Seattle, WA and Los Angeles, CA – In the first match of a home-and-away series, Cascadia Association Football Federation will host the Darfur United men’s soccer team at French Field in Kent, WA on July 27 at 1pm.
The Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA) is the football federation for all associations outside FIFA. It’s a globally acting non-profit organization that supports representatives of international football teams from nations, de-facto nations, regions, minority peoples and sports-isolated territories. This two-game series is part of both teams’ “Road to the World Football Cup 2020” which will be hosted in Somaliland in summer 2020 by the Somaliland Football Association.
CONIFA’s North American President, Noah Wheelock, says, ”We are extremely excited to have the first ever official all-CONIFA matchup on North American soil taking place this July. While matches have been played in North America previously, it is the first time two of our members have played each other here, with maximum qualification points at stake. It’s a terrific moment for CONIFA and a wonderful sign of growth, both in this region and globally. It’s also an exciting first step for both of these teams on the road towards next year’s World Football Cup in Somaliland. Knowing both these squads well, the quality of football will be high and it’s sure to be a great match.”
The Darfur United Men’s Soccer Team represents the more than 50 ethnic groups from the western region of Darfur, Sudan. Experienced and skilled Darfuri soccer players, born in Darfur, Sudan or elsewhere to Darfuri parents, will proudly take the field on July 27. With a majority of the team’s players located in Östersund, Sweden, the team’s roster will include new players and those making a bid for the 2020 squad. In April 2019, the Sudanese military toppled President Bashir in a coup. Since June 3, Bashir’s successor, the Janjaweed leader responsible for genocide in the Darfur region, Lt. Gen. Mohamed Hamdan, has terrorized civilians and cut off communication to the outside world. Darfur United truly represents a movement for hope for Darfuris and Sudanese worldwide.
Uniting the Pacific Northwest around the worlds’ most popular sport, Cascadia first competed internationally at the CONIFA World Football Cup 2018 in London and are currently ranked 10th in the world by CONIFA. Talented players such as former Seattle Sounders and Open Cup winner James Riley, Seattle native and Whitman College left-footer Noah Cavanaugh, and Gambian-born former MLS player Sainey Nyassi will take to the field to represent Cascadia. Cascadia’s President Aaron Johnsen adds, “CAFF is extremely excited for this match and to showcase experienced veterans alongside up and coming Cascadia talent. It will be a history-making match in many ways.”
Please contact team representatives for more information and for game-day media access.
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Darfur United Men’s and Women’s Teams are programs of iACT, a Los Angeles-based non-profit organization providing humanitarian action to aid, empower, and extend hope to those affected by mass atrocities. iACT’s vision is to create a world where people are connected and empowered to act. iACT places the beneficiary at the heart of each program and uses community members to co-create, manage, and expand impact; and to build resilience and restore dignity. For more information, iact.ngo and DarfurUnited.com
Cascadia Association Football Federation (CAFF) was created by the Cascadia Trifecta groups and members of the four largest regional supporter groups to help Cascadia compete on an independent stage in 2013. The goal of the Cascadia Association Football Federation is to allow Cascadia as a distinct cultural entity, bioregion, and growing society with common interests, to be represented at the international level in the sport we are all passionate about. For more information, facebook.com/CascadiaFootball/ and CascadiaFootball.org/
CONTACT INFORMATION
iACT / Darfur United
Katie-Jay Scott
Co-Executive Director
ktj@iact.ngo
+1 (310) 738 0285
Cascadia Association Football Federation
Aaron Johnsen
President
cascadiafootball@gmail.com
+1 (253) 905 0491