The Ellan Vannin football team is to take part in next summer’s Europeada championships in Northern Italy.
The Manx International Football Alliance side will join 23 other teams at the Federal Union of European Nationalities-organised competition in South Tyrol between June 18-26.
MIFA made the move to enter Ellan Vannin in the tournament for autochthonous and national minorities after it became clear it would not be able to compete at next year’s ConIFA World Cup in Abkhazia because of security concerns.
A MIFA statement said: ‘Following UK Foreign Office advice that travel to Abkhazia should not be undertaken due to unstable political situation in the area, MIFA looked for a tournament that met its criteria of top-level football and an emphasis on cultural identify.
‘The FUEN Europeada 2016 met both the aims with its support for cultural and ethnic minorities, language and history and the opportunity to play against some old foes and to make new friends in a tremendous European adventure.’
The draw for the competition’s group stages, which was made in Bolzano earlier this week, has paired Chris Bass Sr’s Manx with hosts South Tyrol, North Frisians and Germans in Poland. The island’s four-team group will be based in the town of Olang.
Other teams taking part in what is believed to be the largest football tournament any island side has taken part include French side Occitania, who Ellan Vannin played this time last year, as well as a host of other German-speaking sides from as far and wide as Russia, Estonia and Denmark.
MIFA has said that the withdrawal from next year’s World Football Cup would not effect its ability to enter future ConIFA tournaments. Indeed it hopes to send a side to a ConIFA-organised beach football tournament later in the year.