Coaching staff
Current staff
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Team manager |  Dave Kitson |
| Head coach | Charlie Pomroy |
Coaching history
-
Charlie Pomroy (2023–present)
| Association | Nauru Soccer Federation (NSF) |
|---|---|
| Confederation | N/A |
| Head coach | Charlie Pomroy |
| Home stadium | New Nauru Stadium |
| FIFA code | NRU |
The Nauru national soccer team is the national team that represents the Pacific island nation of Nauru in soccer. It is under the auspices of the Nauru Soccer Federation which hopes to become a member of the OFC and FIFA and compete in official competitions of the organizations. [1]
Currently under construction for the 2026 Micronesian Games, Nauru's national stadium will be the New Nauru Stadium in the Meneng District’s interior plateau, also known as Topside. Previously, the home of soccer on Nauru was the Denig Stadium. [2] [3]
The Nauru Soccer Federation had reportedly applied for membership in both the OFC and FIFA but was denied, presumably because of a lack of infrastructure and league system. [4] In 2009 the Nauruan Minister of Sport Rayong Itsimaera indicated that the island nation desired to become a member of FIFA and the OFC and the organizations wanted to accept them, but reiterated that there were challenges preventing Nauru from joining both bodies. [5]
Previously, Nauru had never played any official international matches. However, a Nauruan representative team had played twice, [6] including a 2–1 victory over phosphate miners representing the Solomon Islands in 1994. [7] The second match featured a Nauru selection playing refugees from the Nauru Regional Processing Centre at the Denig Stadium in 2014 in recognition of World Refugee Day. [8] [9]
After a long hiatus, the Nauru Soccer Association was relaunched in 2018. In 2020, the association’s vice-president Kaz Cain announced that Nauru was considering creating its first-ever official national side for a tournament in Hawaii in 2021. [10] After issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the association was relaunched again in 2023 as the Nauru Soccer Federation under the Nauru Olympic Committee umbrella. The federation’s intent was to build a grassroots soccer culture on the island and field its first-ever official national team. [1]
In December 2023, Englishman Charlie Pomroy was appointed by Head of Nauru Soccer Federation Gareth Johnson as Nauru’s first ever national team head coach.
Nauru's goal was to join the likes of the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands in increasing participation in the sport in their countries. [11] Joining Pomroy in Nauru's project were Paul Watson and acting NSA president, local Kaz Cain. The team’s first jersey was also expected to be available to the public sometime in 2024. [12] [13] Johnson stated: "If we do not play at least one match in a Nauru kit I will see 2024 as a failure." [14] [15]
In March 2024, the Nauru Soccer Federation announced that they had signed a deal with Stingz Sportswear, who had just designed and manufactured kits for Micronesia, to produce the Nauru jersey. Hong Kong-based Giordano International had also joined the project as the team's main sponsor, providing funding for the team's kits and matchday apparel. The kit design was expected to be announced in the weeks following the announcement as Stingz and the NSF were finalizing a new logo for the federation. [16]
Later that month, the association announced that it was in discussions with the Football Federation American Samoa to travel to the territory to face the American Samoa national team as part of a small friendly tournament. [17] In addition to shirt sales, the federation planned to document the team's journey with a film similar to American Samoa's own Next Goal Wins . With enough funding, the team could afford to bring in players of Nauran heritage from Australia to supplement the squad. [18]
On 14 March 2024, former Premier League striker Dave Kitson was announced as Nauru's first ever national team manager, in addition to a role as international ambassador.
The Nauru Soccer Federation also unveiled plans to organize a new regional sub-confederation, the Micronesia Football Federation, with other associations in Micronesia. The group had begun planning to hold a tournament in summer 2025. Kiribati, the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands planned to participate, in addition to Nauru. [19] [20]
| Position | Name |
|---|---|
| Team manager | Dave Kitson |
| Head coach | Charlie Pomroy |
Charlie Pomroy (2023–present)The following is a list of match results in the last twelve months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
Win Draw Loss Fixture
| 20 August 2024 (TBC) Friendly | American Samoa  | v |  Nauru | Pago Pago, American Samoa |
| Stadium: Pago Park Soccer Stadium |
Nauru, officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country and microstate in Micronesia, part of Oceania in the Central Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba of Kiribati, about 300 km (190 mi) to the east.
