This is the only UN-recognised country without a national football team

The efforts to get Marshall Islands FIFA recognition has a bigger motive behind it, which is to use the platform to create awareness about climate change. (Representational Photo)

The United Nations comprises a total of 193 countries from around the world. Several prominent nations in the list such as Brazil, Argentina and France have established themselves as footballing powerhouses with a whole host of prominent players emerging and ruling the world.

However, there is one country in the list recognised by the United Nations which does not still have a football team but is now beginning to take strides towards building one.

The Marshall Islands, an island country located near the Equator of the Pacific Ocean, is starting to witness considerable amount of effort to help gain FIFA recognition, led by businessman Shem Livai.

The first step towards gaining that recognition was taken in 2020, when he formed the Marshall Islands Soccer Federation and later went on to take few other significant measures such as appointing a technical director named Lloyd Owers in December 2022, a head of marketing and a press director.

"I saw there were no facilities, no leagues and looking at the kids and how much they loved the sport, I knew I had to do something about it," Livai told ESPN.

The efforts to get Marshall Islands FIFA recognition has a bigger motive behind it, which is to use the platform to create awareness about climate change. As per current estimations, 40% of "Majuro"- a section of the world already suffering due to nuclear weapon testing- will be underwater by 2030.

"Climate change is a daily thing here in the Marshall Islands.  We see it daily, and if we get visitors and fans of our football team here, too, they can see what's going on," Livai said.

"The ocean is encroaching on our backyards and eroding our land. Trees are falling into the ocean because of the rising levels. Hopefully when we're playing football, people will realise in the small islands that climate change is happening as close to home as in our own backyards," Livai added.

The Marshall Islands have a total population of 60,000 and are placed halfway between Hawai'i and Australia. During the Second World War, it was the epicentre of the battle for the Pacific with the islands under Japanese rule from the early 20th century until the U.S. took control of it in 1944. The U.S. used the islands as the Pacific Proving Grounds for nuclear weapon testing between 1946 and 1958. The islands have been part of the United Nations list of countries since 1991.