19 Feb 2021
The Micronesia archipelago sits in the north of the Pacific Ocean
Territory has strong ambitions inspired by the success of neighbours Guam
Few people, in truth, would be familiar with the Northern Mariana Islands. Some might recognise the name as a famous battleground in the later stages of World War II. In football terms, perhaps only fans with a keen eye for detail would recognise the name of the largest island, Saipan, as the site of an infamous Republic of Ireland camp ahead of the 2002 FIFA World Cup™.
But Northern Mariana Islands - located in the remote mid-northern part of the Pacific Ocean - have long been working hard on making their own impact on the football world. Indeed, the Northern Mariana Islands Football Association (NMIFA) are football’s newest constituent at continental level, having become the Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) 47th member in December.