With the end of the Euro 2008 festivities, soccer fans may be looking for a taste of international soccer to whet their appetite. Look no further than the VIVA World Cup. You may have some difficulty getting to the Arctic to attend the tournament, and the games probably won’t be on TV, but it’s hard to find a tournament with more international appeal.

The VIVA World Cup is the centerpiece of the New Federation Board, an organization that represents nations that are not recognized by the international community and are thus unaffiliated with FIFA, soccer’s governing body. The Federation’s main goal is to work with FIFA in the hopes that these stateless nations can someday compete in qualifiers for official events such as the World Cup and the European Championships.

This year’s tournament is the second attempt to bring together New Federation Board members in a celebration of cultural and national identity. Two years ago, visa problems and last minute pull-outs left only two teams to contest the title: Sapmi beat Monaco, 21-1, to capture The Nelson Mandela Trophy.

VIVA World Cup 2008 promises to be different. Set in Gallivare, Sweden, which is 60 miles north of the Arctic Circle, five teams are scheduled to participate: host Sapmi is joined by Provence, Padania, Kurdistan and Arameans Suryoye. And this time around, there’s even a women’s tournament featuring Sapmi and Kurdistan.

This year’s competition starts on July 7 with a game under the midnight sun. A large portion of Gallivare’s 8,500 population is made of the Sami people, indigenous inhabitants of northern Scandinavia and the Kola Peninsula of Russia. Morten Gamst Pedersen, who plays for Blackburn Rovers, is of Sami descent. He chose to represent Norway on the international stage.

The standard of soccer may not be highest during the weeklong tournament, but the main goal is to celebrate each nation’s existence. According to the New Federation Board website, “We have one wish, which is to show you the joy of those who thanks to football are going to be able to meet each other.”

Other member nations include Tibet, Northern Cyprus, Chechnya, Zanzibar, Greenland and Easter Island.

So bundle up for the VIVA World Cup and enjoy the Sami culture on display in Gallivare. And make sure to take along a few carrots for the official tournament mascot, the reindeer.