Saba national soccer team

Saba
Home stadiumCruyff Court Saba
First international
 Sint Eustatius 3–1 Saba 
(Oranjestad, Sint Eustatius; 3 April 2004)
Biggest win
 Saba 2–1 Sint Eustatius 
(The Bottom, Saba; 27 March 2010)
Biggest defeat
 Sint Eustatius 3–1 Saba 
(Oranjestad, Sint Eustatius; 3 April 2004)
 Saba 3–5 Sint Eustatius 
(The Bottom, Saba; 15 July 2006)

The Saba national soccer team is the national soccer team of the Caribbean island of Saba. It is a not member of the Caribbean Football Union, CONCACAF, or FIFA and therefore cannot compete in tournaments sanctioned by these organizations.[1] As of 2013, a group from Saba had begun conversations with the CFU to become a member.[2]

History

Formerly Saba was represented in international football by the Netherlands Antilles national football team until the country was dissolved on 10 October 2010 and Saba became a separate Special Municipality.[3] Since 2004 Saba has played at least nine international friendlies against neighboring island Sint Eustatius in a series of inter-island matches.[4]

The national football team of Bonaire, another island that holds the status of Special Municipality within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, has been a member of the CFU and CONCACAF since 2013 through the support of the Dutch KNVB, leaving open the possibility for Saba membership in the governing bodies.[5][6] The Saba football association has been working with the KNVB since at least 2019 when the association provided equipment to the island.[7] In August 2021 the KNVB, joined by Bert Zuurman and former Aruba national team coach Elvis Albertus, organized a football course and coaching clinic on the island.[8][9]

Stadium

The team's home stadium is the Cruyff Court Saba, the only soccer venue on the island, located at the former Man-O-War Grounds.[10][11]

List of international matches
As of 6 May 2011.[4]
Date Venue Opponent Score
2004 Sint Eustatius Saba
3–1
15 July 2006 Saba Sint Eustatius
3–5
16 July 2006 Saba Sint Eustatius
5–5
20 June 2009 Sint Eustatius Saba
Unknown
21 June 2009 Sint Eustatius Saba
Unknown
27 March 2010 Saba Sint Eustatius
2–1
28 March 2010 Saba Sint Eustatius
1–2
28 March 2010 Saba Sint Eustatius
2–2
6 May 2011 Sint Eustatius U23 Saba
2–1

References
  1. "Saint Pierre and Miquelon to build a ground with an artificial pitch and join CONCACAF". ConIFA. Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  2. "Soccer Saba". Soccer Saba. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  3. "Antillen opgeheven op 10-10-2010" (in Dutch). NOS. 1 October 2009. Retrieved 1 October 2009.
  4. Schöggl, Hans. "Inter Island Matches Saba/Sint Eustatius". RSSSF. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  5. "Bonaire takes FIFA to court to join world soccer". Loop News. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  6. "FIFA EN KNVB IN ACTIE VOOR VOETBALONTWIKKELING BONAIRE EN SINT-MAARTEN" (in Dutch). KNVB. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  7. "Dutch Football Association , KNVB, donates shirts and materials to Saba's community". saba-news.com. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  8. "KNVB organizes football courses on Saba". saba-news.com. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  9. "Saba Youth Train With Professional Choaches". BES Reporter. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  10. "The Bottom". Beautiful Saba. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  11. "Two Saba Sports Fields Upgraded". saba-news.com. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
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