(26 Jun 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Nuuk, Greenland – 17 June 2025
1. Wide of soccer pitch
2. Various of Patrick Frederiksen, captain of Greenland’s soccer team, training
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Patrick Frederiksen, captain of Greenland’s national team:
++OVERLAID ON SHOTS 1,2,4,5,6,7++
"We get really proud when we wear our shirt. It’s a national feeling. We say we play without feelings outside, we are really passionate when we play football and representing Greenland. So it means a lot for us to being able to play those international matches. So we were really disappointed that we didn’t get any reasons why we couldn’t join CONCACAF (The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football). I would say maybe it’s more financial, because we all know it’s really expensive to travel to Greenland, so there will be some financial issues for other nations if they have to travel to Greenland."
4. Soccer and futsal club B-67 huddling before the training
5. Players wearing Greenland futsal jacket
6. Players huddling
7. Various of Frederiksen training
8. Soccer ball
9. Various of players training
10. Oscar Scott Carl, coach of B-67, instructing
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Oscar Scott Carl, coach of B-67:
++OVERLAID ON SHOTS 9,10,12,13++
"It’s a huge part of our identity. You should come watch a game, you can see how much people go into the game, how much cheering from the attenders. It’s really a big game here. It’s also a big part of creating unity in the country, having something to, having a sport to gather around and celebrate wins and being a part of something bigger than only football, to be honest."
12. Various of players training
13. Greenland’s flag in foreground of soccer pitch
STORYLINE:
For most of the year, Greenland is covered ice and snow and its locals retreat indoors. But for three short months, everyone heads outside — day and night — to watch or play soccer, the island’s favorite sport.
While Greenland is in the headlines because of U.S. President Donald Trump’s fascination with semiautonomous Danish territory, the Arctic island’s inhabitants are more concerned this summer with getting to the nearest field. They want to take advantage of the 24-hour sunlight even if the temperatures hover around 5 and 10 degrees Celsius (41 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit) in the capital city of Nuuk.
On an island of roughly 56,000 people, some 5,500 — nearly 10% of the population — are registered soccer players. So it was a crushing blow in early June when the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) unanimously rejected the Greenlandic Football Association’s application to become a new member.
CONCACAF is one of six continental federations under FIFA, soccer’s world governing body that oversees the World Cup.
Some blamed politics for the decision in light of Trump’s repeated wish to take control of the strategic, mineral-rich island.
The U.S. president has not ruled out military force despite strong rebukes from the governments of Denmark, a NATO ally, and Greenland. Danish and Greenlandic leaders say the island is not for sale and have condemned reports of the U.S. stepping up intelligence gathering there.
But Patrick Frederiksen, captain of the national team, thinks CONCACAF’s ruling came down to money.
"We all know it’s really expensive to travel to Greenland," he said.
CONCACAF did not respond to a request for comment.
From youth clubs to the national team, soccer energizes the entire island.
AP video by Kwiyeon Ha
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