Ukma broachure

THE GOVERNING BODY OF 5/6/7 A SIDE FOOTBALL IN THE UK

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MINIFOO What is Minifootball?

Minifootball is the European term used to describe all forms of adult small sided football which, in the UK, consist principally of 5 or 6 a side Leagues. In the UK the term “Minifootball” has traditionally meant junior football but it is likely that in the coming years the term “Minifootball” will increasingly be used in the UK to describe all forms of adult small sided football

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TBALL Who are the UK Minifootball Who are the EMF? association?

The UK Minifootball Association (The UKMA) is a non-profit making body bringing various UK federations and associations together into one group to act as the Governing Body for all minifootball in the United Kingdom.

UK Minifootball is the sole governing body for minifootball in the United Kingdom and is authorised as such by the European Minifootball Federation (EMF) under their Statute. The UKMA is on the Executive Committee of the EMF.

The EMF is the European Governing Body for minifootball in Europe and currently has over 20 countries as members. The EMF organises international competitions including the European Minifootball Championships which are held annually in a member country.

What about the FA? Traditionally the FA has represented all forms of football in the United Kingdom. However, the FA’s primary focus is on 11 a-side Football and not minifootball or small sided Football.

In May 2012 the European Commission in Brussels recognised minifootball as a separate sport apart from 11 a side Football which therefore required a Governing Body for each member country and a European Governing Body. This effectively meant that minifootball in the UK required a Governing Body which entirely distinct from - and independent of - the FA.

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The History of Minifootball in the United Kingdom Minifootball or small sided football, as a game, is at least as old, or probably even older, than 11-a-side football.

From the 1860’s amateur and then professional football clubs used small sided football in a competitive way as training for their 11-a-side matches. This practice continues up to the current day. In the 1960’s there were round-robin tournaments in sports facilities across the UK, these mainly being played in indoor sports halls. The early 1970’s saw the prevalence of 5-a-side competitions, some of which were played on grass, but these were mainly junior competitions.

It was not until the 1980’s that sports centre managers saw the opportunity to organise 5-a-side leagues in their own sports centres and this led to the development through the 1980’s and 1990’s of more national providers of 5-a-side leagues throughout the country.

As all weather pitches improved throughout the late 1990’s and into the turn of the new century and with the development of new playing surfaces, 5-a-side, and later 6-a-side leagues became more prevalent and began developing rapidly.

Today it is estimated there are approximately 1.3 million people playing in competitive small sided leagues weekly in the UK and in total 2 million people playing some sort of small sided football throughout the winter season.

In mainland Europe, where the term ‘Minifootball’ had always been used to describe small sided football, the first organised leagues were established in the early 1970’s. At the dawn of the new millennium more countries began to form their own leagues on a national level and also to inaugurate a new federation.

In 2010 a group of Eastern European countries organised the first ‘European Minfootball Championships’ which were won by Romania.

In 2012, with the recognition of minifootball as a separate sport to 11-a-side football, a European governing body for minifootball was established with the remit to encourage European countries to establish their own governing bodies for minifootball and in September 2012 the European Minifootball Championships featured 16 participating teams and attracted over £1 million worth of sponsorship.

However, the United Kingdom still boasts the largest number of minifootball players and is currently one of the very few sports in the United Kingdom whose participation rates continue to increase year on year.

Early MiniFootball

Current England Team

England Team in Moldova

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EMF President, Razvan Burleanu Romania (left) and Vice President, Filip Juda Czech Republic (right)

The formation of the EMF

International Representation

Razvan Burleanu, President of the EMF

The UKMA is commissioned by the EMF to supply international teams representing England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in the European Minifootball Championships held annually in a different member state.

We are also commissioned to hold an annual National Championship to determine which teams will represent those countries on the international stage. Only members affiliated to the UKMA can enter a team in the National Championships and the highest placed team from each country represents that country in international club tournaments.

In 2012, the 2011 National Champions represented England in Moldova in miniEURO 2012.

All the European countries come together under the EMF

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The UK 6 A-Side Championships The UKMA owns and hosts the UK 6-a-side National Championships which it took over from a national provider in 2011. The championships are held annually either in Birmingham or London at a central location and are open to all participating member teams from any organiser in the UK.

Winners 2010

Winners 2008

Winners 2009

Winners 2011

Winners 2012

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The European miniFootball Championships

Montenegro and Romania line up for the Final.

Once your league is affiliated as a member to the UKMA, your teams get the opportunity to represent their national country in the European Minifootball Championships. All the players in your league also have the opportunity to represent their country by attending trials. Which are held annually and which you as a league organiser can offer. The inaugural European Minifootball Championships were held in Moldova in September 2012 and featured 16 countries with Romania defeating Montenegro 2-1 in the final.

In 2013 24 countries will be competing including our representative countries from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The UKMA provides all funding for the participating teams from national countries to compete in the European Championships and all expenses are paid by us. The EMF asks participating countries to supply match officials for the championships and you, as a league organiser, can offer the possibility to your match officials that they could officiate in these prestigious finals.

Romania and Montenegro fight for the trophy.

Crowd watching miniEuro in Moldova.

England line up to face Italy.

Romania celebrate. Winners 2012 .

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Affiliation - What does it mean?

