2016 OFC Activity Report ENG

OCEANIA FOOTBALL CONFEDERATION ACTIVITY REPORT 2016

OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

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2016

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SUMMARY 5

PRESIDENT’S FOREWORD

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OCEANIA ON THE FIFA COUNCIL

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FIFA IN OCEANIA

13 OUR HIGHLIGHTS 19 MEDIA & TELEVISION 22 SOCIAL MEDIA IN NUMBERS 25 OFC COMMERCIAL 27 COACH EDUCATION 30 WOMEN’S FOOTBALL 32 FUTSAL 34 BEACH SOCCER 36 REFEREE DEVELOPMENT 41 COMPETITIONS 69 SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

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PRESIDENT’S FOREWORD

2016 MARKED THE BEGINNING OF AN EXCITING PERIOD FOR OCEANIA BOTH WITHIN THE REGION AND ON THE GLOBAL STAGE AS THE STRENGTH AND PASSION FOR FOOTBALL ACROSS THE PACIFIC GREW. The combined dedication and passion of OFC staff and their

These summits were also an opportunity for each MA to gain

counterparts throughout the 11 Member Associations in Oceania

a clearer understanding of the direction FIFA intended to take

has overseen a period of football development that is almost

moving forward, while also offering the opportunity to voice any

unprecedented.

concerns or ideas - a hugely productive method of engagement.

Participation numbers are on the rise - with one example the

The election of Gianni Infantino as FIFA President has also con-

number of competitive debuting nations in January’s OFC U-17

tributed to the betterment of football in Oceania during 2016.

Women’s Championship.

The introduction of the FIFA Forward Programme allowed the Confederation and its Member Associations to put a strong focus

While the increased desire to develop quality coaches, players,

on Good Governance, the growth of football and the creation of

match officials and administrators from local communities has

pathways.

contributed to an uptake in participation in the various OFC pathways on offer.

In particular, the Travel Subsidy Grant has alleviated some of the financial pressure on our Member Associations which comes with

Recognition of the capacity and global standing of OFC Member

being based in such a geographically wide-spread, and isolated

Associations led to Cook Islands, New Zealand and Tahiti being

confederation.

chosen to present their respective governance methods and strategic plans at the first round of FIFA Executive Summits in Paris

Our vision of enriching the lives of all people in the Pacific

and Singapore.

through football has never been more relevant than when tragedy strikes. Being able to offer solace to children across Oceania through the OFC Just Play Emergency Programme has been important.

Reflecting upon our successes in 2016 is important for future growth and I am looking forward to moving into 2017 with greater knowledge and more experience than ever before.

David Chung PNGFA President OFC President FIFA Senior Vice-President

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OCEANIA ON THE FIFA COUNCIL

THE 24 SEPTEMBER 2016 MARKED AN HISTORIC OCCASION FOR THE OCEANIA FOOTBALL CONFEDERATION AS TWO FURTHER VOICES WERE ELECTED TO JOIN OFC PRESIDENT DAVID CHUNG ON THE FIFA COUNCIL FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 49 YEARS. Chung began playing football as a young child growing up in Malaysia and following his move to the Papua New Guinea Highlands Province of Simbu he continued to be involved in the game as a coach, referee and administrator.

After successfully leading football in the New Guinea Highlands to new heights, Chung sought a new challenge which led to his successful contesting of the PNGFA presidency in 2004. Chung has held the role ever since and in doing so became the longest serving president of PNGFA. In 2004 he earned a seat on the OFC Executive Committee and after serving as a senior vice-president

DAVID CHUNG

was elevated to action President in November 2010.

Papua New Guinea Football Association President OFC President FIFA Vice-President

He was then elected unopposed to the position in 2011

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and remains in the role today.

OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

SANDRA FRUEAN

LEE HARMON

Football Federation American Samoa Vice-President FIFA Council Member

Cook Islands Football Association President OFC Vice-President FIFA Council Member

The trilingual Fruean has been involved in all things

After his playing career ended, Harmon decided to

football since 1987 when she began playing.

dedicate his talent and passion for football to the

2016

administrative side of the game.

She has enjoyed a long career as a player and continues to lace up for her club PanSa in the FFAS National League to

A few years after coming to that decision, he found

this day.

himself elected President of Tupapa Maraerenga Football Club, one of the leading clubs in the Cook Islands.

Fruean heads FFAS Women’s Football and has been responsible for establishing women’s football

From there he became a member of the Cook Islands

development plans and developing funding strategies to

Football Association board, holding the position of

get those plans off the ground.

secretary and treasurer before being elected vicepresident in 1995.

She has been organising football festivals for girls since 1999 and the annual National Women’s Day football clinics

Just two short years later, Harmon became CIFA President

have been a highlight on the calendar since they began in

and has held the position ever since, overseeing some of

2013.

Cook Islands football’s greatest achievements to date.

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FIFA IN OCEANIA

THE INFLUENCE FIFA HAS IN THE OCEANIA FOOTBALL CONFEDERATION IS NOT SIMPLY RELEGATED TO PROVIDING FIELDS OR STADIUMS FOR MATCHES, BUT TO DEVELOPING ALL ASPECTS OF THE GAME. With the arrival of President Gianni Infantino, so too came the

He acknowledged these difficulties by increasing the level of

FIFA 2.0: The Vision for the Future and the FIFA Foward Pro-

financial support to $US5 million over a four year cycle for all our

gramme, which have already had a lasting effect on Oceania

Member Associations through the FIFA Forward Programme.

football.

In addition, he provided further assistance by offering financial FIFA Forward is an approach to global football development

grants for travel and equipment based on a needs-assessment.

which is built on three principles to provide 360 degree, tai-

This has enabled MAs in Oceania to employ more staff, profes-

lor-made support for football development in each FIFA Member

sionalise administration, travel and prepare for FIFA qualifying

Association and the six confederations:

events, and put emphasis on youth and women’s football.

•

more investment,

•

more impact

The Confederations have also benefited from the FIFA Forward

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more oversight.

Programme with an increase to $US40 million over the four year cycle.

Following Infantino’s visit to Oceania in November 2015, he learned of the obstacles hindering football development in our

In Oceania that has translated into a number of new and innova-

region.

tive projects which will provide a cornerstone to achieving better and more sustainable results within the region.

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In 2016 the OFC Strategic Plan foundation of Good Governance

The OFC U-20 Championship held in Vanuatu offered a glimpse at

formed the framework for Project 1 of the FIFA Forward Pro-

the impact this decision had on the region. When the host nation

gramme for the Confederation.

qualified alongside New Zealand to its first FIFA World Cup event the local reaction was swift and jubilant.

This included assisting Member Associations with Strategic Planning, the redevelopment of the OFC website (oceaniafootball.

With OFC also learning that one direct entry to the FIFA World

com) and new website management systems for the Confedera-

Cup 2026, along with a further half-spot, is a certainty this has

tion and Member Associations, and the implementation of a new

only fueled the desire of Member Associations to utilise the youth

Football Management System at OFC - COMET.

tournaments as a first step in the road to 2026.

The websites are now much easier for the respective media officers to manage and more responsive to the technological challenges nations face in the region.

COMET, a system provided by Croatia-based company Analyticom, has proved a success for its comprehensive management of competition data and will likely be rolled out in OFC Member Associations in the future in order to create a region-wide database.

Project 2 covered the strategic pillar of Grow the Game, which provided support to the Papua New Guinea Football Association Local Organising Committee for the FIFA U-20 World Cup. This was in financial support and through personnel.

Providing each Member Association a grant to assist their respective media departments was also part of Growing the Game. As well as covering salaries and equipment it was also used to help with the continuous up-skilling of media staff.

