Ahead of the North Korea vs Sweden UFWC title match, we’re taking one of our regular looks at the main UFWC “spin-offs” – the unofficial continental titles, the wooden spoons, and the women’s titles – as tracked over at the UFWC forum.

Europe

Disappointingly, the unofficial European title didn’t find its way to Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine last summer. It was non-qualifiers Romania who held the title until August before losing a friendly in Slovenia. The Slovenians duly lost their opening World Cup qualifier to Switzerland, who have seen off challenges from Albania, Norway and Iceland to bring the title into 2013.

The woeful San Marino were European wooden spooners throughout 2012. Even a home match against Malta couldn’t save them (they lost 3-2). At home to Moldova, hardly world-beaters themselves, they managed just two shots to Moldova’s 11, with the visitors winning the corner count 7-0. Several more years as European wooden spooners look likely.

South America

Just one change of hands for the unofficial South American title in 2012. It came in September, when champions Uruguay were humbled 4-0 by a resurgent Colombia, who will hope their good form can continue through 2013, and earn them a first World Cup appearance since 1998.

2012 began with Bolivia as South American wooden spooners. They then beat Paraguay, the 2010 World Cup quarter-finalists and 2011 Copa America finalists, who had a terrible year. At least the Paraguayans managed to end the year free of the spoon, as they recorded a narrow 1-0 home win over current holders Peru.

Africa

There was huge controversy in the unofficial African championships in 2012, and it has yet to be settled conclusively. Things started well enough, with the Ivory Coast heading to the Cup of Nations as champions, then sailing through to the final, only to be upset by Zambia (on penalties). In June, Zambia lost a World Cup qualifier to Sudan. The title then passed to Libya, before ending the year with Algeria. Or did it? In October, FIFA announced that Sudan had fielded a player who was suspended, and overturned the result, awarding Zambia a default 3-0 win. However, FIFA’s results archive, which provides all results for the UFWC continental competitions, still records the match as a 2-0 win to Sudan. Attempts to contact FIFA on the matter have been unsuccessful! If we do indeed give the match to Zambia, the title then goes to Malawi, then Liberia, then Niger, then Ethiopia. As both potential holders are heading to the African Cup of Nations in January 2013, hopefully the two paths will merge soon.

Meanwhile, African wooden spooners Comoros did not even attempt to rid themselves of the burden during 2012. They didn’t play a match all year, and currently have no forthcoming fixtures arranged.

Asia

The 12 matches played by reigning UFWC champions North Korea during 2012 were all against Asian opposition, and so they still retain the unofficial Asian title as well as the world title.

Cambodia entered 2012 as wooden spooners, of both Asia and indeed the whole world. They played four matches, all in qualification for the AFF Suzuki Cup (a tournament for South-East Asian nations). Cambodia lost all four matches – to Timor-Leste, Laos, Brunei and hosts Myanmar. Every other nation won at least twice.

CONCACAF

Regional powerhouses Mexico held the title until August 2012, when the United States visited the Azteca. It was the Americans’ 22nd away match against Mexico, and they had lost every single one of the previous 21. Not this time, though. Mike Orozco scored the only goal of an extraordinary match. The USA promptly lost in Jamaica, but luckily for them, the return match occurred just four days later, and they were able to reclaim the title in double-quick time.

Anguilla played three times in 2012, but lost every time, and still hold the CONCACAF wooden spoon. The low point was a 10-0 defeat to Trinidad & Tobago.

Oceania

New Zealand, far and away the strongest team in the Oceania region, hadn’t had a look-in for the continental championship for some time. Surely they would win the 2012 OFC Cup, though? Amazingly, they lost to New Caledonia in the semi-final. It was Tahiti who went on to become official Oceanian champions, having already become unofficial champions earlier in the tournament with a win over New Caledonia. However, the advent of World Cup qualifying in September restored some order. Tahiti lost to the Solomon Islands, and four days later, New Zealand saw off the islanders to finally reclaim the title. They have since beaten Tahiti home and away.

No action for the Cook Islands this year; they retain the wooden spoon.

Women’s

Japan, who became official and unofficial women’s world champions in 2011, began 2012 with three wins in a row, but then lost 4-3 in Faro to Germany. The Germans have been fairly imperious since, and have already defended their title eight times. They missed out on competing in the London Olympics, though, due to their shock early exit in the 2011 World Cup, which they had themselves hosted.

Luxembourg began the year as women’s world wooden spooners. They only played twice in 2012, but, even though their opposition came in the less-than-intimidating shape of Malta and the Faroe Islands, and despite home advantage both times, they still lost twice.

You can get regular updates and discuss the UFWC spin-off competitions at the UFWC forum.

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Features colombia, Germany, New Zealand, North Korea, Switzerland, USA, Zambia

Japan WILL participate in the Copa America, the Japan Football Association (JFA) announced yesterday. The JFA informed South American football confederation Conmebol by letter that it will send a team to Argentina in July. This means that Japan’s UFWC title match against Colombia is back on.

‘The JFA decided to participate in the Copa America today,’ general secretary Kozo Tashima said. ‘We are in the process of notifying Conmebol as we speak.’

The JFA had declared its intention to withdraw from the tournament following the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on 11 March. In addition to the burden of dealing with the after-effects of the disaster, there was a conflict with re-arranged J-League fixtures, suspended at the time, and now to be played in July.

Although JFA President Junji Ogura had agreed with Conmebol that his country should not participate, and Spain was invited to take its place, the Copa America organising committee subsequently asked Japan to reconsider. The feeling seems to be that the JFA believe participation can boost morale at home, and show the rest of the world that Japan is recovering. The JFA has clearly been moved by messages of support. Julio Grondona, the president of the Argentinean FA, has said, ‘I want to hold the Copa America for the people of Japan.’

However, doubts remains over which Japanese players will take part in the tournament. The JFA has confirmed that J-League 1 clubs will not have to release their players. Therefore Alberto Zaccheroni will be without the likes of Gamba Osaka midfielder Yasuhito Endo. However, J-League 2 clubs will have to release their players, so it’s likely defender Yasuyuki Konno will travel to Argentina, to the consternation of his club FC Tokyo.

A potentially bigger problem involves Japan’s many overseas-based players, 28 of whom play for European clubs. These clubs will expect their players to be in pre-season training in July, and would not normally be obliged to release them for the Copa America. However, FIFA has stated that it will consider changing its rules to force the clubs to release Japanese players for the tournament.

In the event that Japan is not able to secure the release of its best players and cannot field its strongest team, there has to be a question mark over whether its Copa America fixtures can be classed as FIFA ‘A’ matches. Only FIFA ‘A’ matches, in which ‘both Associations field their first national representative team’, count as UFWC title matches. So there could well be more twists and turns yet to come in this saga.

However, as it stands, we’re looking forward to the UFWC recommencing with Japan vs Colombia at Estadio 23 de Agosto, San Salvador de Jujuy, Argentina, on 2 July.

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