Founded 1971 ConIFA affiliation 2016 | FIFA affiliation N/A President Lars Lundblad | |
The Football Association of Greenland (Greenlandic: Kalaallit Nunaanni Isikkamik Arsaattartut Kattuffiat; Danish: Grønlands Boldspil-Union) (GBU) is the governing body of football (also known as soccer) in the island country of Greenland. The GBU was founded in 1971. It runs the Greenland national football team.
Greenland is not a member of FIFA (2010) and can therefore not play in the FIFA World Cup. In addition to FIFA, Greenland is neither a member of CONCACAF or UEFA. This is because Greenland cannot sustain a grass pitch due to the permafrost which envelops Greenland. After entry of Gibraltar in UEFA, Greenland may be the next to try to enter. However, the organisation did join the Confederation of Independent Football Associations (ConIFA) in May 2016.
Football is the most popular sport in Greenland with about 5,000 players. The Greenland Football Federation was started in 1971 and they have their office in Nuuk. The president of GBU in 2011 is Lars Lundblad. In Greenland, football can usually be played outside from the end of May until the middle of September, with the south of Greenland able to play for longer than in the north. All the football grounds are sand pitches. Many towns have indoor halls and the football players play indoor football from October to about April.
The Greenland football championship is named as Coca Cola GM.