The Latvian Football Federation is the governing body for football in Latvia. The country has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup, but did qualify for the European Championship in 2004.
Latvia's current home ground is the Daugava Stadium in Riga, although since the autumn of 2022 most games have been held at Skonto Stadium.
The Latvian national football team ( NICKNAME 11 vilki) 11 Wolves played their first official match on September 24, 1922, against Estonia, resulting in a 1–1 draw. In 1920, the Latvian Football Union was established, which led to the formation of the national team. Latvia participated in the 1924 Olympics, but lost their only match 0–7 to France. The team's first victory came on 18 October 1924, against Estonia, winning 2–0.
The 1930s marked a period of growth for the Latvian national team, particularly between 1936 and 1938 under Austrian coach Rudolf Stanzl. Latvia frequently played friendly matches against teams such as Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Estonia, Finland, Sweden and Poland. Latvia participated in the1938 World Cup Qualification. However, they lost 1–2 in a decisive away match against Austria in qualifying. In April 1938, Austria's Anschluss rendered their team ineligible to participate in the FIFA World Cup. Despite Latvia being the group's runner-up, FIFA did not invite them to replace Austria.
Latvia played 99 official matches during the pre-war period from 1922 to 1940 and won the Baltic Cup, 12 times. The outbreak of World War II, initially limited and eventually halted the team's activities entirely. During the German and Soviet occupations, the Latvian national team ceased to exist in its form during Latvia's independence
Latvian SSR National Team During the Soviet Era (1940–1991) had its growth in football was prevented when annexed and occupied by the Soviet Union!! During the Soviet Occupation, the Latvian SSR national football team continued to compete in the Baltic Cup, a tournament first held in 1928, until 1976.
The Early Years of the Restored Latvian National Team (1992–1997) The country regained independence, in 1991, and before in 1990, the Latvian Football Federation (LFF) was re-established, and Latvia rejoined FIFA shortly after. However, the Latvian national football team had to be built from scratch. In December 1991, during an LFF executive committee meeting, Jānis Gilis was appointed as the first head coach of the restored national team. It was decided that the position of national team head coach was of such importance that it should not be combined with any club coaching roles. Gilis committed to focusing entirely on the national team.
Following his appointment, Gilis emphasized the challenge of assembling a team from scratch, meeting with potential players, and ensuring that those selected prioritized national pride above all else. The experimental team fielded in the autumn of 1991 was put together hastily, even lacking proper kits initially. Offers from international suppliers soon resolved this issue'.
Latvia's first victory came on July 10, 1992, with a 2–1 win over Estonia. Later that summer, Latvia began its campaign in the 1994 World Cup tournament. The team achieved historic draws against Spain (0–0) and Denmark (0–0) but suffered heavy defeats to Spain (0–5) and Ireland (0–4). With five draws and five points, Latvia finished 6th out of 7 teams in their group.
In the qualification campaign for the 1996 Uefa Tournament, Latvia demonstrated increasing competitiveness, securing wins against Austria and N.Ireland. The most memorable match of the campaign was a 2–3 loss to Portugal in Porto, where Latvia rallied from a 0–3 halftime deficit of two goals. For the 1998 FIFA World Cup, Latvia faced tough competition, narrowly losing to Austria, Scotland, and Sweden. However, the team secured victories against Belarus and Estonia.
The 100th Game of the Restored Latvian National Team: On April 8, 1992, after an earlier 52-year hiatus, the restored Latvian national football team played its first match in Bucharest, losing 0–2 to Romania. This marked Latvia's 100th match in its football history, with 10,000 spectators in attendance. The players experienced unfamiliar conditions, as accommodations, catering, and training facilities were of the highest standard!!! Romania fielded an almost full-strength team, with the only notable absence being Gheorghe Hagi, not permitted to play by his club Real Madrid. Tickets for the match were priced at 150 lei, approximately $2.50. This game provided Latvia with an opportunity to showcase its potential on the international stage, serving as a catalyst for growth. However, progress was hampered by a lack of professionalism in some teams and a casual attitude toward training among certain players. BUT NOW FOR TODAY'S Group K Match 2 of 10 at WEMBLEY.......
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