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Nagorno Karabakh team is one of the favorites on the official FIFA World Cup among countries which are not FIFA members, president of the Confederation of Independent Football Associations (ConIFA) Per Anders Blind told the journalists.

ConIFA President noted that it was not expected that Nagorno Karabakh would perform such a strong team.

Speaking about the obstacles that the participants of the championship face, Blind noted the visa problem, especially if these states are outside the EU. As for the Nagorno Karabakh case the organization had received Azerbaijan’s protest, who demanded not to allow Nagorno Karabakh team to the tournament, the president said. A similar letter Azerbaijan sent to FIFA.

ConIFA’s answer was unequivocal: Artsakh team, regardless of its status, is currently isolated from the football world, and to correct this situation, it should take part in the World Cup, said the president of the Confederacy.

According to Blind, organization enables the unrecognized states in the whole world to get out of isolation and feel part of the sporting world.

Secretary General Sasha Tillmans and Director of Media Marin Siliis visited Artsakh before the tournament and shared impressions. "Nagorno Karabakh is a miracle. The people there are very friendly and hospitable. I loved the sculpture "Tatik-Papic." Nature is impressive," told Siliis.

According to him, they met with President Bako Sahakyan, Foreign Minister Karen Mirzoyan and other officials. They visited Shushi, Gandzasar, the museum of Tigranakert.

Tillmans in his turn noted with a smile that "at some point Marin expressed a desire to move to live and work in Artsakh."

For the first time the Nagorno Karabakh team participates in the official World Cup among countries which are not FIFA members. The World Cup kicked off yesterday in the Swedish town of Ostersund. Nagorno Karabakh team matched on June 1st with the team of Isle of Man, and on the third of June match against Nice is planned. Teams of Abkhazia, Darfur, Tamil Eelam, Padania, Lapland, Kurdistan, etc. take part in the championship too.

In February the Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan (AFFA) protested against the CONfederation of Independent Football Associations (ConiFA) in connection with the participation of the football team of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the championship. ConiFA refused the protest of Azerbaijan.