The third and final project undertaken by the Confederation in 2016 under the FIFA Forward Programme linked to the second pillar in the OFC Strategic Plan - Create Pathways.

Project 3 helped cover the operation costs of organising the OFC Nations Cup in Papua New Guinea. An important project in terms of providing the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup LOC with practical experience ahead of the tournament.

A preparation grant for Member Associations which qualified for FIFA final tournaments - covering both travel and accommodation was important for their preparation campaigns in particular.

Finally, Member Associations participating in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Qualifiers had a travel subsidy grant made available to them. With Stage 3 of this competition two groups playing homeand-away matches, the subsidy had a significant impact especially given the geographical distances the teams were covering.

In addition to the introduction of the FIFA Forward Programme, the decision to offer OFC two places at the FIFA U-17 and U-20 World Cups was a coup for the region.

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OUR HIGHLIGHTS 2016 HARNESSED THE POWER AND PASSION OF FOOTBALL IN THE PACIFIC TO MAKE IT A YEAR OF ENTERTAINMENT, OF HISTORY-MAKING, OF HIGHS AND OF LOWS. BUT NO MATTER WHAT 2016 BROUGHT, IT WAS A YEAR OF UNFALTERING SOLIDARITY BETWEEN FOR THE OCEANIA FOOTBALL FAMILY.

• The FIFA/OFC Women’s Football Development Seminar returned to Cook Islands, uniting the stakeholders who are key to the development of the women’s game throughout the region, encouraging the exchange of knowledge and best practices.

• The inaugural OFC/NZF A Licence concluded successfully adding another level to the OFC Coaching Pathway. Not only were a string of New Zealand-based coaches successful in earning the accreditation, so too were Tonga and Fiji Technical Directors Kilifi Uele and Ravinesh Kumar.

• The OFC Club Licensing Regulations were finalised, ready to be put forward to the OFC Executive Committee for approval. Implementation at Confederation level gives OFC Member Associations something to aim for as they work towards the professionalising of their club environments.

• The OFC Just Play Emergency Programme which proved successful in Vanuatu following Cyclone Pam in 2015 was once again implemented in 2016. This time the expanded programme was on-hand when Fiji was battered by Cyclone Winston, providing support and a safe environment for children in communities effected.

• The OFC Just Play Emergency Programme earned a nomination at the Beyond Sports Awards. The parent programme, OFC Just Play, received the UEFA 13

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Foundation for Children Award in recognition of the work it does in improving the lives of children in the Pacific through football.

• The OFC Just Play Project Managers were invited to Paris during the Euro 2016 by the UEFA Foundation for Children to showcase the work the foundation supports in the Pacific. A photo exhibition, “Improving Children’s Lives Through Football”, which combined images of children engaged in Just Play activities was on display in Paris during this time.

• The OFC Nations Cup continued in its role as Oceania’s top men’s football event. Showcasing the region’s top national teams the two week tournament in Port Moresby was a key step in the FIFA World Cup Russia™ Qualifiers.

• Fiji FA launched a new U-17 league giving young players access to regular football and a platform to showcase their talents. A similar competition was launched in Solomon Islands with ten teams participating in the FIFA-supported league.

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• Former American Samoa international Jaiyah Saelua was the only Oceania representative selected as a judge on the inaugural FIFA Diversity Jury.

• The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup meant all eyes were on Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. The event drew impressive crowds for an age-group tournament and put Papua New Guinea firmly on the map thanks to the hospitality and diverse culture shared with the participating teams and visiting fans and stakeholders.

• A volunteer programme designed to increase employability for 1000 volunteers was tested during the OFC Nations Cup and officially put into action for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. The programme was a result of work between OFC Social Responsibility, the Urban Youth Employment Project, UNICEWF, UN Women, the Australian High Commission and the US Embassy in Port Moresby.

• Steeve Laigle was elected President of the Federation Caledonienne de Football for a four year term in May. Kone-based Laigle’s first assignment was to join his new OFC colleagues at the FIFA Congress in Mexico.

• Vanuatu qualified for their first FIFA World Cup event following a successful run to the final of the OFC U-20 Championship on home soil. For the football-mad country it was a thrilling and long-awaited occasion for celebration.

• Football Ferns striker Amber Hearn became the first New Zealand international to score 50 goals for their country.

• Former All Whites captain Steve Sumner became an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for his services to football.

• The Meri Futbol development programme expanded in Papua New Guinea to encompass eight regions, including Wewak and Arawa in Bougainville.

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MEDIA & TELEVISION

BEING ABLE TO CAPTURE AN HISTORIC OCCASION, LIKE THE FIRST TIME A NATION QUALIFIES FOR A WORLD CUP EVENT IN ITS 40-YEAR HISTORY, IS ALL IN A DAY’S WORK FOR OFC MEDIA & TELEVISION. Being tasked with keeping an accurate record of the

It didn’t hurt that the home team delivered in every

highlights for OFC and its Member Associations has taken

way. Papua New Guinea went through to the final for

the communications team across the Pacific in 2016.

the first time in 48 years of trying and in addition, took New Zealand all the way to wire with a penalty shootout

Promoting our people, our football and our culture is a

deciding the Oceania champions for 2016.

key element and this year there were many milestones to keep everyone engaged and busy.

When fans in Vanuatu were able to watch the progress of their side in person during the OFC U-20 Championship,

The OFC Nations Cup was on the calendar meaning the

the communication team was on hand to capture the

region was set to see the best our Member Associations

delight and emotion across the nation when the side

have to offer taking to the field.

qualified for its first-ever FIFA World Cup event.

The teams didn’t disappoint with some delightful displays

If the nation stops for the FIFA World Cup final, one can

of football. The tournament provided a preview to the

only imagine the reaction of this football-mad country

kind of quality that Port Moresby’s football fans could

when they learned they would be seeing their flag fly at

expect come December, when the FIFA U-20 Women’s

the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Korea Republic.

World Cup came to town.

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Footage of the semi-final victory over Solomon Islands and iconic images of the celebrations and the team acknowledging their supporters will live on forever.

In addition to capturing memories which would live on in history, OFC TV were also taking matches and events into the homes of football fans across the globe.

OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

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In Papua New Guinea for the OFC Nations Cup, that

Not only was live football broadcast on television screens

meant partnering with local broadcaster EMTV, through

throughout the region, but it also allowed football fans

OFC sponsor Telikom PNG.

across the globe to watch Oceania’s premier international football competition via the live streams on offer.

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v

SOCIAL MEDIA IN NUMBERS VISITORS BY COUNTRY

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

YOUTUBE

1 FIJI

1 NEW ZEALAND

1 NEW ZEALAND

2 NEW ZEALAND

2 USA

2 VANUATU

3 BRAZIL

3 UK

3 JAPAN

4 PAPUA NEW GUINEA

4 AUSTRALIA

4 FIJI

5 SOLOMON ISLANDS

5 BRAZIL

5 USA

GROWTH RATE

36% 128%

43% 45%

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FACEBOOK ANALYSIS

8,282,383

IMPRESSIONS

21%

21,738 FANS

OF AUDIENCE IS FEMALE

TWITTER ANALYSIS

13%

25 TO 34 YEAR OLDS ARE OUR

OF AUDIENCE IS FEMALE

BIGGEST AUDIENCE

INSTAGRAM ANALYSIS

TOP TAGS

1 #OFCU20M 2 #VANUATU2016 3 #ONC

128%

INCREASE OF FOLLOWERS

YOUTUBE ANALYSIS

90% 41%

OF AUDIENCE IS MALE

OF AUDIENCE IS ON A MOBILE PHONE

3,472,774

MINUTES WATCHED 23

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OFC COMMERCIAL In 2016 Daniel Leon was promoted to Operations Manager for OFC Commercial and quickly set about increasing the department’s productivity and sales.