It is not currently a requirement that any person, corporate body or other organisation that organises competitive minifootball leagues in the United Kingdom should affiliate to the UKMA however, as with affiliation to 11-a-side football, affiliation to UKMA can provide substantial benefits.

What are the main benefits of affiliation?

Firstly, your organisation has the benefit of knowing that it is affiliated to the correct governing body for the sport you organise. More importantly, we ourselves are licensed by the European governing body for minifootball. This licence means that any future sponsorship deals which either the governing body or ourselves are involved in will give you the chance to benefit, either with equipment, assistance or financial help. We know, for instance, that Adidas, Pepsi and Nike have already shown an interest in obtaining some sort of sponsorship arrangement with the European Governing Body.

This can only benefit you as an organiser. Being affiliated to us means also that your organisation has the opportunity of increased exposure both on the national and international stage, should you so wish. This can help you in attracting more teams to play in your leagues.

We know that attracting referees is one of the hardest things that you, as an organiser, has to do each week. That is why we are offering a service of assistance in recruiting referees across the country (and direct assistance with a database for gold members). You know that if you are struggling to find a referee then you are not alone because we are here to help you where we can.

For Silver and Gold members you have access to use our free fully automated discipline system helping you to collect your money more easily. There is no paperwork involved whatsoever in the collection of these fines and your referees are given a unique password which they use to log a fine with us. The funds from those fines are then sent directly into your bank account automatically. You do nothing apart from receive the fines.

You can promote the fact that one of your teams could represent England in the following years’ European Championships. As licensed providers by the EMF for the England minifootball team, you will receive free promotional material for the UK 6 aside Championships which gives your teams the opportunity to play on the international stage. This is a benefit available exclusively only to our members.

What does it cost to affiliate to the UKMA? Unlike the FA, the UKMA accepts affiliation from any bonafide organiser of minifootball Leagues in the United Kingdom completely free of charge. We are non-profit making and receive external funds to give benefits to our members without any charge. Our statutory aims are to ensure that minifootball in the United Kingdom is properly regulated and encouraged in all forms. Including ethnic, disabled and minority groups.

I affiliate to the FA - why should I affiliate to the UKMA? You don’t have to but it is likely that in the coming years, now Brussels has recognised minifootball as a separate sport, different countries FA’s will become less and less involved, and will receive less funding from Europe to develop minifootball. This funding is more likely to be channelled through Governing Bodies’ such as ourselves. It would be useful therefore for organisers in the UK to affiliate to the Governing Body which best represents their particular sport. Remember 11 a-side football and 5 or 6 a-side football are now officially different sports.

Can I affiliate to both the FA and the UKMA? Yes. There is nothing to stop you affiliating to as many Governing Bodies as you wish, although the EMF recommends that you affiliate to the UKMA as the correct Governing Body for minifootball.

A

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Bronze

Silver

Gold

Cost: £4.95

Cost: £9.95

Benefits:

Benefits:

Benefits:

1. Promotion

1. Accreditation

Cost: Free

per team per year

per team per year

(Bronze & Silver plus the following)

(Bronze plus the following)

1. Accreditation

Free use of our Gold logo on all your stationery and on your website.

Free use of our Silver logo on all your stationary and your website.

2. Funding Access to future European Commission

funding.

Use of our automated disciplinary system which allows your referees to log in with a password, submit any discipline fine they wish and you as the organiser automatically receives funds into your account by direct debit when the fine is paid.

Referees access with the ability for you to be able to find National Referees through our extensive database.

4. Accreditation You can use our Bronze logo on all your

stationary and on your website.

UKMA undertakes all chasing and administration of the fine on your behalf. This includes creation of your own log ins and automatic payment to your account.

You receive a free advert on the UKMA website where you can upload your logo and a short description of your organisation including contact details so that teams looking to play minifootball can click directly through to your website.

3. Support

Support, assistance and guidance in promoting your leagues in your area.

2. Discipline System

3. Better Administration

2. Referees Access

3. Increased Promotion

The ability to upload all your venues and leagues on our geographical search database so that when a player or team wishes to search for a league to play in, they can find your league by typing in their postcode on our site.

5. Referees

Referees certificates, accreditation and support for all your match officials.

Free UK 6-a- side championships promotional material, free VIP passes to your staff and easy access entry for your teams.

our teams have the opportunity to represent their national Country (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) in international competitions.

You get free scouting cards for your staff to give out to any players or teams that you feel are good enough to attend the trials which are held annually in your representative country

6. The Championships

to affiliate:

www.ukminifootball.co.uk

7. National Teams

8. Trials for your Players

9. Plus:

• Free promotional material for the National Championships.

• Free UKMA branded red and yellow cards holder for all your referees • Free UKMA pin badge

FFILIATION

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Are there any other advantages to membership to the UKMA? • Affiliation without charge • Use of our automated disciplinary system • Online presence on our website • Space in our directory of leagues • Support to develop minifootball in your area • You run your leagues how you want • You can apply for any funding we receive in future years • Use us to promote your new and existing leagues • Your teams could represent England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland in European Competition

Are there any disadvantages to membership to the UKMA? • No.

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www.ukminifootball.co.uk +44(0)871 2500 131 UK MiniFootball Association Arion Business Centre Harriet House, Erdington Birmingham, West Midlands B23 6BG