The Turkish Republic of North Cyprus (TRNC) women’s national football team is set to make history next summer when it competes in its first international tournament at the 2027 CONIFA Women’s World Football Cup in England.
The Turkish Cypriot side will be one of eight national teams taking part in the competition, which will be staged in Walsall, in the West Midlands, from 28 May to 5 June 2027.
The news was confirmed by the Kıbrıs Türk Futbol Federasyonu (KTFF) on Monday, 19 October, offering a major opportunity for Turkish Cypriot female footballers to showcase their talent on the international stage.
Organised by the Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA), the tournament brings together teams representing nations, territories and peoples who are not affiliated with FIFA, football’s international governing body.
The 2027 competition will be the third edition of the CONIFA Women’s World Football Cup and the largest to date, featuring eight teams. It will be hosted by the Khalistan Football Association, which represents the Sikh community, with matches taking place at a 5,000-capacity stadium.
Alongside North Cyprus, the confirmed participants are Hmong, Khalistan, Sápmi, Székely Land, Tamil Eelam and Tibet, with the eighth team still to be announced by CONIFA.
Turkish Cypriot women helped make CONIFA history in 2018
North Cyprus has already played an important role in the development of CONIFA women’s football.
On 10 November 2018, the TRNC hosted Sápmi at Girne’s 20 Temmuz Stadium in what was the first-ever international women’s match organised under the CONIFA banner.
As T-VINE reported at the time, the Turkish Cypriot women put up a spirited performance against their more experienced Scandinavian opponents, holding them to a single goal in the first half before eventually losing 4-0.
Despite the result, the historic fixture represented an important breakthrough for women’s football in North Cyprus, giving players their first opportunity to represent their country in an international match.
The TRNC was subsequently selected for the inaugural CONIFA Women’s World Cup planned for 2021, but that tournament was cancelled because of the Covid pandemic. The Turkish Cypriot side also missed the 2024 competition in Norway, despite originally preparing to participate.
Sápmi went on to win both previous editions of the Women’s World Cup, in 2022 and 2024, and will arrive in England as defending champions.
A welcome opportunity for Turkish Cypriot football
The forthcoming tournament is particularly significant for Turkish Cypriot footballers, who remain excluded from official FIFA and UEFA international competitions because the KTFF is not affiliated with either organisation.
CONIFA provides an alternative international platform, enabling players from unrecognised states, minority communities and other territories to compete internationally and represent their identities through sport.
North Cyprus has enjoyed considerable success in CONIFA men's competitions. Its men's national team reached the 2018 World Football Cup final in London, narrowly losing to Kárpátalja on penalties, before being crowned European champions at the CONIFA Euro 2026 tournament in Italy earlier this year.
The women will now have their opportunity to make a similar impression on the international stage.
With the tournament taking place in Britain, it will also give the large Turkish Cypriot community in the UK a rare opportunity to come out and support their national women's team, while potentially inspiring a new generation of girls to take up football.
Further details of the tournament, including the match schedule, participating squads, venue and ticket arrangements, are expected to be announced closer to the event.
For more information, visit the official CONIFA website.
