Welcome to Poafmersia! The Ministry of Business and Trade (MBT), through the Poafmersian Tourism Board (PTB), has published various guides to Poafmersia, giving visitors from around the multiverse some information about the Poafmersian culture, heritage, and a guide to the various states and major cities in Poafmersia. The guides are often never exhaustive, and depending on the group of visitors and their purposes, PTB often customise these guides to allow them to be more informed prior to the nation of Poafmersia. In conjunction with the Ministry of Arts, Sports and Culture (MASC), the PTB has published this version of the sports guide - for fans and visiting teams coming to Poafmersia for the 18th Independent Associations Championship (IAC).
All about PoafmersiaPoafmersia is a really huge country located in The North Pacific, with a size of 1.8 million square kilometers. Home to approximately 850 million residents, the country is well known for its really idealistic policies and governance system. Many Poafmers consider the nation to be at the forefront of "pioneering government policies", ranging from her environmental policies, her system of governance, as well as building a multicultural society. Even though the majority belong to the Jaffan race, Poafmersia is home to 27 ethnicities in total, according to government estimates. The true proportion of these ethnicities, however, is not official tracked, under the "Ethnic Protection Act" which forbids collection of data related to ethnicity.
TransportationMany visitors may find themselves unused to the transportation system in Poafmersia. The nation's emphasis on environmental protection has made public transport the main method of transport for Poafmers and visitors alike. While there are inter-city roads that are open for private vehicles, these vehicles are not allowed with many city limits, including Trimidau Island, City of Mancodas, City of Dalaris, Fiskadaha City, and Holhot, among other places. For small groups who require personalised transport, they would typically charter minibuses or electric taxis, which are readily available in big cities. Otherwise, the rail system or the public buses is the main method of travel.
Between cities, there are inter-city railways, as well as cross-state buses, that allow for travel from one side of the country to other. For smaller counties and townships, there are also shuttle train and bus services that serve these areas. Because such places may be out of the place and may not be as well connected, residents in these places may be more likely to own private vehicles. There are rules and regulations in place governing the ownership of these vehicles, as well as the type of vehicles.
For the 39 teams coming to Poafmersia, it would be possible to charter buses for the teams to travel from a city to another for matches. The alternative, however, would be to charter trains - and many major inter-city railways have express tracks for express services, that would allow for quicker travel alternatives. There are also 4 high-speed rail services that serve different parts of the country, namely the Mancodas-Fiskadaha Express (between Mancodas and Fiskadaha City); the Trimidau-Dalaris Rail (between City of Dalaris and Trimidau Island); the Holhot-Fiskadaha Line (between Fiskadaha City and Holhot, with selected stops at major cities such as Sarim, Jackinson and Paishi-jak); and the North-South Railway (starting at Madaris, stopping in the outer limits of Greater Mancodas, Fiskadaha City, before moving on to Georgetown, on the inner limits of the City of Dalaris).
CulturePoafmersia is very welcoming to foreign visitors who are exploring the country. The people's openness to visitors was something that couldn't be taken for granted a decade ago - when Poafmersia was largely isolationist. Sports has been a major avenue where Poafmers have gained exposure to foreign nations, especially in football, which is the most popular and successful sport in Poafmersia. Other major sports include basketball, hockey (both field and ice hockey), badminton and aquatics, though the skill level of the sportsmen largely varies.
In Poafmersia, racial and gender stereotypes are frowned upon. In many sports, men and women co-exist in national leagues, and gender neutral terms are largely preferred. As such, conversations that crosses the racial and gender lines will probably get you into trouble, so visitors should be careful of that. Care for the environment is something that is extremely unique in Poafmersia. Visitors in hotel rooms would be expected to sort out their waste between recyclables and non-recyclables. At restaurants and dining places, food wastes are chargeable, and diners are reminded to request for smaller portions if necessary. The country has largely eliminated use of plastic cups, cutlery and bags. At shopping malls, people bring recyclable bags or buy paper bags; at drink stalls, people bring their own bottles and tumblers. Visitors to Poafmersia are also expected to abide by these environmentally-friendly guidelines, and there are reminder announcements played at major ports of entry.
Stadium locations in PoafmersiaPoafmersia is split into 10 main states. For this competition, 18 stadiums across all 10 states will be used in various stages of the competition.
BikastaLocated at the north-west of the country, Bikasta is the second smallest state in the country, after Dalaris. The state is home to the second busiest port in Poafmersia, after Georgetown, located in Jottim. Jottim, however, will not host any matches in this tournament. This state will have 1 stadium, namely Stadia Cochin in Cochin.
