NSLeft

The 2020 NSLeft Association Football Tournament, also known as NAFT 2020 or Pirotian 2020, is scheduled to be the inaugural edition of the NSLeft Football Tournament, the annual interregional men's association football championship contested by the national teams of the member associations of NAFF. It is scheduled to take place in The Pirotian Republic in May 2020.

The tournament will involve 16 teams, representing four different regions (The Communist Bloc, Democratic Socialist Assembly, The Internationale and The Leftist Assembly), out of the six members of NSLeft. The teams will be divided into four groups, with the winner and the runner-up of each group progressing to the quarter-finals.

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History

Following the push of the most consolidated football federations within its domain, on April 2020 NSLeft gave birth to its own football federation: NAFF. With the aim of starting the first football tournament in which the national representatives of the countries of the regions placed under the aegis of NSLeft could take part, NAFF created the NSLeft Association Football Tournament, trying to have the first edition run in May 2020.

Host nation
Being the only candidate, NAFF appointed The Pirotian Republic as the hosting nation of the first edition of the new tournament, meaning that they will not be able to host the next edition. With great enthusiasm, the Pirotians accepted the appointment and joined the collaboration of MLGDogeland for the logistics. Shortly after accepting, the head of the Pirotian Football Federation published a recruitment announcement in mid-April, sent to football federations from all over the NSLeft:

Then the host nation decided to launch a competition for the creation of the logo of the first, historic edition of the tournament. The team of designers formed by The People's Republic of Ayanka won, presenting an emblem that incorporated within itself the NSLeft logo and the flag of the Pirotian Republic: a yellow and green arrow pointing left that twists around itself to shape a soccer ball.

Venues
According to NAFF, the competition required a minimum of four stadia in order to be played. The only Pirotian stadium that satisfied NAFF's minimum capacity of 60,000 seats was the Vostok I Stadium, in Pirote City, counting 61,500 seats. In a record time of fourteen days, the Vostok I Stadium was renovated, the Gagarin Stadium in Gagarin and the Kudryavka Stadium were expanded and the Sputnik Arena in Chelsea was built from scratch, in order to guarantee adequate venues for the competition.

On April 28, the Pirotian Football Federation officially announced the four stadia where the 32 matches of the tournament will be played. They are located in four different cities: Pirote City, Chelsea, Gagarin and Laika. The Vostok I Stadium was selected to host both the inaugural match and the final.

In addition, the construction of the "Pirotian Football Village" was announced. The new district of Pirote City will host staff and players from the sixteen national teams, providing them with accommodation, restaurants and training camps.

Postponement
On May 4, 2020, three days after the start of the tournament, the Pitorian Football Federation had to publicly announce a two-weeks postponement of the subsequent matches.

The organizers have in fact encountered numerous difficulties with the management of the competition, spaces and schedules. The nation was also not ready for such a large influx of fans from all over the world and many of them had to sleep on the streets from the early days.

After just four matches played, in order to ensure a continuation appropriate to the media attention attracted by the tournament, it was therefore established that games will resume on May 17th.

On May 15th, the DSA Congress voted to withdraw from the NSLeft Solidarity Pact. Therefore, the Democratic Socialist Assembly will no longer be part of NSLeft from 18 May on. Despite this, NAFF appointed the DSA as its honorary member, since many of its founding members came from that region.

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Qualification

Between 17 and 27 April, fifteen football federations answered the recruitment announcement, adding to the Pirotian Republic, already qualified as the host. The most represented region is Democratic Socialist Assembly, with seven teams, followed by The Communist Bloc with four, The Internationale with three and The Leftist Assembly with only two.

Thanks to the number of answers, since there was no need for qualifying matches, the tournament was organized with a first round, or group stage, in which the sixteen teams were divided into four groups of four teams. Each group will be a round-robin of three games, where each team will play one match against each of the other teams in the same group. Teams will be awarded three points for a win, one point for a draw and none for a defeat. The teams coming first and second in each group will qualify for the quarter-finals.

List of qualified teams

Team	Region	NAFF code	Details
The Pirotian Republic	Democratic Socialist Assembly	PIR	Pirotian National Football Team
Asturies-Llion	The Leftist Assembly	ALL	Asturllionese National Football Team
Ayanka	The Internationale	AYK	Ayanka National Football Team
Curlingland	Democratic Socialist Assembly	CUR	Curlingland National Football Team
Democratic Republic of Cacusia	Democratic Socialist Assembly	DRC	Cacusian National Football Team
Global Earth	The Communist Bloc	GEA	Global Earthian National Football Team
Imperial Terra Australis	The Communist Bloc	ITA	Imperial Terra Australis Football Team
Islati Scyia	The Internationale	ISC	Islati Scyian National Football Team
Maoux	Democratic Socialist Assembly	FMF	Maouxian National Football Team
Mon Silanies	Democratic Socialist Assembly	SIL	Mon Silanies’ National Soccer Club
New Heeberjeeberia	The Communist Bloc	NHJ	The New Heeberjeeberia National Football Team
New Ordiel Kalibleland	The Internationale	NOK	National Football Team of New Ordiel Kalibeland
Talamia	Democratic Socialist Assembly	TAL	Talamia National Football Team
Thasse	The Leftist Assembly	TSS	Thassean National Football Team
Thasthra	Democratic Socialist Assembly	THA	Thasthra Football
Trabardia	The Communist Bloc	TRB	Trabardian National Football Team

