The Basque Football Federation (, EFF; , FVF) is the body responsible for managing association football in the Basque Country autonomous region. Its offices are in Bilbao (in the Otxarkoaga-Txurdinaga district).
The federation manages several leagues such as the Basque Youth League and the Basque Women's Football League, as well as the Basque regional stage of the Federation Cup. It also organises Group 4 of the regionalised Tercera División (the fourth tier of the men's Spanish football league system), although unlike most parts of the country, the leagues at the fifth level and below are administered separately by provincial federations for Álava, Biscay and Gipuzkoa.
The federation organises and selects the Basque Country national football team which draws its players not only from the Basque Country autonomous region, but also the neighbouring Basque regions of Navarre and the French Basque Country. The women's senior national team also follows this model, but the various youth representative squads contesting nationwide competitions, and the Basque amateur-level selection playing in the Spanish stage of the UEFA Regions' Cup, are composed of players only from the Basque Country autonomous region.
The Basque Football Federation is part of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
History In the early 20th century, football federations were formed for each of the Basque regions of Biscay (1913, as the 'North Federation' with Cantabria) and Gipuzkoa (a 1918 offshoot), with each holding their own tournaments (the Biscay Championship and Gipuzkoa Championship respectively). As long ago as 1931 the idea of creating a single federation for the whole Basque Country was considered, but for various reasons this was not done at that time. In 1988 the Basque Football Federacion was finally created, encompassing the original provincial federations as well as a new one for Álava (split off from Gipuzkoa the previous year), each of which continues to organise football competitions within their area.
Purpose The Basque Football Federation's purpose is to promote, organise and authorise association football competition across the Basque Country autonomous region.
In addition to this, it selects and arranges fixtures for the Basque Country national football team l, for which it aims to gain UEFA and FIFA affiliation so that it can participate in regular international competitions.
FIFA affiliation The Basque Football Federation has as one of its aims the official participation of the Basque Country national team in international competitions.
In 1979, Pablo Porta, president of the Spanish Football Federation, stated that the Basque Country might participate in the next World Cup; he explained that in the same way that Welsh clubs participate in the English league but are also represented by the Wales national team, so the same model could be used in Spain. However this idea has not been implemented.
In 2010, the Basque Football Federation changed its statutes to claim responsibility for international competitions in the greater Basque Country, but the Supreme Court of Spain suspended these new statutes.
In 2012, it was decided by the Constitutional Court of Spain that the Basque Country could compete in international competitions so long as it did not compete against Spain.
In early 2019, the Federation voted in favour of applying to FIFA and UEFA for official recognition for the team.
In December 2020, Basque federation applied for UEFA and FIFA recognition.
Competitions The Basque Football Federation organises the following competitions: Tercera División, Group 4 RFEF Basque tournament (Regional phase of the Federation Cup) Copa Vasca Juvenil (Basque Youth Cup) Liga Vasca Juvenil (Basque Youth League) Liga Vasca Cadete Copa Vasca Cadete Liga Vasca Femenina (Basque Women's Football League) Copa Vasca Femenina (Basque Women's Cup) Liga Vasca de Fútbol Sala (Basque Futsal league)
Champions These tables provide the winners of the competitions administered by the Basque Football Federation each season.
Tercera División Winners of the Basque Country fourth tier group, with possible promotion to the level above and an entry to the following season's Copa del Rey.
SeasonWinning Club1980–81SD Erandio ClubBiscay55Yes7th1st round1981–82SD EibarGipuzkoa51NoN/A3rd round1982–83SCD DurangoBiscay 55NoN/A1st round1983–84CD Santurtzi Biscay59NoN/A2nd round1984–85CD BasconiaBiscay56NoN/A2nd round1985–86SD Eibar (2)Gipuzkoa58Yes7thRound of 161986–87SCD Durango (2)Biscay51Yes8th1st round1987–88Barakaldo CFBiscay53Yes2ndDid not enter1988–89CD Santurtzi (2)Biscay55Yes12thDid not enter1989–90Deportivo AlavésÁlava60 Yes2nd2nd round1990–91CD Hernani Gipuzkoa50Yes14th2nd round1991–92Real Unión Gipuzkoa53NoN/A2nd round1992–93Real Unión (2)Gipuzkoa54Yes14th2nd round1993–94Amurrio ClubÁlava53Yes11thDid not enter1994–95CD Aurrerá de VitoriaÁlava55Yes9th1st round1995–96Zalla UCBiscay78Yes19th (R)2nd round1996–97CD TouringGipuzkoa72NoN/ADid not enter1997–98CD Basconia (2)Biscay71NoN/AN/A1998–99Real Sociedad BGipuzkoa89NoN/AN/A1999–2000Real Sociedad B (2)Gipuzkoa82NoN/AN/A2000–01SD LemonaBiscay92NoN/ARound of 642001–02SD Lemona (2)Biscay78NoN/ARound of 642002–03CD Basconia (3)Biscay71NoN/AN/A2003–04Sestao River Club Biscay78Yes19th (R)First round2004–05Club Portugalete Biscay83Yes19th (R)Second round2005–06Sestao River Club (2)Biscay90Yes5thFirst round2006–07Zalla UCBiscay76NoN/AFirst round2007–08Club Portugalete (2)Biscay69NoN/ARound of 322008–09CD Lagun OnakGipuzkoa73NoN/AThird round2009–10Real Sociedad B (3)Gipuzkoa75Yes11thN/A2010–11SD AmorebietaBiscay81Yes4thFirst round2011–12CD LaudioÁlava77NoN/AFirst round2012–13CD LaudioÁlava81Yes17th (R)Third round2013–14SD LeioaBiscay81Yes15thThird round2014–15Club Portugalete (3)Biscay75Yes19th (R)First round2015–16Zamudio SDBiscay74Yes20th (R)First round2016–17Deportivo Alavés BÁlava74NoN/AN/A2017–18SCD Durango (3)Biscay77YesTBUFirst round
Women Liga Vasca Femenina The Liga Vasca (Basque League) was introduced (along with other regional sections) in the 2012–13 season as a stage between the provincial leagues and the Segunda División, which is also divided into geographical groups. The table also shows the winner of the promotion playoff between the Álava, Gipuzkoa and Biscay leagues in the seasons prior to the introduction of the all-Basque league.