Zelong Gao was added to the team as a retail buyer and warehouse manager. A new warehouse system was put in place and a new inventory system implemented to improve work flow.

With the launch of a revamped website - Pasifika.Football - also came a change in supplier with Taniwa Products providing improved quality.

These changes helped lead to a change in the logistic system in place with Leon adopting a Drop Shipping method.

This supply chain management method means the retailer no longer keeps goods in stock but instead transfers customer orders and shipment details to the manufacturer or wholesaler, who ships the goods directly to the customer.

Leon was pleased with the streamlining changes implemented which he said contributed to the 18 per cent increase in sales for the year.

OFC Commerical was the sole supplier of equipment for teams participating in the Sanatan Competition, and the OFC Education Centre, The introduction of the Roland rf 640, Anericans heat press machines and sublimation mugs services also helped improve delivery of orders.

OFC Commercial was responsible for printing signage for all OFC Competitions including the OFC Nations Cup and OFC Champions League.

The department designed and printed booklets, pamphlets, brochures, programme and pull-ups for the Social Responsibility, Technical, Media and Communications, Administration and Television departments.

In 2016 OFC Commercial played a key role in designing souvenirs for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. It also managed part of the IT product supply for the event.

The interest in uniform supply grew in the latter half of 2016, with Vanuatu Football Federation preparing to place a large order for the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

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COACH EDUCATION WITH CLEARLY DEFINED OBJECTIVES IN MIND, THE OFC TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT TOOK ADVANTAGE OF 2016 TO REVISE ITS EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMME WITH THE CREATION AND DESIGN OF THE OFC TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT CATALOGUE. The catalogue outlines the football education, training and development programmes which the department created in support of its Long Term Development Plan 2016-2018.

The programmes and activities were designed to meet the growing demand across all catagories of football development from goalkeeping to women’s football, from futsal to administration.

The department, through consultation with experts from FIFA, other Confederations, Member Associations, coaches, clubs, leagues and other key partners, identified changes afoot in the coach education landscape going forward.

Good coaches are crucial to the development of football in Oceania - whether coaching at the highest level, in an academy programme or at community level.

The intention of the OFC Technical Department through its Coach Education programme is to ensure Oceania football is at the forefront of development by offering learning opportunties at all of these levels, using both formal and informal learning.

Formal learning programmes, or accredited courses, include MA Coaching Certificates and OFC Coaching

Certificates across a range of topics from Grassroots and Youth to Senior Futsal and Goalkeeping.

Non-formal learning programmes are the educational activities which occur outside the framework of the formal system.

This includes Development Workshops in Club Football Development or Women’s Football Development, as well as Performance Workshops.

Linking closely with Coach Education is Player Development, and area in which the department set itself three key goals; - To improve the Member Association Football Environment - Increase and sustain participation in football - Improve performance at National and International level In addition to the continuing progress of the Development Centres and Centres of Excellence, two new projects were launched.

The Goalkeeping Schools Project and FIFA Youth Competitions Project were both launched as pilot projects in 2016, and they will extend into 2017 based on the success.

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OFC EDUCATION CENTRE The objective of this programme saw OFC providing greater support for its Member Associations and their respective women’s fo otball national teams in order to assist the growth of the game and the competitiveness of these teams.

Part one of the project remained in the planning stage during 2016 as OFC Technical Director Patrick Jacquemet and Head of Education Giovani Fernandes sought to establish a solid framework.

The initial focus was on creating an approach which see instructors trained in each country who could lead the courses, as well as providing centralised courses open to the football community and wider public.

The curriculum was divided into four levels; - Foundation Courses - Certification Courses - Licenced Courses - Refresher Courses These levels range from an introductory course through to courses recognised at domestic and regional level, as well as providing an option for on-going training.

The intention is for a project manager to be appointed to run the programme in each Member Association, managed in a similar fashion to the OFC Just Play Programme.

With the framework and course content established, the OFC Education Centre is ready for roll-out in 2017, with Cook Islands, Tonga and New Caledonia the three Member Associations chosen for the pilot.

OFC PERFORMANCE PROGRAMME The OFC Performance Programme brought seven elite, talented players from OFC Member Associations together in Auckland, New Zealand.

The vision for the project was to teach players key principles under a football philosophy which aims to create behavioural independence and social responsibility through a holistic framework.

The focus of which was on awareness, decision-making, and execution, with the ultimate goal of developing high performers within the Oceania.

At the current stage of development, the OFC Technical Department believed it was time to create a “performance” training environment in the Oceania region.

The inaugural intake included Conroy Tiputoa (COK), Mohammed Naizal (FIJ), Pele Fatu (SAM), Emmanuel Simongi (PNG), Steward Toata (SOL), Viliami Alipate Tukia (TGA), and Albert Vanva (VAN).

Each of the attendees were members of the U-17 national team of their country participating in the OFC U-17 Championship.

As well as attending One Tree Hill College for their educational needs, the seven student-athletes took part in daily football training with OFC Consultant Phill PickeringParker, and engaged in some friendly matches.

Additional educational sessions were held on a variety of topics including media, marketing, and financial planning.

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WOMEN’S FOOTBALL

Visibility Programme The Women’s Football Visibility Programme has proven successful in countries like Samoa and Papua New Guinea where Soka Sisters and Meri-Futbol have grown a steady following.

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The objective of this programme is to raise the profile of women’s football through promotional festivals, branding and marketing materials.

The OFC Technical Department Catalogue outlined what was available for Member Associations under this umbrella, and New Caledonia and Vanuatu expressed strong interest in engaging with OFC to raise the visibility of the women’s game.

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WOMEN’S FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT With the support of the FIFA Women’s Football Development team in Zurich, OFC Member Associations had access to a wide-range of programmes and activities which support the development of the women’s game across different levels.

New Zealand Football benefited from the Live Your Goals programme which provided funds to promote football via girl’s only festivals. Live Your Goals-branded gear was supplied for 600 girls.

New Zealand also received grants to support the U-17 and U-20 women’s teams, both of which competed at the respective age-group world cups.

FIFA Women’s Football Coaching and Administration Courses were also held for the women’s football community in New Zealand, as well as Samoa.

Samoa also received funding and equipment for 240 girls to take part in an U-15/U-17 tournament.

Live Your Goals was launched in Papua New Guinea for the first time in 2016, timed for the lead-up to, and during, the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. With assistance from FIFA, Papua New Guinea was able to employ a consultant to assist with the relaunch of a National Women’s League. Merifutbol extended to Wewak and Arawa engaging over 300 new girls and a FIFA Women’s Football Coaching Course was led by former Italian international Carolina Morace.

In Vanuatu the National Women’s League received support from FIFA and along with funding, 240 players were kitted out for the competition. A further 240 girls took part in the U-17 Girls League and also received equipment.

Grassroots Festivals were funded by FIFA and gear was distributed to 600 young girls in the game.

WOMEN’S FOOTBALL COACHING COURSES

8 MAs

184 coaches trained

82% Female

WOMEN’S LEAGUE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

7 MAs

1567 new players

CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE A new programme was piloted in 2016 with the support of the OFC Social Responsibility department. Centre of Excellence - Developing the Player and the Person.

The intention was to create a health and fitness workbook for the elite players participating in the existing Centres of Excellence in order to enhance their understanding of the importance of health-related topics.

Topics like; hydration, nutrition, character development, and physical and mental health issues were added to the Centre of Excellence curriculum, with OFC Social Responsibility assisting with the incorporation of social messaging alongside football activities.

A 12-week pilot programme was run in two Centres of Excellence in Papua New Guinea with early feedback proving positive.

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FUTSAL

FUTSAL IN NUMBERS

DEVELOPMENT With an eye on the inaugural OFC Youth Futsal competition in 2017, the OFC Futsal Programme in 2016 focused on assisting Member Associations with the getting Grassroots and Youth activities upand-running.