The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) is one of the six continental confederations of international association football. The OFC has 13 members, 11 of which are full members and two which are associate members not affiliated with FIFA. It promotes the game in Oceania and allows the member nations to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.
The displacement of the traditional culture of Nauru by contemporary western influences is evident on the island. Little remains from the old customs. The traditions of arts and crafts are nearly lost.
The American Samoa men's national football team represents American Samoa in men's international association football and is controlled by the Football Federation American Samoa, the governing body of the sport in the territory. American Samoa's home ground is the Pago Park Soccer Stadium in Pago Pago and their head coach is Tunoa Lui.
The Vanuatu men's national football team represents Vanuatu in international football, and is controlled by the Vanuatu Football Federation.
The Papua New Guinea national soccer team is the men's national soccer team of Papua New Guinea and is controlled by the Papua New Guinea Football Association. Its nickname is the Kapuls, which is Tok Pisin for Cuscus.
The New Caledonia men's national football team is the national team of New Caledonia and is controlled by the Fédération Calédonienne de Football. Although they were only admitted to FIFA in 2004, they have been participating in the OFC Nations Cup since its inception. They have been one of this relatively small region's strongest teams, finishing second in 2008 and 2012, and third in 1973 and 1980. They were the top ranked OFC nation at number 95 in September 2008, making them only the fourth country from the confederation to have reached the global top 100.
The Samoa men's national association football team represents Samoa in men's international football and is controlled by the Football Federation Samoa, the governing body for football in Samoa. Samoa's home ground is Toleafoa J. S. Blatter Soccer Stadium in Apia. It was known as the Western Samoa national football team until 1997.
The Cook Islands men's national football team is the men's football team that represents the Cook Islands in international competition since 1971. It is governed by the Cook Islands Football Association which is part of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) and FIFA.
Australian rules football in Nauru dates back to the 1910s. Australian rules football became the national sport of Nauru after its independence in 1968. Today, its national participation rate is over 30%, the highest in the world.
The Niue national soccer team was the national soccer team of Niue, an associated state of New Zealand. The team played its only international games at the 1983 South Pacific Games. A 0–14 loss to Tahiti was followed by a 0–19 loss to Papua New Guinea.
The Samoa women's national football team represents Samoa in international women's football. The team is controlled by the Football Federation Samoa.
This article lists the results for the Cook Islands national football team.
Soccer is a minor sport in the island country of Nauru. The country is not a member of FIFA.
The Federated States of Micronesia national under-23 football team, nicknamed the Four Stars, is the national U-23 football team representing the Federated States of Micronesia and is controlled by the Federated States of Micronesia Football Association. The team is managed by Australian coach Stan Foster, with the assistant manager Curtis Graham.
The Marshall Islands Soccer Federation is the governing body of soccer in the Marshall Islands. Marshall Islands is not a member of its regional body, the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), or FIFA, but is working on becoming one. The federation is recognized by the Marshall Islands National Olympic Committee.
The Nauru Soccer Federation is the governing body of soccer in Nauru and is under the auspices of the Nauru Olympic Committee. Nauru is not a member of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) and is one of the few sovereign states that is not a member of FIFA but aims to become a member of both governing bodies.
The Marshall Islands national football team represents the Pacific island nation of the Marshall Islands in senior men's international football and is controlled by the Marshall Islands Soccer Federation. It hopes to become a member of the OFC and FIFA in the "coming years" and compete in official competitions of the organizations. In an October 2023 interview with the Associated Press, Technical Director Lloyd Owers stated that the association was keeping all options open, including joining the Asian Football Confederation.
Darren Pomroy, known as Charlie Pomroy, is an English football manager for Angkor City FC and the Nauru national team.