Stadia Cochin, Cochin (capacity 49,000) Located in Cochin, the second largest city in the state, Stadia Cochin is home to Cochin FC, a mid-tier club who has been moving between the Apex and the Supreme League. The stadium is one of the few stadiums in the country with an artificial turf (the other being Dreamers Park).
Matches:Stage 1 - First listed Group A matches
Stage 3 - Lower Bracket QF (Match involving winner of Pool 2 RU/Pool 3 RU)
Ramadau TrishLocated at the west of the country, Ramadau Trish is considered to be the agricultural centre of the country. Many of the residents in the state are farmers, working for a number of local agriculture farms. For people interested in taking a tour of animal farms, this is the go-to state, as many of these farms also provide experiential tours to showcase the entire farming process.
Theatre of Light, Kistina (capacity 59,000) Home of Kistina Galaxy, one of the big clubs in the Apex, the 59,000 seater stadium is one of the best in the country. A retractable roof is just one of the many technological advancements in the stadium. The stadium could be converted for use by track and field events in just under 8 hours, and it comes with automatic temperature adjustors that can change the internal temperature in under 30 minutes.
Matches:Stage 1 - Second listed Group A matches
Stage 3 - Upper Bracket SF (Pool 1 Winner vs Pool 4 Winner)
HitimatiasA relatively underdeveloped state in the southwest of the country, Hitimatias is a state that is rapidly developing to be one of the country's technology hubs. There aren't many developments and big cities just yet, but Jacquilton, the capital of the state, is being rapidly expanded. The upcoming Yanderian Startup Hub, located in a 30 minutes ride from the capital city, will feature Poafmersia's 2nd technology-based university, Yanderian Technological College, as well as host various tech startups in the country.
Red Mudra Lane, Mudra (capacity 58,000) Mudra isn't the capital of Hitimatias, but it is the largest city by population size in the state. The home club, Sochra Mudra FC, is a club that often straggle between the top 2 divisions, but the club remains popular in a state which typically does not have many top football clubs.
Matches:Stage 1 - First listed Group F matches
Stage 2 - First listed Pool 2 (A2, B1, C2, D1) matches
ForcheForche is home to an aerospace hub, known to many as the Planar Aerospace Park. Though parts of the Park straddle the Forche-Tikahs border, it is considered to be the main economic zone of Forche. The Planar Park Airport, while not considered a major airport in Poafmersia, is where the aircraft often comes for main repairs, as it contains lots of hangars for the main local airlines - Phoenix Airlines, and Air Poafmersia.
Stadiun of Legends, Didari (capacity 34,000) Forche is also one of the smaller states in terms of the football scene. The stadium hosts Didari City, yet another one of those clubs who are at the top of the Supreme League, and occasionally slip into the Apex.
Matches:Stage 2 - Second listed Pool 4 (F1, E2, H1, G2) matches
DalarisDalaris may be the smallest state per land size, but it is one of the most well developed states in the country, and is a main driver of Poafmersian economy. Georgetown, located on the Dalaris island, used to be a commercial port, but operations have largely moved across the bridge to Bigsorth. Georgetown is a heritage site, as recognised by the MASC, and there are lots of heritage buildings which represents an important part of Poafmersian history. For visitors interested in heritage tours, a visit to Dalaris is something which should not be missed.
Dalaris State Stadium, City of Dalaris (capacity 46,500) The main stadium in Dalaris, it is home to Dalaris City, one of the biggest clubs in Poafmersia. 10 years ago, it would be absolutely unbelivable that Dalaris City was going to be one of the finest clubs in Poafmersia. But the club's rise has largely been due to their investments in a bigger stadium, better training facilities, and integrating younger players into their squad. In fact, 3 consecutive years of domination at the top is what prompted many clubs to change their strategies towards football, and changed the face of the then PFFA Premier League, now the Apex. Dalaris State Stadium will be one of the main stadiums in the hosting of the IAC.
Matches:Stage 1 - Second listed Group E matches
Stage 2 - First listed Pool 1 (A1, B2, C1, D2) matches
Sporting Dalaris Stadium, City of Dalaris (capacity 37,120) This used to be the main stadium in Dalaris, sharing between Dalaris City and Dalaris Sports FC. Both used to be semi-professional clubs, aiming to dominate the Dalaris State League, a very small football league in Poafmersia. As their bigger city rivals moved out, Dalaris Sports FC took complete ownership of the stadium. The rivalry between both clubs is often seen as a battle of thoughts. Dalaris Sports FC advocates the haggling of the ball, aggressive gameplay, as well as defence-first tactics. Dalaris City, prefers a more balanced approach, utilising possession to build momentum and create fast flowing attacks.