OFC Futsal Development Officer Paul Toohey conducted three of the six FIFA Futsal Coaching Courses held in 2016 alongside his OFC futsal programmes with his curriculum primarily youth-focused.

Participating coaches in Fiji, Tonga and American Samoa were provided with coaching advice, but Toohey also put the spotlight on the specifics of the game in the Grassroots and Youth environment.

The action was swift with those three nations launching new youth leagues alongside the senior regional leagues.

Grassroots and Youth futsal continued to grow New Caledonia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tonga and Vanuatu also.

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MEN

26,470

WOMEN

6,077

COACHES

860

REFEREES

378

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ELITE Six OFC Member Associations benefited in different ways from the coaching courses held in 2016, from the youth-centric courses in Fiji, Tonga and American Samoa to the elite-focused in New Caledonia and New Zealand.

Former Belgian international Benny Meurs was the instructor in New Caledonia and although improving the elite level of futsal in the country was a primary objective, the future was also a key aspect.

“We want to help put in place the foundations for good work, to give them the ability to continue their progress,” Meurs said.

“The goal of these courses is to improve the level of futsal and this week allows us to have a more precise vision of the development strategy that will be followed here in New Caledonia.”

New Caledonia has a strong National Men’s League, one of only three MAs in OFC who does. The other two being New Zealand and Tahiti, who also hosted FIFA Futsal Coaching Courses in 2016.

In New Zealand the course was led by former Futsal Whites coach Scott Gilligan. The course, with the permission of FIFA, doubled as a New Zealand Football Futsal Level 3 Coaching Course.

The Futsal Level 3, the equivalent of a NZF Senior Level 3, will be cross-credited to the first OFC Futsal C Licence which is due for launch in 2017.

Other futsal highlights include the National Women’s League in New Zealand and the attendance of men’s and women’s teams from New Zealand at the World University Games in Argentina.

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BEACH SOCCER

DEVELOPMENT The continued success of the Tahiti national beach soccer team shows there is a talent for the game in Oceania and development is progressing in a number of Member Associations keen to start knocking on the door to global stage.

Senior Beach Soccer Tournaments were held in New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tahiti and Vanuatu during 2016.

Grassroots and Youth Beach Soccer events were held in three countries; New Caledonia, Tahiti and Tonga, in an effort to create a strong foundation for the game.

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While Tonga also engaged a Beach Soccer Course to be held in the Ha’apai islands. The course instructor was renowned former Spain beach soccer international Ramiro Figueiras Amarelle.

OFC Beach Soccer Development Officer Paul Toohey said it was a coup for the Tonga beach soccer community to be exposed to the knowledge and expertise someone like Amarelle brings.

Tonga Football Association is keen to see beach soccer secure a foothold in Ha’apai, which is why it was chosen as the location for the course. It was attended by 18 participants, four of which were women.

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ELITE Tahiti continues to lead by example when it comes to elite beach soccer and were the only national team active in the game during 2016.

OFC nominated the 2015 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup runners-up for direct entry to the 2017 edition, with preparations slowly gearing up a year out.

In September the Tiki Toa flew to Japan for two friendly matches, the first real hit-out for the side since the 2015 Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup in November 2015.

Japan won both matches, 5-2 and 5-1, and next up for the Tiki Toa was the Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup in Dubai.

Drawn in Group A wins against Poland and United Arab Emirates were followed by a loss to Brazil. However finishing second in the group meant Tahiti progressed to the semi-finals.

Tahiti lost 8-6 to Iran in the semi-final before a narrow 4-3 loss to Russia saw them finish the tournament in fourth place.

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Referee Development

OFC ACCREDITED OFFICIALS The development of a coaching pathway in Oceania has led to a similar approach from the Referee Development Office which has developed a pathway for match officials to become recognised within the region.

The foundations for the OFC Accredited Officials programme were laid in 2016 and started progressing following the appointment of Kevin Stoltenkamp and Neil Poloso.

The pair were jointly responsible for referee development across the region and made a quick start of picking up where previous referee development officer Mark Hester left off.

Year One of the Three-Year programme began in late2016 giving OFC Accredited Officials the opportunity to attend OFC tournaments to experience the demands and expectations that are required to be an international

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match official.

Each identified match official was provided with the chance to work alongside their FIFA-accredited counterparts during OFC Competitions Pre-Tournament Seminars.

In order to earn an appointment each of the participants must pass the following; - Category 1 FIFA Fitness Test - Laws of the Game Test - Fouls and Misconduct Test - Offside Test Stoltenkamp explained the new accreditation system intends to provide support for talented match officials which puts them on a path to FIFA Accreditation, and potentially, FIFA appointments. “This would be beneficial to all OFC and local competitions in the Member Associations. The improvements in fitness levels, knowledge of the Laws of the Game and foul recognition will add to the improvements in the standards of officiating and the standard of the competition.

OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

Stoltenkamp and Poloso maintain high standards and expectations and match officials are expected to uphold the following; - be professional in their approach - follow a structured fitness programme - pass all fitness requirements to participate in OFC / International tournaments - be up-to-date with the latest law changes - be held accountable - maintain regular communication with OFC/ MA RDO - be available for all OFC Competitions

2016

The programme made a strong start in 2016 at the OFC U-20 Championship in Vanuatu. A number of match officials were given their first experience of an OFC tournament to great success.

The process also includes Referee Development Officers and Referee Assessors and Instructors, for whom ongoing education and training is paramount especially in the first three years of the programme.

All Referee Assessors and Instructors are expected to; - be up-to-date on the latest changes to the Laws of the Game - be up-to-date with the teachings with regards to considerations for:

a/ Fouls and Misconducts

b/ Handball

c/ Offside - be a member of the OFC Referee Assessor Group - Regular participation in the Referee Assessor Forum - Facilitate Referee Seminar in their respective Member Association 37

OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

2016

ELITE MATCH OFFICIALS Strong performances from OFC Match Officials when on FIFA appointments has seen them continue to be included in preparations for both the men’s and women’s World Cups, and earn appointments to youth and club world cups.

With the first use of the Video Assistant Referee technology at the FIFA Club World Cup in December, it was notable for OFC to have Nicholas Waldron appointed as a VAR for the event.

It’s an excellent opportunity for him which opens the door to more appointments, and more opportunities for fellow OFC referees to be involved in VAR. MEN’S OLYMPIC FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT Matt CONGER

REFEREE

(NZL)

Simon LOUNT

ASSISTANT REFEREE

(NZL)

Tevita MAKASINI

ASSISTANT REFEREE

(TGA)

WOMEN’S OLYMPIC FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT Anna-Marie KEIGHLEY

REFEREE

(NZL)

Sarah JONES

ASSISTANT REFEREE

(NZL)

Lata KAUMATULE

ASSISTANT REFEREE

(TGA)

FIFA U-17 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP Finau VULIVULI

REFEREE

(FIJ)

FIFA U-20 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP Finau VULIVULI

REFEREE

(FIJ)

Maria TAMALELAGI

ASSISTANT REFEREE

(SAM)

FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP Abdelkader ZITOUNI

REFEREE

(TAH)

Philippe REVEL

ASSISTANT REFEREE

(TAH)

Nicholas WALDRON

VAR

(NZL)

FIFA FUTSAL WORLD CUP Rex KAMUSU

REFEREE

(SOL)

Chris SINCLAIR

REFEREE

(NZL)

38

OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

2016

39

OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

2016

OFC U-17 WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP 13-23 January / Rarotonga, Cook Islands PARTICIPATING TEAMS Cook Islands, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Vanuatu,

Competitions for 2016 got underway in the picturesque Cook Islands in January with the OFC U-17 Women’s Championship.

