If you’re lucky enough to have a copy of the Unofficial Football World Champions book you’ll know it tells the complete story of the UFWC, from the first ever international football match in 1872, right up to the beginning of 2011. A lot has happened during 2011, so we’re pleased to present a downloadable update to bring the book right up to date for the start of 2012.

Japan began 2011 as Unofficial Football World Champions, having taken the UFWC title from Argentina in the previous October. The Blue Samurai took the title into the Asian Cup Finals in Qatar, and successfully defended it all the way to the final, where they beat Australia to become official Asian champions as well as unofficial world champions.

The devastating earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March 2011 placed football into perspective and put the UFWC on hold. But Japan recovered, and football resumed, with the Blue Samurai extending their reign as champions to 16 games. Finally, in November, the unofficial title was prised out of Japanese hands by one of the most unlikely champions in UFWC history – North Korea.

There were 15 title matches, 40 goals and two champions in 2011. This update covers the most notable games, and includes a complete list of title match results. It’s presented as a downloadable PDF file, which can be printed out and inserted into your book (print on A4 paper, two pages per sheet, and fold down the middle). You can get the update by clicking on the link below (right click to ‘save as’):

Unofficial Football World Champions book 2011 update (PDF)

If you don’t already have a copy of Unofficial Football World Champions, it’s available in paperback and on Kindle from Amazon.co.uk and other Amazon stores worldwide. There’s also a Japanese language edition, available from Amazon.co.jp. You can read more about the book here.

UFWC News

It’s December, and for many of us Christmas shopping is becoming increasingly unavoidable. Luckily, the UFWC is here to solve all your gift-buying conundrums. The Unofficial Football World Champions book and our range of UFWC T-shirts are perfect for any football fan’s Christmas stocking. So, in a shameless act of promotion, here’s a quick run-down of UFWC gift ideas:

The official UFWC book, Unofficial Football World Champions, is available from all good book shops, including Amazon.co.uk and other Amazon stores worldwide. It’s available in paperback and on Kindle, which means it can be read on PCs and mobile devices, and you can download a free sample before you buy.

The book traces the history of the UFWC from the very first international match in 1872 via more than 800 title matches, involving legendary teams and footballing minnows, classic finals and forgotten friendlies, celebrated players and unsung heroes. It focusses on 100 key matches, uncovering some amazing stories, many of which are ignored in official football histories. FourFourTwo called the book “a fascinating history of football” and awarded it five stars. You can read more about the book and see more reviews here.

There’s also a Japanese language edition of the book, available from Amazon.co.jp. You can find more information on the Japanese language edition at the Asuka Shinsha website, and read an article about the book (in Japanese) from Yukan Fuji.

Our official UFWC T-shirts are a great way to show your support for the Unofficial Football World Championships, and your national team. The full range is available right now at the UFWC T-Shirt Store. We’ve got T-shirts featuring the CW Alcock Cup and Hughie the Mascot, plus special designs for some notable former champions including Japan, Scotland, the Netherlands and Argentina. All shirts are 100% cotton, and they come in six sizes – small, medium, large, XL, XXL, and XXXL if you need a particularly roomy shirt.

Get your UFWC T-shirts, including Japan mascot and trophy, at our T-shirt shop

You can also create your own UFWC T-shirt using your favourite colours or the colours of your team. Just click on your favourite design, and then select the colour you’d like. You can choose from 18 different colours, and there are also white T-shirts available if that’s what you’d prefer. That’s a great way to make a unique Christmas gift.

The T-shirts are swiftly printed to order by our friends at Spreadshirt, and are shipped within a day or two. They’ll ship them around the world, too. So they’ll arrive in plenty of time for Christmas. For more details and to choose your T-shirts visit the UFWC T-Shirt Store.

One thing we can’t offer you this Christmas is any football, with the next UFWC title match (Tajikistan vs current champions North Korea) not scheduled until 29 February 2012. However, we do have a few treats lined up, including a bonus for anyone who has purchased the UFWC book, and a look back at a memorable year of UFWC action. They’ll be coming up right here over the next few weeks.

UFWC News