represents Northern Cyprus, a de facto country, in association football. They were a member of the New Federations Board for non-FIFA-affiliated nations, until its dissolution in 2013. Northern Cyprus' home stadium is Nicosia Atatürk Stadium in North Nicosia and their head coach is Fırat Canova. They are the current FIFI Wild Cup champions, having won the event in Germany in June 2006. They are also the current ELF Cup champions, having won the event at home in November 2006.
Due to an ongoing sports embargo against Northern Cyprus, the team cannot play international matches with FIFA members.

## History
### Origins (1955–1962)

The Cyprus Turkish Football Federation (Turkish: Kıbrıs Türk Futbol Federasyonu, KTFF) was formed as early as 1955 – a consequence of Turkish Cypriot clubs withdrawing from playing in Cypriot sport competitions. Turkish Cypriots first played with a representative national side in 1962, against Turkey. This was before the 1974 war which caused the de facto partition of Cyprus and – as such – participating players were Turkish speakers from all over Cyprus.

### Islamic Games (1980)

Despite not being considered an independent country, Northern Cyprus played in the 1980 Islamic Games football tournament, which was held in İzmir, Turkey. They suffered a 5–0 defeat against Turkey, their worst to date. Other results were a 2–0 loss against Saudi Arabia, 2–1 victory against Malaysia, and a 1–1 tie with Libya.
Reportedly, these matches were tolerated by FIFA as a result of an agreement with then-FIFA General Secretary Helmut Käser. After Northern Cyprus declared itself independent in 1983, this deal came to an end, leaving the Northern Cypriot team unable to play against FIFA-affiliated countries.

### After the foundation of TRNC (1983–2004)

After the foundation of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in 1983, the KTFF hosted Sport Games Football Federation in 1999, winning the event.

### NF-Board (2004–2013)

KTFF joined the NF-Board in 2004, expanding the horizons of the national team. KTFF hosted the KTFF 50th Anniversary Cup in 2005, winning the event. Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus won the first NF-Board tournament, the FIFI Wild Cup, in Hamburg, Germany in June 2006 after defeating Zanzibar 4–1 on penalties after a goalless draw. KTFF was set to host the VIVA World Cup during November 2006, however due to issues between the sides the KTFF chose to host its own tournament, the ELF Cup at that time. Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus opened the tournament against Crimea, winning 5–0, beating their previous 'largest win' record of 6–2 against Sápmi. Soon after the opener, they beat the new record with a 10–0 victory against Tibet.
Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus defeated Crimea 3–1 in the ELF Cup finals to lift their second NF-Board cup in the same year. On the 9th of January, Northern Cyprus was chosen to participate in the 2016 ConIFA World Football Cup

### CONIFA (2013–present)
## Tournament history

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus have taken part in five international tournaments and won four. KTFF 50th Anniversary Cup, organised to celebrate 50 years of the KTFF, involved national teams from Kosovo and the Sápmi region of northern Scandinavia, and was won by the hosts with maximum points. NF-Board invited Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to take part in the first FIFI Wild Cup, held in Hamburg, Germany. This also featured teams from Greenland, Tibet, Gibraltar, Zanzibar, and a team representing "The Republic of St. Pauli", amateur players drawn from the St Pauli district of Hamburg. TRNC defeated Zanzibar on penalties in the final after a goalless draw to lift the trophy. KTFF hosted and won the ELF Cup beating in the final Crimea, in 2006. In 1999 hosted and won the Sport Games Football Association. The only one tournament lost is the 1980 Islamic Games in Turkey, where they lost 2 matches on 4. the team will compete at the 2016 ConIFA World Football Cup

### FIFI Wild Cup record

| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Scorers |
| 2006 | Champions | 1st | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | Oraloğlu (2 goals), Kolcu (1 goal), Çerkez (1 goal), Dylan (o.g.), Morris (o.g.) |
| Total | 1/1 | 1st | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | Top scorer: Oraloğlu (2 goals) |
* Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

### ELF Cup record

| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA | Scorers |
| 2006 | Champions | 1st | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 2 | Taşkıran (6 goals), Çakır (5 goals), Uçaner (3 goals), Çukurovalı (3 goals), Kolcu (2 goals), Selden (2 goals), Ulusoy (2 goals), Arıkbuka (1 goal), Kansu (1 goal), Keleşzade (1 goal), Sapsızoğlu (1 goal), Rizvan Abıltarov (o.g.) |
| Total | 1/1 | 1st | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 2 | Top scorer: Ertaç Taşkıran (6 goals) |

