Tuvalu Sports Ground

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Tuvalu Sports Ground
Vaiaku-stadion 02.jpg
Tuvalu Sports Ground
Location Funafuti, Tuvalu
Capacity 1,500
SurfaceGrass
Opened2004
Tenants
FC Manu Laeva
FC Nanumaga
FC Niutao
FC Tofaga
Lakena United
Nauti FC
Vaoloa
Tamanuku
Tuvalu national football team

Tuvalu Sports Ground is a multi-use stadium in Funafuti, Tuvalu. [1] It is currently used mostly for football and rugby matches. The stadium holds 1,500 people. It is the only stadium in Tuvalu, and therefore all football tournaments are played at the stadium: A-Division; Independence Cup; NBT Cup; Tuvalu Games and also the Christmas Cup. The Tuvalu national football team draws from players in the Tuvalu A-Division, with the national team training at the Tuvalu Sports Ground.

The first large scale system for renewable energy in Tuvalu is a 40 kW solar panel installation on the roof of the Tuvalu Sports Ground stands. [2] [3] This grid-connected 40 kW solar system was established in 2008 by the E8 and Japan Government through Kansai Electric Company (Japan) and contributes 1% of electricity production on Funafuti. [4] Future plans include expanding this plant to 60 kW.

Stadium info

Players training in the Tuvalu Sports Ground Training Tuvalu Sports Ground.jpg
Players training in the Tuvalu Sports Ground

The islands of Tuvalu are narrow atolls composed of coral, so a football field could only be located at the broadest part of the main island of Funafuti.

The football field on Tuvalu is built on a coral base, with river clay shipped in from Fiji to create a surface on which grass has grown. This improved the football field's condition, although the surface remains hard and is not uniformly flat.

The Tuvalu Islands Football Association has wanted since 1987 to be a member of FIFA. [5] However, the lack of football and ancillary facilities in Tuvalu is a major obstacle for obtaining FIFA membership, because Tuvalu does not have any training grounds or hotels for visiting teams and supporters. [6] [7] [8]

8°31′26″S179°11′55″E / 8.52389°S 179.19861°E / -8.52389; 179.19861

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tuvalu</span> Country in Oceania

Tuvalu, formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is an island country in the Polynesian subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Ocean, about midway between Hawaii and Australia. It lies east-northeast of the Santa Cruz Islands, northeast of Vanuatu, southeast of Nauru, south of Kiribati, west of Tokelau, northwest of Samoa and Wallis and Futuna, and north of Fiji.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Tuvalu</span>

The Western Pacific nation of Tuvalu, formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is situated 4,000 kilometers (2,500 mi) northeast of Australia and is approximately halfway between Hawaii and Australia. It lies east-northeast of the Santa Cruz Islands, southeast of Nauru, south of Kiribati, west of Tokelau, northwest of Samoa and Wallis and Futuna and north of Fiji. It is a very small island country of 26 km2 (10 sq mi). Due to the spread out islands it has the 38th largest Exclusive Economic Zone of 749,790 km2 (289,500 sq mi). In terms of size, it is the second-smallest country in Oceania.

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

The Kiribati men's national football team is the national men's football team of Kiribati and is controlled by the Kiribati Islands Football Association. Kiribati is not a member of FIFA but is an associate member of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), and is therefore not eligible to enter the FIFA World Cup but may enter the OFC Nations Cup. It became a provisional member of the N.F.-Board on 10 December 2005.

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

The Tuvalu national football team is the international football team of Tuvalu. Football in Tuvalu is played at the club and international level. The Tuvalu national team draws players from the Tuvalu A-Division and trains at the Tuvalu Sports Ground at Funafuti. The national team competes in the Pacific Games, and is controlled by the Tuvalu Islands Football Association, which is an associate member of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) but not a member of FIFA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tuvalu A-Division</span> Football league

The Tuvalu A-Division or The National Provident Fund Championship League (NPF) is the top football division in Tuvalu. The league is organised by the Tuvalu National Football Association. Eight of the nine islands in Tuvalu are represented in the league. Niulakita is the only island that has no football club. Matches are held at the 1,500-capacity Tuvalu Sports Ground in Funafuti, the only football field on the main island.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Funafuti</span> Atoll and one of nine districts of Tuvalu

Funafuti is the capital of the island nation of Tuvalu. It has a population of 6,320 people. More people live in Funafuti than the rest of Tuvalu combined, with it containing approximately 60% of the nation's population. It consists of a narrow sweep of land between 20 and 400 metres wide, encircling a large lagoon 18 km long and 14 km wide. The average depth of the Funafuti lagoon is about 20 fathoms. With a surface area of 275 square kilometres (106.2 sq mi), it is by far the largest lagoon in Tuvalu. The land area of the 33 islets around the atoll of Funafuti totals 2.4 square kilometres (0.9 sq mi); taken together, they constitute less than one percent of the total area of the atoll. Cargo ships can enter Funafuti's lagoon and dock at the port facilities on Fongafale.