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Groups

For many of the qualified national teams, this will be the first time they will play an official tournament. Being also the first edition of the NAFT, there is no ranking and consequently no seeds system. NAFF has decided that this tournament will kick off a NSLeft football ranking. For the first group stage, the teams were therefore randomly drawn. It had been predetermined that, as the host, The Pirotian Republic would be placed in Group A. On 28 April 2020 the draw was held in Pirote City, and the group assignments and order of matches were determined.

Ranking criteria
If teams will level on points, they will be ranked on the following criteria in order:

• Greatest total goal difference in the three group matches

• Greatest number of goals scored in the three group matches

• If teams will remain level after those criteria, a mini-group would be formed from those teams, who will be ranked on:

  • Most points earned in matches against other teams in the tie

  • Greatest goal difference in matches against other teams in the tie

  • Greatest number of goals scored in matches against other teams in the tie

• If teams will remain level after all these criteria, NAFF will hold a drawing of lots.

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Finals tournament

The finals tournament of the 2020 NSLeft Association Football Tournament will begin in mid-May 2020. The 16 teams were divided into four groups of four teams each, within which the teams will compete in a round-robin tournament to determine which two of those four teams will advance to the eight-team knock-out stage. In total, 32 games will be played.

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Results

Group stage
Main article: 2020 NAFT Group Stage

All times are Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-04:00).

In the following tables:

• Pld = total games played

• W = total games won

• D = total games drawn (tied)

• L = total games lost

• GF = total goals scored (goals for)

• GA = total goals conceded (goals against)

• GD = goal difference (GF−GA)

• Pts = total points accumulated

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	New Ordiel Kalibleland	3	2	1	0	6	4	+2	7
2	Global Earth	3	2	1	0	5	3	+2	7
3	The Pirotian Republic	3	1	0	2	4	5	-1	3
4	Thasthra	3	0	0	3	4	7	-3	0

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Group B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Imperial Terra Australis	3	2	1	0	7	2	+5	7
2	Thasse	3	1	2	0	5	4	+1	5
3	Islati Scyia	3	1	1	1	4	5	-1	4
4	Trabardia	3	0	0	3	1	6	-5	0

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Group C

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Ayanka	3	2	0	1	6	3	+3	6
2	Curlingland	3	2	0	1	5	3	+2	6
3	New Heeberjeeberia	3	2	0	1	5	5	0	6
4	Asturies-Llion	3	0	0	3	0	5	-5	0

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Group D

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts
1	Talamia	3	3	0	0	7	4	+3	9
2	Mon Silanies	3	1	1	1	6	5	+1	4
3	Maoux	3	1	1	1	6	6	0	4
4	Democratic Republic of Cacusia	3	0	0	3	3	7	-4	0

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Knockout stage

Quarter-finals	Semi-finals	Third place	Final
15 June 2020 – Kudryavka Stadium, Laika
New Ordiel Kalibleland 1−2 Thasse	July 2020
3 July 2020 – Gagarin Stadium, Gagarin	Thasse − Ayanka
Ayanka 1−0 Mon Silanies		July 2020	July 2020 – Vostok I Stadium, Pirote City
25 June 2020 – Sputnik Arena, Chelsea		TBA − TBA	TBA − TBA
Imperial Terra Australis 2−1 Global Earth	July 2020
18 June 2020 – Vostok I Stadium, Pirote City	Imperial Terra Australis − Talamia
Talamia (pen.) 1−1 (5-3) Curlingland

Quarter-finals

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Semi-finals

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Third place play-off

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Final

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Statistics

Goalscorers

4 goals

• Richard Dickson

• Nicholas Angström

3 goals

• Donald Henderson

2 goals

• Vladislav Pronin

• Oleg Smirnov

• Archer Blackmoor

• Hood Hood

• Korima

• Lily Barnes

• Keptor Brumolt

• Tone Stures

• Hollis Glas

• Ansem Egemon

• Peter Mitis

• Gaiden Neri

1 goal

• Anton Dragunov

• Vyacheslav Petrov

• Roman Zyomin

• Cillian Islay

• Liam Bell

• James Brown

• Josh McCollum

• Jordan Rogers

• Oliver Wood

• Andrew Yates

• Meunakso

• John Rutherford

• Chad Chadison

• Rube Goldburg

• Pisces Hominis

• Anthony Salimanca

• Vit Playid

• Thato Rafurtha

• Imeno Gomi

• Parin Gonse

• Corlo Olives

• Sami Redens

• Felix Adams

• Ronald Nellie

Awards

Top scorer	Best player	Best goalkeeper	Best young player
−	−	−	−

All-star team

Goalkeepers	Defenders	Midfielders	Forwards
−	−	−	−

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Media

The event sparked media attention from the day it was announced. Numerous nations sent their journalists and commentators to Pirote City. Part of the newly built Football Village district was completely dedicated to the media, counting numerous television studios and press rooms.

