Oceania Football Confederation (OFC)

FIFA president to visit PNG

This is his intention to visit OFC member nations while witnessing the FIFA Women’s World Cup matches being played in Australia and New Zealand.

PNG Football Association president, John Kapi Natto today announced Infantino’s visit to PNG scheduled for Sunday, August 13 in Port Moresby. 

To date, Infantino has visited Tahiti, Cook Island, American Samoa, Samoa, Vanuatu and Fiji.

Papua New Guinea will be the second last port of call before heading to the Solomon Islands for a day visit before continuing his journey to either New Zealand or Australia.

FIFA president visits OFC member associations

He made this known during his address to the Oceania Football Confederation Congress in Auckland, New Zealand, on 19 July 2023.

To date, Infantino has visited Tahiti, Cook Islands, American Samoa, Samoa and Tonga, with plans to visit other OFC members over the next couple of weeks.

 OFC President Lambert Maltock says the FIFA President’s visits to the MAs are more than just symbolic.

OFC creating a safer football future

It is reported that on average, 77 percent of children in the Pacific experience physical violence (Source: UNICEF) while 2 out of three Pacific women are impacted by gender-based violence.

OFC is committed to working towards a safer and inclusive future in football having already seen a positive impact from their integrated safeguarding programme.

Inspiring Women's Football in Port Moresby

The aim was to promote the championships and inspire young girls to embrace football and make positive life choices.

AS Academy Feminine and Samoa's Kiwi FC made a visit to Boroko Primary School, where they engaged with students through captivating dance performances and ticket presentations. The players enthusiastically shared their personal experiences and uplifted the students with their positive energy.

Hekari thump Kiwi FC 9-0

Striker and captain, Marie Kaipu registered a hat-trick and finished with four goals to send the vocal home crowd into delight.

Komeng had made a couple of changes from the side stunned 2-1 by AS Academy Féminine in their opening match. He brought in Grace Batiy and Christable Maneo into the starting lineup for Phylis Pala and Nenny Elipas.

Hekari bows out from OFC

The PNG team won the first Group game against Ifira Black Bird but lost the remaining matches against Tiga Port and AS Pirae.

Hekari was spot on in the first 15 minutes of the final group match. They were certain to be the side to come out on top, but the momentum shifted as the match continued. Following a Yagi Yasasa free kick that hit the cross bar in the 14th minute, it was all AS Pirae for the rest of the first half.

100 days till the WWC

This Is How We Football is a way of making sure female players have access to enjoy the beautiful game across Oceania, while celebrating what makes football in the region unique.

OFC Women’s Football manager Emma Evans says that: “The This Is How We Football programme aims to grow football in the Pacific, specifically focusing on creating fun, safe, environments for teenage girls.”

More work required on football grounds

OFC duo, Competition Manager Chris Kemp and OFC TV Right & Production Keith Woodmass met with PNGFA Working Committee including the Chairman of Local Organising Committee (LOC) Gordon Manub and ran through all the preparations including visiting hosting venues and training grounds.

FIFA tells Oceania to step up

“In order to have a chance to qualify for a World Cup, this will grow the game immensely in Oceania. We need to embrace the opportunity but the responsibility is on us to earn the spot. So this is a big year for the women and also the year of the Oceania where we put ‘Ocean’s Eleven’, in the centre of the world,” said Infantino.

Instructor Training delivers ‘Health’ and ‘Wash’ curriculum

Representatives from Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Tahiti, and the Kiribati Islands, attended and also witnessed the launch of the 2023 program.

The training focus was on the Health and Wash curriculum, aimed at improving the knowledge and behaviors of children regarding nutrition, physical activity, safe water, and hygiene, including hand washing.