Renewable energy in Tuvalu is a growing sector of the country's energy supply. Tuvalu has committed to sourcing 100% of its electricity from renewable energy. This is considered possible because of the small size of the population of Tuvalu and its abundant solar energy resources due to its tropical location. It is somewhat complicated because Tuvalu consists of nine inhabited islands. The Tuvalu National Energy Policy (TNEP) was formulated in 2009, and the Energy Strategic Action Plan defines and directs current and future energy developments so that Tuvalu can achieve the ambitious target of 100% renewable energy for power generation by 2020. The program is expected to cost 20 million US dollars and is supported by the e8, a group of 10 electric companies from G8 countries. The Government of Tuvalu worked with the e8 group to develop the Tuvalu Solar Power Project, which is a 40 kW grid-connected solar system that is intended to provide about 5% of Funafuti’s peak demand, and 3% of the Tuvalu Electricity Corporation's annual household consumption.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport in Tuvalu</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Football in Tuvalu</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tuvalu Islands Football Association</span> National Football Association

The Tuvalu Islands Football Association (TIFA) is the governing body of football in Tuvalu. The association is responsible for the Tuvalu national football team and the Tuvalu national futsal team. Tuvalu is not a full member and is not affiliated with FIFA. It does not compete in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers because of its non-affiliation.

Nauti FC is a Tuvalu football club from Funafuti, playing in the Tuvalu A-Division.

The 2012 Tuvalu A-Division was the 12th season of top flight association football in Tuvalu. The Tuvalu A-Division season began on 4 February 2012 and finished on 17 March 2012. The champions were Nauti FC who won their seventh league title.

The 2009 Tuvalu A-Division was the ninth season of association football competition. The Tuvalu A-Division was won by Nauti FC for the third consecutive time and the fourth time overall. The league was renamed for the fourth consecutive season, this time being called the Funafuti League.

The 2013 Tuvalu A-Division was the 13th season of top flight association football in Tuvalu. The Tuvalu A-Division season started on 9 March 2013 and finished on 6 April 2013. The champions were Nauti FC who won their eighth league title.

The 2014 Tuvalu A-Division was the 14th season of top flight association football in Tuvalu. The Tuvalu A-Division season started on 22 February 2014 and finished on 8 April 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Tuvalu A-Division</span> Football league season

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">2016 Tuvalu A-Division</span> Football league season

The 2016 Tuvalu A-Division was the 16th season of top flight association football in Tuvalu. The Tuvalu A-Division season started and finish on 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Tuvalu A-Division</span> Football league season

The 2017 Tuvalu A-Division was the 17th season of top flight association football in Tuvalu. The season started and finish on 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2018 Tuvalu A-Division</span> Football league season

The 2018 Tuvalu A-Division was the 18th season of top flight association football in Tuvalu. The Tuvalu A-Division season started and finish in 2018.

References

  1. "Tuvalu - Stadiums". Prepared and maintained by Carlos Santos for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
  2. Collins, Terry (19 July 2009). "Tuvalu hopes solar project inspires climate talks; nation sets goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2020". Eurek Alert!. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  3. "Drowning island pins hopes on clean energy". CNN EcoSolutions. 21 July 2009. Archived from the original on 10 April 2012. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
  4. Andrew McIntyre; Brian Bell & Solofa Uota (February 2012). ""Fakafoou – To Make New": Tuvalu Infrastructure Strategy and Investment Plan" (PDF). Government of Tuvalu. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  5. "Tuvalu eye place in football family". FIFA. Archived from the original on July 18, 2012. September 22, 2008
  6. Frew, Craig (9 December 2013). "Tuvalu still dreams of joining Fifa's world football family". BBC Scotland. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  7. "No sports ground, no hotels so no to FIFA for Tuvalu – OFC". Radio Australia. 18 December 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  8. "OFC hits back at Tuvalu over FIFA bid". Australia Network News. 18 December 2013. Retrieved 19 December 2013.