Wednesday was a historic day for Basque Football. Euskadiko Futbol Federakundea (Basque Football Federation) held their annual General Assembly which included several topics, but chief among them was a vote on whether or not to apply for international recognition from FIFA and UEFA. After the votes were counted there was no question about the result.

There were 43 votes in favor for the request, zero opposed, and only one that abstained. Now that the request has been affirmed, the Basque Football Federation will officially apply for international recognition from FIFA and UEFA which would allow them to compete in international competitions on the same level as others such as Spain.

There is a specific process that the Euskadiko Futbol Federakundea must follow. First, the EFF, led by President Luis María Elustondo, will notify the Spanish Federation of their desire and intent to participate in international competitions. The RFEF must then endorse the request for it to continue to FIFA and UEFA, which would be the next step towards being accepted and recognized on an international level. If Spain refuses, the EFF have stated that the issue could be disputed in international sports courts.

With others such as Scotland competing in international tournaments independently of England, there are many who would like to see the Basque Country do the same and Wednesday’s unanimous vote confirms that desire. If the request is accepted through every stage Euskal Selekzioa could one day be playing in international competitions such as the EUROs and the World Cup. The Basque Football Federation are now set for a difficult and lengthy process, but the most important thing right now is that the process has started. 12 December, 2018 could go down as one of the most important days in Basque football history.

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