Myanmar Football Federation
Encyclopedia
The Myanmar Football Federation (MFF) is the governing body of football in Myanmar
. The MFF oversees the Burmese men's national team
, the women's national team
, and youth national teams as well as national football championships and professional club competitions.
, a British colonial administrator, football has been the most popular sport in the country. The Burma Football Federation was founded in 1947, a year before the country's independence from the United Kingdom
. The BFF joined FIFA
in 1952, and the AFC
in 1954.
The federation launched the first States and Divisions Football Championship in 1952. The highly popular annual competition became the main venue from which to draw out talented players from around the country. This rudimentary level of talent development seemed sufficient for a while. Burma was a top Asian football power, along with Iran
and South Korea
, in the 1960s and early 1970s, winning two Asian Games
tournaments (1966, 1970) and then unprecedented five South East Asian Games tournaments (1965-1973) as well as coming in second in the 1968 Asian Cup tournament. During a ten year span between 1961 and 1970, Burma thoroughly dominated the U-19/U-20 Asian Cup, reaching the finals nine times and winning the tournament seven times.
Starting from the mid 1970s, the country's football success--a source of much national pride--also declined rapidly, along with the country's precipitous economic decline. (Aside from a few regional tournament wins, the Burmese men's national team has not won any major football competition since 1973.) The federation did (or could do) little to promote development of football, or nurture the talent through professional league competitions. Until 1996, the country's main football league consisted of Yangon
-based clubs run by government ministries and known for corruption. Although private football clubs were allowed to join the Myanmar Premier League
in 1996, the league still did not attract much following by Burmese public. In December 2008, the MFF announced the formation a new national professional league, Myanmar National League
, which will start its first full season in 2010.
In accordance with FIFA regulations, the MFF reportedly became an independent organization, free of government control, in March 2009.
Myanmar
Burma , officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar , is a country in Southeast Asia. Burma is bordered by China on the northeast, Laos on the east, Thailand on the southeast, Bangladesh on the west, India on the northwest, the Bay of Bengal to the southwest, and the Andaman Sea on the south....
. The MFF oversees the Burmese men's national team
Myanmar national football team
The Myanmar national football team is the national team of Myanmar and is controlled by the Myanmar Football Federation. It was known as the Burma national football team until 1989, when Burma was renamed Myanmar. It finished second in the 1968 Asian Cup. They have participated in the Summer...
, the women's national team
Myanmar women's national football team
Myanmar women's national football team is a female association football team representing Myanmar and controlled by Myanmar Football Federation . Myanmar has just as North Korea received more money from the state and improved its game the last year and had a goal of qualifying to the 2011 FIFA...
, and youth national teams as well as national football championships and professional club competitions.
History
Reportedly introduced during the British colonial era by James George ScottJames George Scott
Sir George Scott, KCIE was a Scottish journalist and colonial administrator who helped establish British colonial rule in Burma, and in addition introduced soccer to Burma ....
, a British colonial administrator, football has been the most popular sport in the country. The Burma Football Federation was founded in 1947, a year before the country's independence from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The BFF joined FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
in 1952, and the AFC
Asian Football Confederation
The Asian Football Confederation is the governing body of association football in Asia. It has 46 member countries, mostly located on the Asian continent. However, due to the disputed boundary of Europe and Asia, nations such as Russia and Turkey which are located mostly in geographic Asia are...
in 1954.
The federation launched the first States and Divisions Football Championship in 1952. The highly popular annual competition became the main venue from which to draw out talented players from around the country. This rudimentary level of talent development seemed sufficient for a while. Burma was a top Asian football power, along with Iran
Iran national football team
The national football team of Iran represents Iran in international football competitions and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran...
and South Korea
Korea Republic national football team
The Korea Republic national football team represents Korea Republic in international football and is controlled by the Korea Football Association. Korea Republic is the most successful Asian football team in the history of the FIFA World Cup having participated in eight World Cup tournaments,...
, in the 1960s and early 1970s, winning two Asian Games
Asian Games
The Asian Games, officially known as Asiad, is a multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia. The Games were regulated by the Asian Games Federation from the first Games in New Delhi, India, until the 1978 Games. Since the 1982 Games they have been organised by the...
tournaments (1966, 1970) and then unprecedented five South East Asian Games tournaments (1965-1973) as well as coming in second in the 1968 Asian Cup tournament. During a ten year span between 1961 and 1970, Burma thoroughly dominated the U-19/U-20 Asian Cup, reaching the finals nine times and winning the tournament seven times.
Starting from the mid 1970s, the country's football success--a source of much national pride--also declined rapidly, along with the country's precipitous economic decline. (Aside from a few regional tournament wins, the Burmese men's national team has not won any major football competition since 1973.) The federation did (or could do) little to promote development of football, or nurture the talent through professional league competitions. Until 1996, the country's main football league consisted of Yangon
Yangon
Yangon is a former capital of Burma and the capital of Yangon Region . Although the military government has officially relocated the capital to Naypyidaw since March 2006, Yangon, with a population of over four million, continues to be the country's largest city and the most important commercial...
-based clubs run by government ministries and known for corruption. Although private football clubs were allowed to join the Myanmar Premier League
Myanmar Premier League
The Myanmar Premier League was the top division of Burmese football in Myanmar from 1996 to 2009. The league consisted of Yangon-based football clubs, made up mostly of clubs run by various government ministries plus a few private football clubs...
in 1996, the league still did not attract much following by Burmese public. In December 2008, the MFF announced the formation a new national professional league, Myanmar National League
Myanmar National League
The Myanmar National League is the premier national professional football league of Myanmar. In 2009, the league replaced the Myanmar Premier League, which consisted only of 14 Yangon-based football clubs, with eight professional clubs representing different regions across the nation...
, which will start its first full season in 2010.
In accordance with FIFA regulations, the MFF reportedly became an independent organization, free of government control, in March 2009.
Competitions run by the MFF
- Myanmar National League CupMyanmar National League CupThe Myanmar National League Cup is the annual football tournament of the Myanmar National League , the newly founded top level professional league of Myanmar. The first edition of the tournament, MNL Cup 2009 kicked off the MNL competition although the league is to begin its first full season only...
- Myanmar National Football Championship (States and Divisions Football Championship)
- Myanmar Women's National Football Championship
External links
- Official website
- ELEVEN MEDIA Website
- Burmese/Myanmar Myanma Search Engine Web site
- Soccer Myanmar Website
- Myanmar at the FIFA website.
- Myanmar at AFC site