Assyriska Föreningen
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| Full name | Assyriska Fotbollsföreningen |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | AFF |
| Founded | 1974 |
| Ground | Södertälje Fotbollsarena, Södertälje |
| Capacity | 6,700 |
| Chairman | Aziz Jacob |
| Head coach | Erik Acar |
| League | Superettan |
| 2016 | Superettan, 14th |
Assyriska Fotbollsföreningen, also known simply as Assyriska FF, is a Swedish football club based in Södertälje, . The club, formed in 1974 by Assyrian immigrants, has advanced through the league system and is currently playing in the second highest Swedish league, Superettan. They played in the highest Swedish football league Allsvenskan in 2005 where their games were broadcast in over 80 countries. The club has also played a final in Svenska Cupen, which was lost against IF Elfsborg in 2003.
Assyriska is often viewed as a substitute national team by the Assyrian people.
The club has a fan base from all over the world and has also their own pop song which is called "My Assyrian team – the team of my dream". A documentary film about Assyriska called "Assyriska: A National Team Without A Nation" was also made in 2006 by Nuri Kino and Erik Sandberg. The success of the documentary film made it possible to win the Golden Palm Award at the Beverly Hills Film Festival.
Assyriska Föreningen in Södertälje was founded in 1971 by ethnic Assyrian refugees from Turkey who belonged to the Syriac Orthodox Church. Three years later, a football team was started and played its first season in the lowest league in 1975. They advanced through the divisions and reached the second highest league, Division 1 (today replaced by Superettan), in 1992, as the first immigrant team ever. The team was however relegated in 1993, and the next few years, the club played every second year in Division 1 before managing to stay there for more than one season in 1997.
In 2003 Assyriska made it to the final in Svenska Cupen, where they lost with 0–2 against IF Elfsborg. On the way to the final, they won against IFK Göteborg with 4–1 and Djurgårdens IF with 0–4.
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