Oceania

With a population of just over 17,000, Cook Islands are the smallest member association in FIFA, but that hasn’t stopped the South Pacific nation of dreaming big. Cook Islands men’s team spent seven years in the football wilderness before returning to the international scene in March 2022. Limited games have …

The Power of Football to bring a community together was evident at the five-aside football competition held as part of the Rainbow Games at Trusts Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on Sunday afternoon. Six teams battled it out for the title at the tournament for LGBTQI+ players with the A.S.S.E.S …

Three Oceania Football Confederation match officials have been appointed to officiate at the 2024 Paris Olympic Football Tournaments. New Zealander Campbell-Kirk Kawana-Waugh has been announced as one of the referees for Paris, while his compatriot Isaac Trevis and Solomon Islands Bernard Mutukera will be assistant referees. The FIFA Referees Committee …

American Samoa footballer Jaiyah Saelua has been a trailblazer for inclusivity in football. The first openly non-binary and trans woman to compete in a Football World Cup qualifier, is in Auckland, New Zealand this week as an ambassador for the Rainbow Games. Rainbow Games | Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland NZ 2024 …

Football in Vanuatu has enjoyed several milestone achievements, both on and off the field, in recent years and participation in the very first FIFA Series in March is the latest step forward for the beautiful game in the Pacific island nation. FIFA’s new initiative allows member associations more regular opportunity …

Tonga’s first professional player, Ata Inia, is already making his impact felt on the game of football despite not having set foot on the field for his country. At the end of 2020, Inia, committed his allegiance to Tonga despite representing his birth country, Australia, at U-18 level. Over three …

Tahiti will next week host the 13th edition of the Festival des îles and FIFA is proud to enable the Polynesian football family to come together with the support of the FIFA Forward programme. Since 2016 and the introduction of FIFA Forward, the Tahitian Football Association (FTF) has used part …

Former Tongan international Mausia Patolo has become the first woman in OFC outside of New Zealand to achieve the OFC Goalkeeping C Licence. After being given a chance in 2022 through OFC/New Zealand Football to complete the C Licence course, Patolo officially qualified in February this year. It means Tonga …

The second edition of the OFC Women’s Champions League concluded on Saturday, with a tightly-contested final in Honiara. New Zealand champions Auckland United secured a maiden title with a 1-0 victory over Papua New Guinea’s Hekari United, bringing down the curtain on another outstanding fortnight of women’s football in the …

Auckland United have made history by winning their first ever OFC Women’s Champions League, following a narrow 1-0 victory over Hekari United in the final in Honiara. Bree Johnson’s strike after 25 minutes was the difference maker, as the New Zealand side held on to ensure they return home with …