New Zealand were hot favourites to continue their run of domination in regional women’s football events. A string of dominant performances saw them top the group stage undefeated before sweeping through the knockout stage to claim their third consecutive regional title following their win over Papua New Guinea in the final.

The race was a lot tighter in Group B with Fiji holding Papua New Guinea to a 2-2 draw. Despite the hiccup, Papua New Guinea still topped the group, taking on New Caledonia in the semi-final.

It was a tight match with New Caledonia’s 85th minute penalty pulling them level, only for Papua New Guinea to seal a 2-1 win with a goal in additional time.

The final at CIFA Academy in Matavera proved relatively one-sided as the offensive abilities of Hannah Blake and Jacqui Hand were showcased - scoring seven goals between them.

RESULTS WINNERS

NEW ZEALAND

(NZL)

RUNNERS-UP

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

(PNG)

THIRD

FIJI

FOURTH

NEW CALEDONIA

(FIJ) (NCL)

AWARDS GOLDEN BALL

Michaela FOSTER

(NZL)

GOLDEN BOOT

Hannah BLAKE

(NZL)

GOLDEN GLOVES

Francine LOCKINGTON

(FIJ)

FAIRPLAY

COOK ISLANDS

(NZL)

FIFA U-17 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 30 September -21 October / Jordan New Zealand, attending their fifth U-17 Women’s World Cup, were drawn in a tough group alongside Mexico, Spain and hosts Jordan.

Although Mexico dominated New Zealand in the first match of the pool, the Oceania side were much stronger in their performance against Spain, holding them scoreless match until the last minutes of the game. Spain opened scoring in the 80th minute and secured once more to secure a 2-0 win.

Despite their earlier results ruling out progression from the group, New Zealand left nothing on the field in their final match against Jordan scoring five unanswered goals to secure the biggest win for a New Zealand side in a FIFA tournament to date.

NEW ZEALAND REPRESENTED OFC GROUP STAGE

vs MEXICO

0-5

GROUP STAGE

vs SPAIN

0-2

GROUP STAGE

vs JORDAN

5-0

Final Ranking

12

(16)

GOAL SCORERS Hannah BLAKE

3

Sam TAWHARU

2

41

OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

2016

OLYMPIC WOMEN’S FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT OFC Stage 2 Qualifier 23 & 26 January / Papua New Guinea & New Zealand Participating Teams Papua New Guinea and New Zealand Stage 1 of the Olympic Women’s Football Tournament Qualifier for OFC began back in 2015. Eligible Olympic nations competed during the XV Pacific Games for the chance to play New Zealand’s Football Ferns in Stage 2.

The honour went to gold-medalists Papua New Guinea, who secured their place in Stage 2 after winning their semi-final match.

The first leg of the two-match play-off brought New Zealand,to the PNGFA Academy in Lae. In stifling conditions, the Football Ferns showed their professionalism as they secured a 7-1 victory, with five different players contributing goals.

Guinea, but it was a mere consolation prize given New Zealand already had a seven goal lead at that point.

The second leg of the play-off was scheduled to take place at QBE Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand, however Papua New Guinea were unable to travel, defaulting the match.

The results saw New Zealand secure a place at the Olympic Games for the third consecutive time.

Meagen Gunemba was the lone scorer for Papua New

RIO OLYMPIC GAMES WOMEN’S FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT 3-20 August / Brazil

New Zealand’s pool in Rio was intimidating with France, Colombia and the United States on the cards.

First up were the world champion USA side who scored twice to sink New Zealand with a 2-0 victory.

The Football Ferns first points came against Colombia where they proved a consistent threat. An Amber Hearn strike in the 31st minute was the only goal of the match and secured the side three important points.

New Zealand’s last group match against France determined which of the two would continue into the knockout stage, after France lost to USA. The Kiwi side did well but their opponent were a class apart securing a 3-0 win to prevent the Ferns from progressing from the group.

42

NEW ZEALAND REPRESENTED OFC GROUP STAGE

vs UNITED STATES

0-2

GROUP STAGE

vs COLOMBIA

1-0

GROUP STAGE

vs FRANCE

0-3

Final Ranking

12

(16)

GOAL SCORERS Amber HEARN

1

OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

2016

RIO OLYMPIC GAMES - MEN’S FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT 3-20 August / Brazil

Fiji’s success at the 2015 Pacific Game in Papua New Guinea earned them qualification to the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament for the first time.

The side’s campaign started in Salvador where they faced Korea Republic and Mexico before travelling south to Belo Horizonte for their final group match against Germany.

In an impressive show during the first 60 minutes of the match, Fiji were only a goal down against Korea Republic. But once the hour mark passed the debutants energy levels dropped which their opponents took advantage of to claim an 8-0 victory.

The remainder of Fiji’s Olympic campaign followed a similar pattern. Striker Roy Krishna opened scoring in the 10th minute of their match against Mexico, a lead they held into the second half. The goals started flowing for Mexico just a few minutes after the restart with Fiji going down 5-1 to the CONCACAF giants.

Germany proved a far more consistent side, and with their chance of continuing to the knockout stage having evaporated with the loss to Mexico, Fiji knew they could only

give their best and enjoy their time against the side.

The Europeans dominated both halves securing a double-digit victory, and continued on to the final of the tournament which they lost 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out to hosts Brazil.

NEW ZEALAND REPRESENTED OFC GROUP STAGE

vs KOREA REPUBLIC

0-8

GROUP STAGE

vs MEXICO

1-5

GROUP STAGE

vs GERMANY

0-10

Final Ranking

12

(16)

GOAL SCORERS Roy KRISHNA

1

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OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

2016

OFC FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP

the Kurukuru and the Futsal Whites after two days of action and ahead of their meeting on Match Day 3.

8-13 February / Suva, Fiji

The senior trio of Elliot Ragamo, Jack Wetney and Jeffrey Bule contributed as Solomon Islands secured a 4-1 win.

New Zealand’s Mickey Malivuk managed a goal to give the Kiwi side some solace in the defeat.

Participating Teams Fiji, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Vanuatu

Fiji played host for the 2016 OFC Futsal Championship, the Oceania qualifier for the 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup which would be held in Colombia.

The Kurukuru’s victory placed them three points ahead of runners-up New Zealand, a lead they held onto for the remainder of the competition to earn them their fifth regional title.

RESULTS The 11th edition of the competition had six participating teams with each of them hoping to unseat the reigning champions Solomon Islands.

With four consecutive regional titles behind them, the Kurukuru were the team to beat but had a lot of competition this time around, following great growth in the game over the past four years.

The biggest threat to the Solomon Islands maintaining the title were New Zealand who put a lot of time and effort into this campaign.

The round-robin competition was neck-and-neck between

44

WINNERS

SOLOMON ISLANDS

(SOL)

RUNNERS-UP

NEW ZEALAND

(NZL)

THIRD

TAHITI

(TAH)

FOURTH

VANUATU

(VAN)

AWARDS GOLDEN BALL

Elliot RAGOMO

(SOL)

GOLDEN BOOT

George STEVENSON

(SOL)

GOLDEN GLOVES

Anthony TALO

(SOL)

FAIRPLAY

TAHITI

(TAH)

OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

2016

FIFA FUTSAL WORLD CUP 10 September - 1 October / Colombia The Solomon Islands Kurukuru represented the Oceania region with pride and humility in the 8th edition of the futsal world cup in Colombia after winning the 2016 OFC Futsal Championship in February.

The Kurukuru didn’t go into the competition without worthy preparation, taking on futsal giants Brazil in a friendly match days before their opening match.

