Basque Football Federation


The Basque Football Federation is the body responsible for managing association football in the Basque Country autonomous region. Its offices are in Bilbao.
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, 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.

History

In the early 20th century, football federations were formed for each of the Basque regions of Biscay and Gipuzkoa, with each holding their own tournaments. 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, 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
  • Copa Vasca Juvenil
  • Liga Vasca Juvenil
  • Liga Vasca Cadete
  • Copa Vasca Cadete
  • Liga Vasca Femenina
  • Copa Vasca Femenina
  • Liga Vasca de Fútbol Sala

    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 Club
1980–81SD Erandio ClubBiscay55Yes7th1st round
1981–82SD EibarGipuzkoa51NoN/A3rd round
1982–83SCD DurangoBiscay55NoN/A1st round
1983–84CD SanturtziBiscay59NoN/A2nd round
1984–85CD BasconiaBiscay56NoN/A2nd round
1985–86SD Eibar Gipuzkoa58Yes7thRound of 16
1986–87SCD Durango Biscay51Yes8th1st round
1987–88Barakaldo CFBiscay53Yes2ndDid not enter
1988–89CD Santurtzi Biscay55Yes12thDid not enter
1989–90Deportivo AlavésÁlava60Yes2nd2nd round
1990–91CD HernaniGipuzkoa50Yes14th2nd round
1991–92Real UniónGipuzkoa53NoN/A2nd round
1992–93Real Unión Gipuzkoa54Yes14th2nd round
1993–94Amurrio ClubÁlava53Yes11thDid not enter
1994–95CD Aurrerá de VitoriaÁlava55Yes9th1st round
1995–96Zalla UCBiscay78Yes19th 2nd round
1996–97CD TouringGipuzkoa72NoN/ADid not enter
1997–98CD Basconia Biscay71NoN/AN/A
1998–99Real Sociedad BGipuzkoa89NoN/AN/A
1999–2000Real Sociedad B Gipuzkoa82NoN/AN/A
2000–01SD LemonaBiscay92NoN/ARound of 64
2001–02SD Lemona Biscay78NoN/ARound of 64
2002–03CD Basconia Biscay71NoN/AN/A
2003–04Sestao River ClubBiscay78Yes19th First round
2004–05Club PortugaleteBiscay83Yes19th Second round
2005–06Sestao River Club Biscay90Yes5thFirst round
2006–07Zalla UCBiscay76NoN/AFirst round
2007–08Club Portugalete Biscay69NoN/ARound of 32
2008–09CD Lagun OnakGipuzkoa73NoN/AThird round
2009–10Real Sociedad B Gipuzkoa75Yes11thN/A
2010–11SD AmorebietaBiscay81Yes4thFirst round
2011–12CD LaudioÁlava77NoN/AFirst round
2012–13CD LaudioÁlava81Yes17th Third round
2013–14SD LeioaBiscay81Yes15thThird round
2014–15Club Portugalete Biscay75Yes19th First round
2015–16Zamudio SDBiscay74Yes20th First round
2016–17Deportivo Alavés BÁlava74NoN/AN/A
2017–18SCD Durango Biscay77YesTBUFirst round

Women

Liga Vasca Femenina

The Liga Vasca was introduced 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 Club
2007–08CD Aurrerá de VitoriaÁlavaN/A4th
2008–09Abanto ClubBiscayN/A7th
2009–10CF Berrio-OtxoaBiscayN/A10th
2010–11Pauldarrak FKTBiscayN/A8th
2011–12Zarautz KEGipuzkoaN/A14th
2012–13Barakaldo CFBiscay6912th
2013–14CD Mariño KKGipuzkoa628th
2014–15SD EibarGipuzkoa624th
2015–16CD Gasteizko NeskakÁlava798th
2016–17Zarautz KEGipuzkoa7113th
2017–18Bizkerre FTBiscay817th
2018–19Tolosa CFGipuzkoa7112th
2019–20Real Sociedad BGipuzkoa643rd
2020–21Athletic Club CBiscay59.