## Competitions record
### Islamic Games

| Year | Position | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA |
| Tournament İzmir ||||||||
| 1980 | 4th | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| Total | Best: 4th | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 |

### Northern Cyprus tournament

| Year | Position | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA |
| KTFF 50th Anniversary Cup ||||||||
| 2005 | 1st | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 |
| ELF Cup ||||||||
| 2006 | 1st | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 2 |
| Total | Best: 1st | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 4 |

### World Cup record

| Year | Position | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA |
| FIFI Wild Cup ||||||||
| FC St. Pauli 2006 | 1st | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| VIVA World Cup ||||||||
| 2006 | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter |
| 2008 | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter |
| 2009 | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter |
| 2010 | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter |
| 2012 | 2nd | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 4 |
| ConIFA World Football Cup ||||||||
| 2014 | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter |
| 2016 | 3rd | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 12 | 4 |
| 2018 | 2nd | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 6 |
| 2020 | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter |
| Total | Best: 1st | 19 | 14 | 5 | 3 | 54 | 15 |

### European Cup record

| Year | Position | GP | W | D | L | GS | GA |
| ConIFA European Football Cup ||||||||
| 2015 | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter |
| 2017 | 2nd | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 5 |
| 2019 | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter |
| 2021 | cancelled | cancelled | cancelled | cancelled | cancelled | cancelled | cancelled |
| 2023 | cancelled | cancelled | cancelled | cancelled | cancelled | cancelled | cancelled |
| Total | Best: 2nd | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 5 |

## Players
### Current squad

The following players have been called up for the 2021 ConIFA European Football Cup in Nice, from 12 August to 23 August 2021.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
| 1 | 1GK | Hasan Piro | (1983-10-02)2 October 1983 (aged 37) | 20 | 0 | Alsancak Yeşilova |
| 18 | 1GK | Erdoğan Nay | (1997-07-16)16 July 1997 (aged 24) | 2 | 0 | Baf Ülkü Yurdu |
| 23 | 1GK | Ozan Mercan | (1994-04-22)22 April 1994 (aged 27) | 2 | 0 | Doğan Türk Birliği |
| 2 | 2DF | Serhan Önet | (1981-08-26)26 August 1981 (aged 39) | 25 | 1 | Çetinkaya |
| 5 | 2DF | Çağrı Kıral | (1989-02-11) 11 February 1989 (age 36) | 20 | 0 | Lefke |
| 12 | 2DF | Salih Say | (1981-03-10) 10 March 1981 (age 43) | 12 | 0 | Cihangir |
| 13 | 2DF | Hüseyin Sadıklar | (1986-08-13) 13 August 1986 (age 38) | 10 | 1 | Yenicami |
| 14 | 2DF | Ahmet Sönmez | (1987-06-30) 30 June 1987 (age 37) | 10 | 0 | Doğan Türk Birliği |
| 17 | 2DF | Aykut Esmeraslan | (1992-03-28) 28 March 1992 (age 32) | 5 | 0 | Lefke |
| 21 | 2DF | Adil Uçar | (1989-08-20) 20 August 1989 (age 35) | 5 | 0 | Mağusa Türk Gücü |
| 3 | 2DF | Necati Gench | (1999-11-21) 21 November 1999 (age 25) | 0 | 0 | London Yeni Boğaziçi |
| 4 | 2DF | Arif Uysal | (1996-04-27) 27 April 1996 (age 28) | 0 | 0 | Mağusa Türk Gücü |
| 6 | 3MF | Fırat Ersalan | (1986-05-11) 11 May 1986 (age 38) | 10 | 0 | Cihangir |
| 10 | 3MF | Halil Turan | (1986-11-28) 28 November 1986 (age 38) | 15 | 10 | Mağusa Türk Gücü |
| 19 | 3MF | Kenan Oshan | (1995-12-27) 27 December 1995 (age 29) | 12 | 3 | Doğan Türk Birliği |
| 8 | 3MF | Thomas Richardson | (2004-08-15) 15 August 2004 (age 20) | 6 | 4 | Colonel Getafe Reserves |
| 16 | 3MF | Ünal Kaya | (1991-06-08) 8 June 1991 (age 33) | 8 | 1 | Yenicami |
| 11 | 3MF | Mehmet Altun | (1997-09-05) 5 September 1997 (age 27) | 2 | 0 | Yenicami |
| 7 | 3MF | Yasin Kurt | (1988-03-14) 14 March 1988 (age 36) | 0 | 0 | Mağusa Türk Gücü |
| 20 | 4FW | Uğur Gök | (1990-10-22) 22 October 1990 (age 34) | 15 | 5 | Küçük Kaymaklı |
| 9 | 4FW | Tansel Ekingen | (1986-09-29) 29 September 1986 (age 38) | 10 | 2 | Yenicami |
| 15 | 4FW | Ahmet Sivri | (1999-07-06) 6 July 1999 (age 25) | 2 | 1 | Galatasaray |
| 22 | 4FW | Billy Mehmet | (1984-01-03) 3 January 1984 (age 41) | 5 | 4 | Alsancak Yeşilova |

### Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up for the team within the last 12 months.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Club | Latest call-up |
| GK | Ercan Samancıoğlu | (1994-07-30) 30 July 1994 (age 30) | Yenicami | 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup squad$^{PRE}$ |
| GK | Türkkan Delideniz | (1984-12-28) 28 December 1984 (age 40) | Mağusa Türk Gücü | 2017 ConIFA European Football Cup squad |
| DF | Salih Güvensoy | (1988-08-27) 27 August 1988 (age 36) | Yenicami | 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup squad$^{PRE}$ |
| DF | Mehmet Kaygısız | (1989-08-09) 9 August 1989 (age 35) | Küçük Kaymaklı | 2017 ConIFA European Football Cup squad |
| MF | Aydın Aygın | (1988-07-17) 17 July 1988 (age 36) | Doğan Türk Birliği | 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup squad$^{PRE}$ |
| MF | Ahmet Coşkun | (1986-07-22) 22 July 1986 (age 38) | Doğan Türk Birliği | 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup squad$^{PRE}$ |
| MF | İbrahim Çıdamlı | (1988-10-20) 20 October 1988 (age 36) | Çetinkaya | 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup squad$^{PRE}$ |
| MF | Mehmet Kaygısız | (1989-08-09) 9 August 1989 (age 35) | Küçük Kaymaklı | 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup squad$^{PRE}$ |
| MF | Ali Özbahar | (1989-08-28) 28 August 1989 (age 35) | Yalova | 2017 ConIFA European Football Cup squad |
| MF | Hüseyin Adal | (1987-06-29) 29 June 1987 (age 37) | Küçük Kaymaklı | 2017 ConIFA European Football Cup squad |
| MF | Mustafa Yaşınses | (1988-08-16) 16 August 1988 (age 36) | Hekimoğlu Doğanspor | 2017 ConIFA European Football Cup squad |
| MF | Kenan Özer$^{INJ}$ | (1987-08-16) 16 August 1987 (age 37) | Ankaragücü | 2017 ConIFA European Football Cup squad$^{PRE}$ |
| FW | Kasım Tağman | (1992-04-30) 30 April 1992 (age 32) | Lefke | 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup squad$^{PRE}$ |
| FW | Ertaç Taşkıran | (1982-08-06) 6 August 1982 (age 42) | Ozanköy | 2017 ConIFA European Football Cup squad |
| FW | Esin Sonay | (1990-08-31) 31 August 1990 (age 34) | Çetinkaya | 2017 ConIFA European Football Cup squad |

#### Notes

* $^{PRE}$ = Preliminary squad.
* $^{RET}$ = Retired from international football.
* $^{WD}$ = Withdrew from the squad.
* $^{INJ}$ = Withdrew due to an injury.

## Honours
### Non-FIFA competitions

* FIFI Wild Cup
** Champions (1): 2006
* Viva World Cup
** Runners-up (1): 2012
* CONIFA World Football Cup
** Runners-up (1): 2018
** Third place (1): 2016
* CONIFA European Football Cup
** Runners-up (1): 2017
* ELF Cup
** Champions (1): 2006