When their official campaign got underway in a competitive Group E, the Kurukuru managed to hold the 19thranked Costa Rica to just a 1-0 lead at half-time. However, the Costa Ricans came back fighting in the second half, securing three more goals. Two late goals closed the margin for the Kurukuru to close out the match with a 4-2 loss.

The Kurukuru had to step things up in their second match as they took on world number four Argentina in their second group match. They managed to get three goals on the board, but the South Americans proved too tough an opponent as they put seven past the Oceania champions.

Solomon Island’s 10-0 loss to Kazakhstan ended their FIFA Futsal World Cup campaign but the Kurukuru returned home proud of their efforts in a very challenging pool, securing some impressive goals against some challenging opponents.

SOLOMON ISLANDS REPRESENTED OFC GROUP STAGE

vs. COSTA RICA

2-4

GROUP STAGE

vs. ARGENTINA

3-7

GROUP STAGE

vs. KAZAKHSTAN

0-10

Final Ranking

12

(16)

GOAL SCORERS Elliot RAGOMO

2

Jeffery BULE

2

Coleman MAKAU

1

45

OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

2016

OFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 13-26 January / Auckland, New Zealand Participating Teams Auckland City FC (NZL), Team Wellington (NZL), AS Tefana (TAH), AS Magenta (NCL), AS Lossi (NCL),

Both 2015 finalists, Auckland City FC and Team Wellington of New Zealand, topped their respective groups with three wins from three, as did New Caledonia club AS Magenta.

Hekari United (PNG), Lae City Dwellers (PNG), Nadi FC (FIJ), Suva (FIJ), Amicale FC (VAN), Solomon Warriors (SOL), Kiwi FC (SAM) The 15th edition of OFC’s premier international club championship, and 10th edition under the OFC Champions League name, was hosted in New Zealand at QBE Stadium in Auckland.

The two-week long competition saw 12 teams compete in three groups for a place in the semi-final, with the top finishers in each group to be joined by the best-second placed side.

As always the high-stakes competition drew plenty of interest. Debutant side Lae City Dwellers came close to causing an upset against Auckland City and Amicale and Hekari United put in some strong performances too.

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Joining the trio in the semi-finals were Tahiti’s AS Tefana who lost 4-2 to Magenta in the group stage. Tefana had finished the group stage on six points - the same as Hekari United and Amicale - but a much superior goal difference to their opponents saw them progress.

Having to face the defending champions in the semi-final unfortunately meant the Tahitian’s title dreams were short lived.

Solomon Islands’ international Micah Lea’alafa earned Auckland City an early lead when he scored in the seventh minute but AS Tefana fought back to equalise three minutes later.

Auckland lifted the intensity and dominated for the remaining 80 minutes, scoring three more goals and conceding via a penalty, to progress to the final with a 4-2 victory.

OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

2016

The semi-final between Team Wellington and AS Magenta was much closer competition, with neither side able to gain an advantage in the first half.

the final in front of a 1500-strong crowd at QBE Stadium.

Lea’alafa caught the Wellingtonians unawares to score just two minutes into the final to give his side the edge.

It fell to Team Wellington’s Tom Jackson to open the scoring in the 74th minute followed by a successfully taken penalty three minutes later which saw Team Wellington win 2-0 and set up an all-New Zealand final for the second year running.

Auckland City dominated possession although it wasn’t until the second half when they wrapped up the title. Clayton Lewis extended his side’s lead further before Lea’alafa’s brace sealed the 3-0 win.

The heavy rivalry between the sides was evident during

Auckland City’s sixth consecutive OFC Champions League title, and seventh overall saw them continue their run as the most successful club in Oceania history.

RESULTS WINNERS

AUCKLAND CITY FC

(NZL)

RUNNERS-UP

TEAM WELLINGTON

(NZL)

THIRD

AS MAGENTA

(NCL)

FOURTH

AS TEFANA

(TAH)

AWARDS GOLDEN BALL

Micah LEA’ALAFA

AUCKLAND CITY

GOLDEN BOOT

Joao MOREIRA

AUCKLAND CITY

GOLDEN GLOVES

Scott BASALAJ

TEAM WELLINGTON

FAIRPLAY

HEKARI UNITED

(PNG)

47

OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

48

2016

OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

2016

FIFA CLUB WORLD CUP 8-18 December / Japan

Auckland City’s sixth consecutive appearance at the FIFA Club World Cup was an historic one for the side despite being unable to progress past J.League champions and eventual runners-up Kashima Antlers.

In the second-half a superbly-timed free-kick from Tade found Dae-Wook Kim inside the box and the defender headed home past Sogahata to put the OFC Champions League winners in the lead.

In what was the 100th Club World Cup fixture, the match also became the first in which video assistance was used to support referees with match-changing decisions in a FIFA competition.

Kashima became more determined than ever to press ahead and although Darren White did well to head clear an otherwise goal but in the 67th minute Ryota Nagaki cut back cut back to pick out Shuhei Akasaki for the equaliser.

It was a tough one for the Oceania club champions with the host club’s fans giving relentless support to their side as Kashima Antlers enjoyed a lion’s share of possession in the first-half. Although they were putting pressure on Auckland, it was the New Zealand side who had the first clear-cut chance.

The match looked to be heading for extra-time before Mu Kanazaki grabbed a dramatic late winner with a closerange header to secure the win and passage to the next round of the tournament.

Ryan De Vries delivered a cross from the left, finding Joao Moreira inside the area who flicked the ball on for Emiliano Tade, but the Argentinian’s low strike was met by goalkeeper Hotoshi Sogahata.

A couple of fanciful first-half efforts from Kashima were denied by the in-form Enuat Zubikarai.

AUCKLAND CITY FC REPRESENTED OFC GROUP STAGE

vs. KASHIMA ANTLERS

1-2

FINAL RANKING

7

(7)

GOAL SCORERS Dae-Wook KIM

1

49

OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

2016

OFC NATIONS CUP FIFA World Cup Russia ™ Qualifier OFC Stage 2 28 May - 11 June / Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Participating Teams Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Vanuatu

The 10th edition of the region’s premier competition was hosted by Papua New Guinea, providing perfect practice for the nation in the build-up to hosting the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup.

A penalty in New Zealand’s favour in the 61st minute put a dampener on Fiji’s plans as captain Chris Wood was on-target, giving New Zealand a 3-1 win and three important points.

The OFC Nations Cup brought the best senior men’s football to the nation’s capital, and with qualification for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup up for grabs alongside the regional title fans could guarantee a roller-coaster of thrilling, entertaining football.

The Group Stage of the tournament only grew more competitive as the competition progressed with Papua New Guinea pushing their Group A opponents to the limit in an exciting rise of fortunes for the home side.

The tournament kicked off with hot favourites New Zealand taking on Fiji in the opening Group B clash. New Zealand held a comfortable 2-0 lead in the last minutes of the first half, but a penalty converted by Roy Krishna in the second minute of additional time closed the gap and gave Fiji hope for the second half.

50

As Group A closed, the hosts were locked on five points along with New Caledonia and Tahiti, with the goals scored against Stage 1 winners Samoa proving the difference.

Tahiti didn’t lose a single group match, but trailing three goals behind New Caledonia meant they would be leaving

OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

Papua New Guinea early, to work on their game plan for Stage 3.

2016

Fiji’s OFC Nations Cup campaign also came to an early end, but they were able to stay in the World Cup qualifying race after finishing third in their group.

New Caledonia and Group A winners Papua New Guinea continued on to the knockout stage.

The semi-finals were an equally tight race.

Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji all finished up with three points in Group, behind leaders New Zealand. Vanuatu was unfortunate to just slip out of contention for Stage 3, trailing three goals behind Fiji in goal difference.

Chris Wood put up a decent free kick which the New Caledonia keeper looked to have under control, only to let it slip through his fingers. The one goal lead was all New Zealand needed to progress through to the final.

