Football in Vanuatu

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Football in Vanuatu
CountryVanuatu
National team(s) men's national team
International competitions

The sport of football in the country of Vanuatu is run by the Vanuatu Football Federation established in 1934. [1] [2] The association administers the national football team as well as the Vanuatu Premia Divisen.

Contents

Football is the most popular sport in Vanuatu. The VFF organizes domestic competitions such as the Port Vila Premier League, which serves as the top football league in the country. Internationally, Vanuatu's national teams have achieved recognition, particularly in regional competitions like the OFC Nations Cup and the Pacific Games. [3]

The Vanuatu men's national team, formerly known as the New Hebrides national team, has experienced notable success in the Oceania region. The team has often finished in the top four of the OFC Nations Cup and secured an impressive 4-2 win against New Zealand in 2004, preventing New Zealand from advancing to the FIFA World Cup qualifiers. [3]

Seasons in Vanuatuan football

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanuatu national football team</span> National association football team representing Vanuatu

The Vanuatu men's national football team represents Vanuatu in men's international football competitions. The team is governed by the Vanuatu Football Federation, which is currently a member of FIFA and the Oceania Football Confederation.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vanuatu Football Federation</span> National football association of Vanuatu

The Vanuatu Football Federation (VFF) is the main governing body of all football in Vanuatu. It is an association of Vanuatu football clubs, and it organises national competitions and international matches for the Vanuatu National Football Team. The men's national team is ranked 165th in the FIFA World Rankings (Men). The men's national team was invited to compete in The Hero Intercontinental Cup 2023 and competes in major tournaments like FIFA World Cup Qualifiers (Oceania) and OFC Nations Cup.

The Solomon Islands women's national football team represents Solomon Islands in international women's association football. The team is controlled by the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) and is affiliated to the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC). Their current head coach is the former footballer Timothy Inifiri.

The Vanuatu women's national football team represents Vanuatu in international women's association football. The team is controlled by the Vanuatu Football Federation (VFF). Vanuatu's home field is the Port Vila Municipal Stadium, located in the country's capital, Port Vila. The team is managed by Job Alwin.

Moise Poida is a Vanuatuan football manager and former player. He manages the Vanuatu men's national team and has been a former manager of club side Tafea. Poida has also managed the Vanuatu men's under-20 national team and Vanuatu men's under-23 national team. As a player, Poida made 21 appearances for the national team and scored three goals as a winger and midfielder. At club level, he played for Tafea F.C. for his entire career. In 2008 Poida played for an Oceanian representative side against a team that included members of France's 1998 FIFA World Cup winning team. The game included players such as Zinedine Zidane, Christian Karembeu and Robert Pires.

Sports in Vanuatu are played throughout the country.

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Sport in Oceania varies from country to country. The most popular playing sport for men in Australia is Australian rules football, while for women is netball. Australian rules football is the most popular sport in terms of spectatorship and television ratings. Rugby union is the most popular sport among New Zealanders, while in Papua New Guinea rugby league is the most popular. Cricket is another popular sport throughout the Oceania region.

Bertrand Patrice Charles Kaï is a New Caledonian international footballer who plays as a forward for Hienghène Sport and the New Caledonia national team. He is one of only two New Caledonians to be named Oceania Footballer of the Year.

The New Zealand men's national football team has competed in all eleven editions of the OFC Men's Nations Cup, and have won six times, the most recent coming in the 2024 tournament.

Bong Kalo is a Ni-Vanuatu footballer who plays as a midfielder for Port Vila Premier League club, ABM Galaxy, and the Vanuatu national football team.

Jason Thomas is a Vanuatuan footballer who plays as a defender for Hekari United and the Vanuatu national team. He made his debut for the national team in November 2015 in their 1–1 draw with Fiji. Besides Vanuatu, he has played in Solomon Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, and Cambodia.

Alex Saniel is a Vanuatuan footballer who plays as a forward for New Zealander Club Franklin United and the Vanuatu national team.

References

  1. "Women's football on the rise in Vanuatu | Vanuatu Daily Post". Dailypost.vu. 2013-11-27. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
  2. "Soccer coach training to boost Vanuatu women's football | Pacific Beat | ABC Radio Australia". Radioaustralia.net.au. 2013-08-12. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
  3. 1 2 "Vanuatu Football National Team-information about every football national team". www.vanuafoot.vu. Retrieved 2024-10-23.

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