In a wide pool of European opposition, it is perhaps unusual, especially in the early rounds that a repeat fixture appears. That said, more than 30 years has elapsed since Well last went toe to toe with Havnar, meaning harbour. Harbour Football Club, when translated, sounds like something you’d expect in Australia or New Zealand. Club names in the Faroes aren’t exactly exotic, they all carry the settlement’s name, and in some cases the year of foundation, like HB’s capital rivals B36.
The entire accessibility of getting around the Faroe Islands has dramatically changed in the last couple of years, with undersea tunnels now connecting Torshavn, the capital, with every island that has a club, except one, but the tunnel to the most southerly isle in the archipelago is ongoing, and soon the two hour ferry to Suduroy will become a thing of the past!
Those who ventured to the Faroe islands more recently in 2007 to watch Scotland in Toftir, either were on the specially commissioned ferry across the bay, or taking a bus on the 1 hour plus route, complete with a bridge over the Atlantic to a village that looks across the water towards the capital. That journey is now no more than 10 minutes, and not only has it erased the travel for fans, it has opened up the larger population of the capital to the potential for historically “rural” clubs dipping into the Torshavn pool of players and endeavouring to lure them under the sea and not so far away!
I am sure those who have half an eye on European football will know that the Faroese national team went into the last match of WC qualifying for the most recent edition, travelling to Croatia with a chance of progression, something that would have been up there with fantastic Cape Verde. The Faroese actually led in that game too, only to concede three and the dream was over. However, the fact they came so close, was a moment to behold, and encourage. It also adds weight against the notion that UEFA want to sideline the smaller nations away from the big boys in International qualification. This will be a sad twist in the journey for football. Every land has the right to improve, and even San Marino are showing signs that they can kick on too.
In European club football, one name might stand out amongst all the others from the Faroes, KI (pronounced, cowie) from Klaksvik, the second town of the islands. They took Faroese club football into group stage matches for the first time in 2023. In Champions League qualifying they beat Hungary’s Ferencvaros 3-0 on aggregate, with all the goals coming in the away leg! They then accounted for Swedes BK Hacken 4-3 on penalties after a 3-3 aggregate score. Molde from Norway required extra-time to see them off 3-2 in the third round, but KI went into the play-off round of the Europa League knowing group football in this competition or the Conference League was guaranteed. Sherif Tiraspol would win 3-2 on aggregate, resulting in Conference group action. This was the last occasion of traditional group games before these “super” tables with everyone playing 6 different clubs commenced. A draw 0-0 at home with Lille was impressive as was beating Olimpia Ljubljana. Four points was obviously not enough to progress but glass ceilings had been broken, and KI had pushed the club game in the Faroes into the realm of being taken more seriously.
Vikingur from Nordgota, (previously known as GI (pronounced gay-eye) Gota and played Raith and Rangers in Europe in the ’90’s) together with B36 Torshavn, they have progressed more than a couple of rounds in the quest to have a lengthy European campaign too. Vikingur were the first club to reach Round Three a number of years ago, with KI and B36 following. HB however, as perennial as they might be in Europe, have never really set the heather on fire. Domestically they might always be strong, although not this season, but in Europe, they rarely get by their first opponent, and I am sure every Motherwell fan is hoping that continues.
Could it be that the new tunnel system is helping the likes of NSI (pronounced NS-ooo-E), get amongst the leaders and sustain the challenge? It would need something like that, as those not regularly, or indeed, ever privy to an outing in Europe will be in the hands of a successful local businessman, and the community collectives, which are strong throughout the Faroes, to help keep them competitive. Since entry into European club competitions in the early ‘90’s, it is noticeable that the regular gang who need their passports, while maybe only participating in rounds 1 or 2 of competitions, get incentive enough from the UEFA cash to lure the best on the islands to play for them. This has created a split in the ten team top tier, with a five and five split largely. Whether one of the lower five can break the mould remains to be seen. This season, for the first time in many a year, the competition is more even, and even KI are not getting things their own way. Indeed, only the niche Faroese fan like me would have been startled to read the score a few weeks ago, KI 0-1 07 Vestor (pronounced noy-sh Vestur). The club from the airport island of Vagar are the classic yo-yo club, but they have the ability, as this result demonstrates, to be a nuisance if the bigger club isn’t 100% at it. However, in order for the lesser lights to shine, they need to be consistently taking points off the bigger clubs, and that’s where it all falls down.
Havnar or HB (pronounced Ha-bay) will have many more matches under their belt as they step onto the grass at Fir Park tonight. Grass though is an alien surface in the Faroes, only Royn in the third tier from Hvalba on Suduroy have such a pitch. Hvalba is a sleepy northern hamlet on the island, but once the connecting tunnel from the mainland, across Sandoy is complete, it will be the entry point for all traffic onto Suduroy. Three clubs are situated here, all three struggling with recruitment due to the isolation presently, but in their midst is TB (pronounced tay-bey) from the island capital of Tvoroyri. They are the oldest club on the Faroe Islands, seven time title winners too, but never since UEFA monies came along. Indeed, they have never even got close to qualifying for Europe, and this term are fighting relegation to the third tier, which would be unthinkable. The sooner that tunnel arrives the better, then Faroese football will totally be on a level playing field, and might the dynamics start to drift away from the Torshavn hub? Only time will tell.
Enjoy the game.
Jim is a regular writer for Football Weekends magazine, particularly about Italian football. His work is available on his blog site; Footballwithjames.co.uk
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