The semi-final between two Melanesian sides - Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands - was another thriller.

Solomon Islands to equalise with a goal from Judd Molea in the 41st minute.

A 38th minute goal left Papua New Guinea brimming with confidence in the last minutes of the first half, allowing

Neither side seemed capable of getting the edge in the second half until the dying minutes when Nigel Dabingy-

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OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

2016

aba found the back of the net to see Papua New Guinea through to the OFC Nations Cup final for the first time ever.

The climactic final had spectators on the edge of their seats as New Zealand and Papua New Guinea went back and forth in what proved to be a battle of tactics and stamina.

The scoreless draw at full-time, and extra time meant the final of the OFC Nations Cup would be decided in a penalty shootout.

Veteran All White Rory Fallon was first upl sinking his effort with ease. Koriak Upaiga stepped up for Papua New Guinea and although he was on-target, goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic stopped the shot.

Suspense rose as Papua New Guinea held out for a New Zealand miss, which came when New Zealand’s fourth-inline Jeremy Brockie sent his attempt wide.

A miss from the normally unflappable Raymond Gunemba meant the weight of winning fell on the broad shoulders 54

of Marco Rojas.

Despite enormous pressure, Rojas calmly slotted the ball past Ronald Warisan to secure the 2016 OFC Nations Cup title and tickets to the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup Russia.

RESULTS WINNERS

NEW ZEALAND

(NZL)

RUNNERS-UP

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

(PNG)

THIRD

NEW CALEDONIA

(NCL)

FOURTH

SOLOMON ISLANDS

(SOL)

AWARDS GOLDEN BALL

David MUTA

(PNG)

GOLDEN BOOT

Raymond GUNEMBA

(PNG)

GOLDEN GLOVES

Stefan MARINOVIC

(NZL)

FAIRPLAY

NEW CALEDONIA

(NCL)

OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

2016

OFC U-20 CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIER 21-27 June / Tonga

Participating Teams Tonga, Samoa, American Samoa, Cook Islands

The OFC U-20 Championship Qualifier kicked off in Tonga in June, as a round robin tournament to determine which side from Tonga, Samoa, American Samoa and Cook Islands would continue through to the OFC U-20 Championship hosted by Vanuatu in September.

The efforts in the four competing countries to develop football certainly showed in competition, with very little separating the sides.

A draw between Cook Islands and Tonga in the opening match set up a tight race for top spot. Mixed results for the three leading sides followed with Tonga’s 1-1 draw with American Samoa coming as a shock. Meanwhile the 1-0 victory for Cook Islands over Samoa gave them an edge going into the final day of action.

A hat-trick for Cook Islands striker Dwayne Tiputoa in his side’s 5-0 win over American Samoa took him to five goals in three games and left Cook Islands waiting on the results of the final match to determine their place in the standings.

The second hat-trick of the day was in order in the final match but a triple for Hemaloto Polovili wasn’t enough for Tonga as Samoa matched them 3-3 to see Cook Islands claim their place in the OFC U-20 Championship.

RESULTS WINNERS

COOK ISLANDS

(COK)

RUNNERS-UP

SAMOA

(SAM)

THIRD

TONGA

(TGA)

FOURTH

AMERICAN SAMOA

(ASA)

55

OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

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2016

OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

2016

OFC U-20 CHAMPIONSHIP 13-26 January / Port Vila & Luganville, Vanuatu Participating Teams Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Vanuatu

The 2016 edition of the OFC U-20 Championship was hosted across two venues in Vanuatu, Port Vila and Luganville, as eight teams including preliminary winners Cook Islands and 2014 champions Fiji took to the field in the hopes of securing the regional title.

With two berths at the FIFA U-20 World Cup Korea Republic 2017 also up for grabs, the stakes were higher than ever for the participating nations.

For Group A in Port Vila, a place in the semi-finals wasn’t easy to come by. Vanuatu delighted in front of the home fans, notching three straight wins to claim top of the group. Defending champions Fiji bowed out after two draws and a loss allowed New Caledonia to slide ahead of them in the standings.

minutes as the Kiwis came from behind to claim a 3-1 victory.

Over in Group B New Zealand were expected to top the group with ease upon their return to U-20 regional action.

A Myer Bevan hat-trick set them on track in their opening 3-0 win over Cook Islands, while Tahiti and Solomon Islands were locked in a 2-2 draw.

It wasn’t until a very late strike - in the fourth minute of additional time - that Vanuatu were able to take the lead and secure progression to the final and with it a spot at their first FIFA tournament.

Next up for the Kiwis was Tahiti and although the French Polynesians took the lead, New Zealand hit back with four of their own to set up a telling final match against Solomon Islands.

An exciting match ensued with the Melanesians matching their favoured opponents play-for-play to secure a point and a place in the semi-finals alongside them.

New Zealand welcomed New Caledonia to Luganville for their semi-final while Solomon Islands flew south to the capital for their semi-final against the hosts.

Vanuatu and Solomon Islands proved much harder to separate with a goal each in the first half extending the deadlock into the second.

New Zealand made relatively easy work of their opponents in the final, who had already achieved their goal with passage to Korea Republic 2017, going on to earn a 5-0 victory in front of a full house at Port Vila Stadium.

RESULTS WINNERS

NEW ZEALAND

(NZL)

RUNNERS-UP

VANUATU

(VAN)

THIRD

SOLOMON ISLANDS

(SOL)

FOURTH

NEW CALEDONIA

(NCL)

An early lead to New Caledonia had the respective coaches on the edge of their benches, however they couldn’t hold off the experienced New Zealanders for the full 90

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OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

58

2016

OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

2016

OFC U-17 CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFER 2-8 July / Samoa Participating Teams Samoa, Cook Islands, Tonga, American Samoa

Four nations entered the OFC U-17 Championship Qualifier, hosted by Samoa, each hoping to extend their FIFA U-17 World Cup campaign.

American Samoa’s arrival in Samoa was delayed due to unforeseen circumstances which led to the first Match Day being postponed.

The delay had little effect on the Cook Islands and Samoa as they both posted opening wins.

However a 3-1 loss to American Samoa for Cook Islands, and a 1-1 draw between Tonga and Samoa on day two meant results would rely heavily on the outcome of the final day of action.

Tonga posted their first win with a 2-0 victory over American Samoa settling the two sides into the bottom half of the table.

The final match saw Samoa and Cook Islands both going for that final berth, with the home side scoring two goals in additional time of the second half to secure a 2-0 win and with it, tickets to Tahiti 2017.

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OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

2016

2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ Qualifiers – OFC Stage 3 7-15 November / Tahiti, Solomon Islands, New Zealand, New Caledonia

Participating Teams

The battle for Group B was the first to kick off, with Solomon Islands meeting Tahiti at Stade Pater on 7 November.

Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands,

The French Polynesian side secured a 1-0 win at home, but that later became a 3-0 win after Solomon Islands were penalised for fielding an ineligible player.

Tahiti, New Zealand, New Caledonia,

Following the qualification of six teams from the OFC Nations Cup, which doubled as the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ Qualifiers - OFC Stage 2, the first round of Stage 3 took place in the next available international window.

Two home-and-away matches were played between New Zealand and New Caledonia in Group A, and Solomon Islands and Tahiti in Group B. Group A’s Fiji and Group B’s Papua New Guinea had byes for the first round of the qualifier, and will join their pools in clashes when Stage 3 resumes in March 2017.

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The return match on 13 November in Honiara finished in Solomon’s favour. The two sides were scoreless until the second minute of additional time when Solomon Islands’ Emmanuel Poila found the net just a few seconds before the full-time whistle sounded.

Both Tahiti and Solomon Islands are sitting on three points, but the two additional goals awarded to Tahiti following the first match against Solomon Islands, placed them at the top of the table.