Matches:Stage 1 - First listed Group E matches
Stage 2 - Second listed Pool 1 (A1, B2, C1, D2) matches
PisknPiskn is the other tourism hub, considered the big brother of Dalaris. Piskn has lots of tourist hotspots, like beaches, museums. Trimidau Island is not the usual resort island, but there are lots of fascinating beaches that makes it the big brother of Dalaris. Fast crafts betwen Trimidau and Dalaris happen close to every hourly. There is also the underwater rail between Kingsford, the biggest city on mainland Piskn by population, and Rukiya, the capital of the Trimidau Island. Kingsford and Trimidau Island will have 3 stadiums for the duration of this tournament.
Naksa Stadium, Naksa, Trimidau Island (capacity 41,000) Trimidau Naksa is the smaller club on the island. Naksa, is the more culturally vibrant side of Trimidau, being on the eastern most point of the island. Facing the East Poafmersian Sea, the beaches are the cleanest on the country, and a grand total of 6 beach resorts exist on the outskirts of the city. Many tourists come to Naksa to enjoy water activities, including Snuba Diving, and Water Surfing.
Matches:Stage 1 - First listed Group C matches
Stage 3 - Upper Bracket SF (Pool 2 Winner vs Pool 3 Winner)
Rukiya Sports Stadium, Trimidau Island (capacity 37,000) Rukiya is the more developed part of the island, and is home to some clean factories that accounts for a huge part of the island's economic contributions. However, Rukiya is a must-go for its hawker culture, which is the setting up of food stalls by the road side. The intermingling of tall buildings, together with the kampung-like hawker culture, is what makes Rukiya absolutely interesting. Rukiya Sports Stadium, part of the Rukiya Sports Hub, is the home stadium of Trimidau Rukiya.
Matches:Stage 1 - Second listed Group C matches
Stage 2 - First listed Pool 4 (F1, E2, H1, G2) matches
GikashGikash is a smaller city, with 2 huge industrial estates being part of the state. Located on the southern side of Poafmersia, Gikash is largely home to the manufacturing industry in Poafmersia.
Matty Horis Stadium, Dury (capacity 52,000) Dury FC's heritage lies in the mining community - a group of miners playing football as a community sport during off days. Of course, with Poafmersia no longer home to mines after the last mine was closed, the football club has evolved to what it is today. Fun fact: "Dury" comes from the word "mondury", meaning miners in Pomish. The town, one of the last surviving towns of the mining era, was named Dury, and the local football club took the name of the city. The stadium is named after Matty Horis, the owner who transformed the club to its professional status, and took money out of his personal pocket to build the first stadium for Dury FC when after they first played in the Champions Cup. Matty Horis remains as an Emeritus Director on the club's board.
Matches:Stage 1 - First listed Group B matches
Stage 3 - Lower Bracket Round 1 (Pool 1 RU vs Pool 4 RU)
CochasCochas is home to Mancodas, home to the headquarters of many companies, and also the biggest population center in Poafmersia. There are lots of corporate headquarters and branches in Poafmersia. While the official financial hub is Fiskadaha City, there are other companies who have chose to set up their headquarters and offices here in Mancodas. Mancodas is also home the University of Mancodas, the biggest university in Poafmersia (but may be less popular than the Fiskadaha School of Liberal Arts or the Maximus Rochester Institute for Science and Technological Research), featuring faculties in various areas.
United Park, Greater Mancodas (cap. 61,000) United Park is located around 35 minutes ride from Camp of Power by bus, but there is no direct bus from that part of the city to this part of the outer limits. United Park is home to FC United of Mancodas, the third club in the Mancodas subregion. FC United is unique in that the ownership lies in the fan club, and the fan representatives make decisions on hiring personnel to the various positions, as well as the sacking of the manager.
Matches:Stage 1 - Second listed Group F matches
Stage 2 - First listed Pool 3 (E1, F2, G1, H2) matches
Mancodas Complex, Greater Mancodas (cap. 60,000) Mancodas Complex is part of the Mancodas Sports Complex, the biggest sports complex in Poafmersia. Featuring 6 indoor sports halls, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, the Mancodas Basin (which allows for open water activites), Mancodas training ground (typically used for gridiron and rugby), as well as other indoor facilities such as a cycling track. Mancodas Complex is wel connected to the city center of Mancodas, and is home to Mancodas Athletic FC, the oldest football club in Cochas.
