The São Tomé and Príncipe national football team was founded in 1975. The team affiliated to the Confederation of African Football in the same year and to FIFA in 1986.
São Tomé’s history in international football is inconsistent. Periods of games have often been followed by years of inactivity. The team’s first set of matches was in the 1976 Central African Games. Their three games resulted in three defeats. Overall, São Tomé conceded eighteen goals and scored just one. After the tournament the team did not play again for eleven years.
The team’s next games ended in a loss and a first draw against Angola. It would be another nine years until the next match in 1999. A series of matches included a first win, against Equatorial Guinea, and another draw. São Tomé took another break between 2003 and 2011. During this eight year gap the team became unranked due to a lack of matches.
São Tomé first entered a world cup officially in the 2002 competition. The team had entered the 1994 tournament but withdrew. São Tomé did not qualify for either the 2002 or 2006 world cups. The team withdrew from the 2010 competition.
Ranked 172nd by FIFA, São Tomé and Príncipe will have to play regularly to keep their place.
World cup 2018
Fixtures to be announced.
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