OFC ACTIVITY REPORT

Group B kicked off on 12 November with New Caledonia travelling to Auckland to face the All Whites. Marco Rojas secured the win for New Zealand, opening the scoring late in the first half and increasing their lead with another goal in the 72nd minute.

2016

sides met again on 15 November in Kone.

New Zealand finished the first round with four points on the table, leaving room for Fiji to launch a strong bid when Stage 3 returned in March 2017.

New Zealand were unable to get another goal on the sheet for the remainder of the two-legged clash, with New Caledonia holding them to a scoreless draw when the two

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2016

FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 13 November - 3 December / Papua New Guinea

In a milestone for Papua New Guinea football, the nation hosted their first FIFA tournament in November, welcoming the world’s best U-20 women’s teams to Port Moresby for the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. As hosts, Papua New Guinea were given automatic entry and participated in the competition alongside OFC U-20 women’s champions New Zealand.

In Group A, Papua New Guinea faced Brazil, Sweden and eventual winners Korea DPR. Performing at the highest level they’ve ever encountered proved a tough ask of the young side who had spent the previous 12 months in near full-time camp in Garoka preparing for the competition.

Although they struggled to match their more experienced opponents, losing 9-0 and 6-0 to Brazil and Sweden, the side delighted fans when they took on eventual tournament winners Korea DPR in their final group match.

A stunning show of brilliance from Nicollete Ageva saw her put the ball in the back of the net to score Papua New Guinea’s first goal in a world cup tournament.

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Not only was it an historic moment for Ageva and her teammates, but for Papua New Guinea football.

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The event also proved a perfect showcase for Papua New Guinea culture with the off-field activities and social responsibility campaigns garnering just as much media

In Group C, New Zealand prepared for difficult games against Ghana, the United States, and tournament runners-up France.

The opening match against Ghana proved a battle of wills which New Zealand won late in the game when Tayla Christensen nailed an 89th minute winner.

It was even less straightforward against USA who had a 2-0 lead within the first 10 minutes of the match. New Zealand fought hard but could only manage one goal before USA sealed the victory with their third.

Everything came down to the wire for all four sides in Group C as only a few points separated the sides going into the final match.

attention as the football.

NEW ZEALAND GROUP STAGE

vs GHANA

1-0

GROUP STAGE

vs USA

1-3

GROUP STAGE

vs FRANCE

0-2

FINAL RANKING

12

(16)

GOALSCORERS Tayla CHRISTENSEN

1

Isabella COOMBES

1

PAPUA NEW GUINEA New Zealand left nothing on the field against France, but the European side made the most of their attempts on goal to defeat New Zealand 2-0.

Both Papua New Guinea and New Zealand ended their FIFA U-20 World Cup campaign in the Group Stage but the performances of both teams were evidence of the strides in development of the women’s game occurring across the Oceania region.

GROUP STAGE

vs BRAZIL

0-9

GROUP STAGE

vs SWEDEN

0-6

GROUP STAGE

vs KOREA DPR

7-1

FINAL RANKING

16

(16)

GOALSCORERS Nicolleta AGEVA

1

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FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup Volunteer Legacy

VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME With a focus on increasing employability and creating female role models, the volunteer programme, as part of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea, engaged over 1,000 volunteers to support the delivery of events and activities.

setting and life skills training in health and hygiene, financial management and communication.

As part of the training, volunteers were engaged in a workshop on ending violence, linking to the #ENDviolence campaign being run during tournament.

The FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup was the ideal platform to develop and enhance the capacity of these unemployed young people.

FIFA, in partnership with OFC, UNICEF, UN Women, the Urban Youth Employment Project, the Australian High Commission, and the US Embassy in Port Moresby, developed a platform where young people could gain first-hand skills and experience.

Young people from 20 settlements in Port Moresby were engaged in a three-month training and work experience programme, which has given them hands-on work experience, exposure to a workplace

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#ENDviolence

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JUST PLAY More than 28,200 children had their first go at the OFC Just Play Programme in 2016 as it branched out into new continents and introduced new initiatives with the support of its ever-growing family of staff, volunteers, and partners.

EMERGENCY PROGRAMME Following the devastation of Tropical Cyclone Winston across Fiji in March, the OFC Just Play Emergency Programme was refined and delivered by the OFC Social Responsibility department in collaboration with UNICEF Pacific.

The programme supports the delivery of critical information to children and families in areas affected by natural disasters.

Using messages on coping and recovering from emergencies, food safety, nutrition, hand washing and post emergency safety and security, children learned through play, how to keep themselves and

their families’ safe in the wake of a natural disaster.

The Just Play Emergency Programme delivered activities in the 12 most affected regions of Fiji, achieving excellent results for the period of March to November 2016.

“To once again see the hard work of all those involved in the Just Play Programme, from content developers to coordinators to volunteers on the ground, recognised for the important contribution they are making to children’s lives is amazing,” OFC President David Chung said.

“Our objective with this programme was always to make a difference in the lives of children across the Pacific and to be there for them providing a programme that will add a little bit of joy to their lives during such a difficult and trying time is very important to us as an organisation, and as humans.”

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UEFA FOUNDATION FOR CHILDREN The UEFA Foundation for Children invited the Just Play Project Managers to Paris during the Euro 2016 to showcase the work the foundation supports in the Pacific.

Project Managers from six countries - Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu also took part in a week-long workshop during the trip.

The UEFA Foundation for Children and the Australian Embassy launched a photo exhibition showcasing the OFC Just Play Programme in Paris.

The exhibition, “Improving Children’s Lives Through Football”, combined images of children engaged in Just Play activities with short captions explaining its link to one of the six social messages which form the foundation of the Just Play Programme.

Through the exhibition, the positive impact of the OFC Just Play Programme using football as a tool for social development was showcased.

Australian Ambassador to UNESCO in Paris, George Mina, presented the exhibition.

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UEFA FOUNDATION AWARD

BEYOND SPORT AWARD

In June 2016, the OFC Just Play Programme received the 2016 UEFA Foundation for Children award in recognition for the work it does in improving the lives of children in the Pacific through football.

OFC was nominated for a second award in October 2016, this time the OFC Just Play Emergency Programme was shortlisted for the Beyond Sport Innovation Award.

Just Play was one of five global projects which were recognised in the first UEFA Foundation for Children Awards.

The category recognises a programme that is innovative in its approach. Just Play nominated for its paper-based and digital monitoring and evaluation platform which had been created to measure the impact of the Just Play Emergency Programme.

Teachers and community volunteers collected direct participant information through attendance registers and programme pre- and post-questionnaires.

Coordinators collected information on the impact of festivals, stories of change, conducted one-on-one interviews with key informants and facilitated focus group discussions with children using tablets and a mobile digital data collection tool.

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INDIA The word got out on the tremendous impact the OFC Just Play Programme has had in the Pacific attracting interest which saw it strech into new continents in 2016.

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have been trained to deliver Just Play sessions.

Following the success of the pilot, the programme will slowly continue to expand across these two Indian states with a potential to reach over 20,000 children in India by 2018.

Football Federation Australia and the Australian Government have supported Just Play since its launch in 2009, and they became the perfect bridge for intercontinental expansion.

Since entering the Asian Football Confederation, FFA have established a strong relationship with the All India Football Federation (AIFF), and at the FFA suggestion, OFC agreed to support the proposal to expand Just Play into India.

A pilot was launched in the states of Kerala and Maharashtra in 2016. A Just Play Project Manager was trained in Kerala and a Project Manager and Assistant Project Manager were also trained by OFC in Maharashtra.

Just Play was the only programme allowed to operate in the city council schools of Mumbai during school hours and 22 Instructors and 43 teachers 75