SeasonWinning Club2007–08CD Aurrerá de Vitoria ÁlavaN/A 4th2008–09Abanto ClubBiscayN/A 7th2009–10CF Berrio-OtxoaBiscayN/A 10th2010–11Pauldarrak FKTBiscayN/A8th2011–12Zarautz KEGipuzkoaN/A14th (R)2012–13Barakaldo CFBiscay6912th (R)2013–14CD Mariño KKGipuzkoa628th2014–15SD EibarGipuzkoa624th2015–16CD Gasteizko NeskakÁlava798th2016–17Zarautz KEGipuzkoa7113th (R)2017–18Bizkerre FTBiscay817th2018–19Tolosa CFGipuzkoa7112th2019–20Real Sociedad BGipuzkoa643rd2020–21Athletic Club CBiscay59.
Copa Vasca Femenina
The Copa Vasca (Basque Cup) has been held since the 1980s. In its current incarnation, it is usually disputed between clubs from the region who are not in the Primera División; the senior team of Athletic Bilbao have never taken part since their formation in 2002, although their B-team has featured in several finals.
From 2020, the Copa Vasca was incorporated as 'Group B' of the Copa Euskal Herria (Basque Country Cup), which does include top division clubs – all of the finals of that competition have featured Athletic Club or Real Sociedad (usually both).
SeasonWinnersRunners-up1995–96 (I)GipuzkoaEibartarrak FT–CD Sondika1996–97 (II)–1997–98 (III)–1998–99 (IV)BiscayCD Sondika–1999–2000 (V)GipuzkoaOiartzun KE–Eibartarrak FT2000–01 (VI)–2001–02 (VII)GipuzkoaEibartarrak FT–Añorga KKE2002–03 (VIII)–2003–04 (IX)BiscayAthletic Club B0–0CD Mariño KK2004–05 (X)BiscayAthletic Club B2–2Añorga KKE2005–06 (XI)GipuzkoaSD Eibar–Añorga KKE2006–07 (XII)GipuzkoaReal Sociedad–SD Eibar2007–08 (XIII)BiscaySD San Ignacio1–1Oiartzun KE2008–09 (XIV)ÁlavaCD Aurrerá de Vitoria 2–1Athletic Club B 2009–10 (XV)ÁlavaCD Aurrerá de Vitoria 3–0Abanto Club2010–11 (XVI)BiscayAthletic Club B2–0SD Eibar2011–12 (XVII)GipuzkoaAñorga KKE2–1Athletic Club B2012–13 (XVIII)GipuzkoaOiartzun KE3–2Real Sociedad2013–14 (IXX)BiscayPauldarrak FKT1–0Añorga KKE2014–15 (XX)BiscayAthletic Club B2–0Añorga KKE2015–16 (XXI)GipuzkoaAñorga KKE1–1SD Eibar2016–17 (XXII)BiscayPauldarrak FKT1–0Athletic Club B2017–18 (XXIII)BiscayAthletic Club B4–2Añorga KKE2018–19 (XXIV)BiscayAthletic Club B3–0CD Aurrerá de Vitoria 2019–20Moved from end of season to start of following season2020–21 (X)GipuzkoaAñorga KKE 5–0CD Aurrerá de Vitoria 2021–22 (XI)GipuzkoaAñorga KKE 1–0Bizkerre FT 2022–23 (XII)BiscaySD San Ignacio 1–1Bizkerre FT 2023–24 (XIII)GipuzkoaReal Sociedad B 2–0Athletic Club C
Notable clubs affiliated to BFF (as of 2021–22 season) La Liga Deportivo Alavés Athletic Bilbao Real Sociedad de Fútbol
Segunda División SD Amorebieta SD Eibar Real Sociedad B
Primera División RFEF Athletic Bilbao B Real Unión
Segunda División RFEF Arenas Club de Getxo Gernika Club Sestao River Club Real Sociedad C
Primera División (women) Deportivo Alavés Gloriosas Athletic Club (women) SD Eibar (women) Real Sociedad (women)
Segunda División Pro (women) Athletic Club Femenino B
Presidents Laurentzi Gana Gorozika (1992–?) Iñaki Dobaran Garetxana (2006–2009) Santiago Arostegi Oleagordia (2009–2012) Luis Maria Elustondo Ciarreta (2012–present)
General Secretary
Jon Ander Gamboa (1993-2014) Kepa Allica (2014–present)
See also Basque football derbies List of Basque footballers List of Spanish regional football federations Football in the Basque Country Basque Swimming Federation
References
External links
Alava Football Federation Gipuzkoa Football Federation Biscay Football Federation