Emerging Nations Cup

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The Emerging Nations Cup is an international association football competition for traditionally low-ranking or weak teams. The first two editions were contensted by four teams, with the weakest nation in each confederation's respective qualifying tournament being invited to compete. It was expanded to eight teams from the 2016 edition, with the two nations with the worst records in each confederation's respective qualifying tournament now taking part.

The tournament was first contested in 2014, which was won by the River Warriors.

The tournament is seen as a chance for low-ranking sides to play more competitive and balanced fixtures than in their qualification groups and gives an opportunity for such teams to develop.

History

The tournament was initially conceived by a meeting between the FMF, the FLV, the River Warriors' FA and the Sports Institute, to provide meaningful competitive fixtures for Micras' lowest rankings sides. Whilst the FMF gave its blessings and some financial backings, the first competition was held in Incontinentia, with the Franklin Islands, Lucerne and the River Warriors being invited to participate. Although all four nations were perceived to be weak, they were not selected based off of their qualifying record nor on a confederational basis, with both Lucerne and the River Warriors having competed in AEFA qualifying, and both finishing with a better record than Cheltia. None of Cheltia (AEFA), Walstadt (CTFA), Presburn (EMUFA) and Zeeburg (WMFA), who all recorded the worst qualification records in each confederation, were invited.

For the 2015 edition, the FMF sought to represent each confederation, with Lucerne were replaced by Tiěyá, who finished with the worst record in the CTFA qualifying section that year, though the River Warriors still represented the AEFA despite finishing with a better qualifying record than Stars. Furthermore, the competition was held by the previous champions, the River Warriors.

Ahead of the 2016 edition, the FMF expanded the competition from four to eight teams, introducing a quarter-final round, and giving two berths at the tournament to each confederation. It also formally declared that the nations with the two weakest records in qualifying would qualify for the tournament, and that the tournament would be hosted by one of the qualifying participants by virtue of a hosting rota, which saw each confederation host over four years. As such, the 2016 tournament was held in Centralya, a nation that had neither participated in the tournament before nor had any say in the competition's establishment.

Since then, the format of the tournament has remained stable. The tournament follows the completion of qualifying in July, though the first edition was held in December, and the second edition in August.

Previous tournaments

Year Hosts Winners Score Runners-up Third Place Score Fourth Place
2014
Details
Incontinentia Incontinentia
River Warriors
River Warriors
3–1
Lucerne
Lucerne
Incontinentia
Incontinentia
9–0
Franklin Islands
Franklin Islands
2015
Details
River Warriors River Warriors
Incontinentia
Incontinentia
4–1
Tiěyá
Tiěyá
River Warriors
River Warriors
11–0
Franklin Islands
Franklin Islands
2016
Details
Centralya Centralya
Nessus
Nessus
1–0
Tyrenia
Tyrenia
Mishalan
Mishalan
2–1
Lucerne
Lucerne
2017
Details
Blackstone Blackstone
East Gerenia
East Gerenia
2–1
Blackstone
Blackstone
Saint Andre
Saint Andre
1–0
Centralya
Centralya
2018
Details
Xang Muang Xang Muang
Xang Muang
Xang Muang
4–2
Qavaqaqqaqqaniitqeqertaq
Qavaqaqqaqqaniitqeqertaq
Lusa
Lusa
2–0
Hondon
Hondon
2019
Details
Florian Eura Florian Eura
Incontinentia
Incontinentia
2–0
Florian Eura
Florian Eura
Two Martyrs
Two Martyrs
3–1
Goëtia
Goëtia
2020
Details
Two Martyrs Two Martyrs
Two Martyrs
Two Martyrs
3–0
Goëtia
Goëtia
Jääland
Jääland
1–0
Strait of Haifa
Strait of Haifa
2021
Details
Hazarese Taka'atui Hazarese Taka'atui
Jääland
Jääland
1–0
Goëtia
Goëtia
International Mandate
International Mandate
2–0
Plazas de Irian
Plazas de Irian
2022
Details
Forajasaki Forajasaki
Whales
Whales
2–0
Ecclesiastical Mountain Republic
Ecclesiastical Mountain Republic
Forajasaki
Forajasaki
3–1
United Isles
United Isles
2023
Details
Saint Andre Saint Andre
Chryse
Chryse
2–0
Saint Andre
Saint Andre
Dark Berry Islands
Dark Berry Islands
3–2
Valora
Valora
2024
Details
Eternia Eternia
Northbloom
Northbloom
3–2
Port Balaine
Port Balaine
Lusa
Lusa
2–1
South Sea Islands
South Sea Islands

Titles by nation