SEYCHELLES

Year of formation: 1979 Affiliation FIFA: 1986 Affiliation CAF: 1986 National Stadium: Stade Popiler, Victoria (7000) National Colours: Red - Blue/Blue - Red/White

The Seychelles competed in the Cosafa Castle Cup for the first time last year when they played in the mini tournament in Mauritius in February, but were beaten 3-0 by South Africa on a pond-like pitch in Curepipe. The island nation, who were granted membership of Cosafa in 1999, had been excluded from previous editions of the competition because of their failure to send a team to all of Cosafa’s youth tournaments, which is prerequisite for participation in the Cosafa Castle Cup. But in recent years, they have fulfilled that obligation and now pit their talent against the region’s best. The Seychelles is the smallest country in Africa but have made fine strides at full international level, winning two of their matches in the 2004 African Nations Cup qualifying group, when they beat both Zimbabwe and Eritrea at home. In 2001, the country also hosted the African under-17 championships.

RECORD