The broadcasting rights for the 2020 NSLeft Association Football Tournament were sold directly by NAFF.

Nation	Broadcaster	Staff
Curlingland	Curlingland Post	Amy Landsun (journalist)
Gacil	Gacilian News	Aira Mathieu (journalist) Thomas Sgoibe (journalist)
Global Earth	Global Earth Daily News	−
Mon Silanies	The Ball Is In	Carlo Kent (journalist)
New Ordiel Kalibleland	NOK News	Erik Karlsson (journalist)
The Pirotian Republic	Pirotian Broadcasting Centre (PBC)	Jim Glas (journalist) Tamil Kressant (journalist)
Talamia	Pro Diorux Sports	Auxe Aggelia (commentator) Gian Gianvilipendio (commentator)
Thasse	Thassean News Tonight	−

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Controversies

Mon Silanies' cheese
On May 2, 2020, just a day after the start of the tournament, the famous Talamian commentator Gian Gianvilipendio was intoxicated after eating a plate of Rybnyysyr. Rybnyysyr is the national dish of the Pirotian Republic and consists of a portion of fish covered with melted cheese. Subsequent investigations have shown that the cheese consumed by Gianvilipendio did not come from the Pirotian Republic but it was rather Mon Silanies' imported blue-cheese.

Mon Silanies cheese is renowned and exported all over the world, for its goodness and its particular flavor. However, it can easily cause anaphylactic shock.

Being the first match of the two nations involved in the accident against each other, there has been speculation about a possible culpable attempt at poisoning.

Following the accident, the Mon Silanies Food and Health Department issued an official note, forcing each vendor at the NSLeft Football Association Tournament to visibly label which foods contain Mon Silanies cheese and apologizing to Gianvilipendio, explaining the possible cause:

"[...] The (manufacturing) process includes introducing the penicillium bacteria to the dairy. Unlike most forms of blue cheese, the Mon Silanies' blue cheese is 70% penicillium. The high percentage has not been known to cause allergic reactions in the citizens of Mon Silanies. However, as proud cheese producers, the Mon Silans feed cheese to their children from birth.
If you have an intolerance to penicillium, do NOT consume Mon Silanies Blue Cheese.
For the safety of your costumers, Mon Silanies is asking all vendors selling their cheese at the NSLeft Football Tournamets to visibly label which foods contain Mon Silanies Cheeses. [...]"

The following day, the commentator thanked the government of Mon Silanies on live TV for giving him a basket of non-blue cheeses as a gift.

Quicky Jones' bad habit
After Imperial Terra Australis 3-1 Islati Scyia, ITA's goalkeeper Quicky Jones was elected Man of the Match. In an interview released immediately after the final whistle, Jones answered Gacilian journalist Thomas Sgoibe's question about how he played so well:

"[...] When I was growing up, I had to work at the fishery. There, we threw a lot of fish back and forth to move them around. Also lots of pot.[...] Weed, my dude. It helps me practice longer as it numbs the pain.[...] Weed is legal in my country."

His post-game statements could cost him dearly. NAFF is investigating the fact and will soon be carrying out anti-doping checks.

After hearing of the scandal, Jones further stated:

"I did not smoke weed on the field, nor before any of my games. I followed the rules of my nation and of the NAFT organization. Weed helps me relax. I get very sidetracked and weed just helps me focus on soccer. Weed is used among 43% of the population in ITA. Don't penalize me for basically having a drink every now and then."

Zvestnyy Pevets' betrayal
During goup A's last match, played on June 1, 2020, New Ordiel Kalibleland surprisingly beat the host nation 2-1. Thanks to this victory, the Pirotian Republic was eliminated from the same tournament it was hosting, in front of their own audience. The match was also attended by the famous Pirotian pop star Zvestnyy Pevets, who made much discussion after starting to cheer for New Ordiel Kalibleland, signing autographs for their coach during the same game and visiting the changing room of the Kalibleland players during the half time break. At the end of the match, the Prime Minister of New Ordiel Kalibleland conferred honorary citizenship to the singer, asking him to move to their capital, after the lynching suffered by the Pirotian audience.