SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE: SIFL History
A Brief History of the SIFL
Football began modestly in Shanghai with weekly indoor 'pick up' games organized by Armando Hurtado. Players from various countries met on Saturday afternoon to play for fun. In 1994, Bokke Veltkamp, Tom Bus, Jan Berges, Brian McCloskey, and Ian Jameson decided to organize monthly tournaments on a more competitive basis. The first tournaments were contested by teams from Holland, UK, Africa, Germany, Denmark and Russia. With the popularity of these tournaments growing and the number of competitors increasing, they decided to organize a league running over a whole season. So in 1995 the Shanghai International Football League was born. This was played as 9-a-side, on half fields with no offside. The first championship consisted of 8 teams.
In 1996/97 the committee introduced the SIFL Cup competition. In addition, the committee decided to have a Opening Tournament and a Closing tournament each season. At the end of each season, there was an awards dinner to present team trophies, Player of the Year, Top Goalscorer etc.
The 2000/2001 season was where the league made the biggest move forward, this was the year that we introduced 'real football', on a full size pitch, 11-a-side and offside!!! This was also the season when the SIFL League Cup was introduced, which is now known as the Hebiguchi Cup. The introduction of 11-a-side football has really improved the quality of the league, and this has been proven with our teams doing very well in International tournaments.
Below is a list of the people who have participated in 13 or more SIFL seasons:
John Jofre (Shooters)
Tom Bus (Oranje)
Peter Povorozniuc (United)
Sergie Popov (Vikings)
Team History Stats (2 Seasons or more in SIFL and in order of success)
Shanghai Shooters AFC
12 Seasons in SIFL
7 SIFL Premier League Championships
7 SIFL Cup
3 Hebiguchi Cup
4 SIFL Opening Tournament
2 SIFL Closing Tournament
8 International Tournament Wins
Shanghai Lions (Previously Qilin A)
9 Seasons in SIFL
4 SIFL Premier League Championships
2 SIFL Cup
1 Hebiguchi Cup
3 SIFL Opening Tournament
3 SIFL Closing Tournament
1 International Tournament Runners-Up
U-Team FC (Previously Yueting Joyspeed)
4 Seasons in SIFL
1 SIFL Premier League Championship*
1 SIFL Cup
2 Hebiguchi Cup
2 Opening Tournament
1 Closing Tournament
1 Hebiguchi 7s
Shanghai United FC (Previously Russians)
15 Seasons in SIFL
1 SIFL Premier League Championship
1 SIFL Cup
1 Hebiguchi Cup Runners-Up
1 Opening Tournament Runners-Up
2 Closing Tournament Runners-Up
1 International Tournament Win (combined with Japan)
Team X FC
2 Seasons in SIFL
1 SIFL Premier League Championship
1 SIFL Cup Runners-Up
1 Opening Tournament Runners-Up
1 Closing Tournament
Japan FC
15 Seasons in SIFL
3 SIFL Premier League Runners-Up
1 SIFL Cup Runners-Up
1 Hebiguchi Cup
1 Opening Tournament
3 Closing Tournament
3 International Tournament Win (1 combined with United)
Oranje FC
15 Seasons in SIFL
2 SIFL Premier League Runners-Up
1 SIFL Cup
1 Hebiguchi Cup Runners-Up
1 1st Division Championship
1 Opening Tournament
Azzurri FC (Previously Club Italia)
15 Seasons in SIFL
2 SIFL Premier League Runners-Up
1 SIFL Cup
1 Hebiguchi Cup Runners-Up
1 Opening Tournament
1 SIFL Plate
Krauts FC
15 Seasons in SIFL
1 SIFL Premier League Runners-Up
1 1st Division Championship
1 SIFL Cup Runners-Up
1 Opening Tournament
2 Closing Tournament Runners-Up
1 International Tournament
Voodoo FC (Previously Dragons)
8 Seasons in SIFL
1 1st Division Championship
1 Hebiguchi Cup
3 International Tournament Runners-Up
Vikings FC
15 Seasons in SIFL
1 Closing Tournament Winners
1 Opening Tournament Runners-Up
2 International Tournament Wins
Shanghai Puxi Lions FC (Previously Olympique Camembert, Les Bleus & Bulldogs)
12 Seasons in SIFL
1 1st Division Runners-Up
1 SIFL Cup Runners-Up
1 International Tournament Win
Latino's FC
3 Seasons in SIFL
1 1st Division Runners-Up
Shanghai Cosmos FC
2 Seasons in SIFL
1 1st Division Runners-Up
Voodoo Child FC
3 Seasons in SIFL
2 Closing Tournament Runners-Up
Corean International FC (Previously Korean Patriots FC)
5 Seasons in SIFL
1 Hebiguchi 7s Runners-Up
Anzacs FC
6 Seasons in SIFL
Shanghai ReUnited FC
5 Seasons in SIFL
The Eagles FC
4 Seasons in SIFL
Sauerkrauts 06 FC
4 Seasons in SIFL
New World FC
3 Seasons in SIFL
Hong Kong FC
2 Seasons in SIFL
Crazy Turks
2 Seasons in SIFL
Other teams that have played 1 season in the SIFL are: Santa Fei Devils FC; Fortuna FC; Geuzen FC; Reggae Boyz FC; FC Vlis; Shanghai Jackals FC, Qilin B, Shanghai 2000 FC, Long Tang AFC and Korean Red Devils FC.
Season 2009/2010 Winners
Season 2008/2009 Winners
Season 2007/2008 Winners
Season 2006/2007 Winners
Season 2005/2006 Winners
Season 2004/2005 Winners
Season 2003/2004 Winners
Season 2002/2003 Winners