Matches:Stage 1 - First listed Group G matches
Stage 2 - Second listed Pool 3 (E1, F2, G1, H2) matches
Camp of Power, City of Mancodas (cap. 61,000) Located in the heart of Mancodas, it is the closest to the Mancodas Airport. It is one of the stadiums with the best facilities, featuring a retractable roof and the ability to change the field format for various sports. It is home to Mancodas City, one of the top clubs in the Apex.
Matches:Stage 1 - Second listed Group G matches
Stage 2 - Second listed Pool 2 (A2, B1, C2, D1) matches
Nitrishi-paiIf Hitimatias is the new technological center of Poafmersia, Nitrishi-pai must be the original one. Home of many research laboratories, development hubs, as well as headquarters of the Poafmersian Defence Forces (PDF), Nitrishi-pai is a sprawling state located on the eastern side of the country. It is home to Maximus Rochester Institute for Science and Technological Research, the premier institute for Science and Technology studies, and produces the most Doctor of Philosophy graduates yearly. It is widely considered to be the top university in Science courses.
Bikarish Stadium, Bikarish (capacity 48,000) Bikarish is a smaller town in Poafmersia, but has the biggest stadium in all of Nitrishi-pai. Home to Bikarish FC, an elite club playing in the Apex.
Matches:Stage 1 - Second listed Group B matches
Stage 3 - Lower Bracket Round 1 (Pool 2 RU vs Pool 3 RU)
Davarsi Bria, Holhot (capacity 36,500) (Stadium Image)The stadium is home to Holhot City, a mid-tier club that has stayed in Apex for the past few years. The atmosphere here (as well as the Holtin Kash Stadium) is really strong, with Holters (name of Holhot residents) really proud of their local teams and also supportive of football games.
Matches:Stage 1 - First listed Group H matches
Holtin Kash Stadium, Holhot (capacity 37,250) (Stadium Image)Like Davarsi Bria, Holtin Kash Stadium is located in Holhot. Holhot City and Holhot United was formed by a split in the original club, Holhot FC, and this stadium was built much later then the Davarsi Bria. In recent years, both clubs have seem to have repaired their relationship. While both clubs have some form of rivalry, they have came together to cooperate on some matters, including a combined academy (Holhot Academy), looking at shifting the center of power from their northern neighbours (Bikarish) back to the capital of the state.
Matches:Stage 1 - Second listed Group H matches
Stage 3 - Lower Bracket SF
TikahsTikahs, the center of Poafmersia, home to Fiskadaha City, the capital of Poafmersia, is also the main financial hub of Poafmersia. The most developed state in Poafmersia. Home of many developments, many financial headquarters, and offices. Tourists would mainly want to come to Tikahs for the amusement parks, the casinos. Businessman would come for Tikahs' numerous conventions, the various business meetings. It is also the main entry point into Poafmersia (through the Fiskadaha International Airport).
Potato Villa, Sarim (capacity 56,000) One of the major cities in Poafmersia, Sarim is home to various gambling dens. The Potato Villa, however, symbolises a connection to Poafmersia's roots, as an agricultural nation, and the original name "PotatoFarmers".
Matches:Stage 1 - Second listed Group D matches
Stage 3 - Lower Bracket QF (Match involving winner of Pool 1 RU/Pool 4 RU)
Dreamers Park, Fiskadaha City (capacity 60,000) Home to the capital's only football club, Fiskadaha FC, Dreamers Park is one of Poafmersia's only artificial fields. The use of an artifical field back then, was a first in Poafmersia, and teams used to find the Dreamers Park a difficult place to navigate due to the lack of natural grass. Nowadays, the Poafmersian National Team use this as their main training ground, an alternate to Libira, and also a place for teams to practice playing on artificial grass.
Matches:Stage 1 - First listed Group D matches
Stage 3 - Lower Bracket Finals
Stage 3 - Upper Bracket Finals
Libira National Stadium, Fiskadaha City (capacity 68,000) Located in the heart of Fiskadaha City, it is the home stadium of the Poafmersian National Team, and hosts the PFFA Cup finals yearly. The Libira National Stadium is a multi-use stadium which could be used to host other events, and is one of the first stadiums to have the multi-use feature with regards to the field. It will a very specific role in this tournament, hosting the Grand Finals of the tournament.
Matches:Stage 3 - Grand Finals