Soccer OFC: Kiribati is an OFC member and has an amateur league but has not played since 2011

In this article we will analyze how football develops on this small island in Oceania.

Writer by Sports & News Continental | From New Zealand, OFC

#Episode2 OFC MEMBER'S SOCCER ANALYSIS

Kiribati, a sovereign republic, is a story of adaptation to a unique environment. The islands were inhabited by Micronesian peoples for over 2,000 years before the arrival of Europeans in 1765. The islands of Kiribati were at the center of intense battles in World War II, especially on Tarawa. The nation is unique in being the only country in the world with islands in all four hemispheres. Currently, it faces the threat of one of the planet's greatest geopolitical problems: rising sea levels.

The national team competed in the 2003 Pacific Games in Fiji, where they suffered heavy defeats. Their biggest defeat was an 18-0 loss to Vanuatu.

The Kiribati national team competed in the 2011 Pacific Games, held in New Caledonia. At the time, the team was led by Scottish coach Kevin McGreskin and played in Group B, alongside Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Tuvalu, and Tahiti. They ultimately failed to score, but their participation was a milestone, as it was one of the team's last official matches.

The football league in Kiribati is formally known as the Kiribati National Championship and is the country's main competition, although it is played on an amateur basis and intermittently.

The league is organized by the Kiribati Islands Football Federation (KIFF). Due to the country's geographic and environmental conditions, the championship is played on sand pitches and there is no fixed annual calendar.

Venue: Bairiki National Stadium, South Tarawa (500)

The clubs participating in the league are formed by local communities or villages:

BTC

Coral Ace FC

Easyway FC

KKAB FC

Moel FC

Punjas FC

SB Lyke It

ST Ikinatio

TKT FC

Australian rules football and volleyball are often cited as the most popular sports. Weightlifting is also a popular sport.

Initiatives such as the OFC's, with FIFA's support, to add regional content to FIFA+ and also the possible creation of the OFC Professional League will professionalize the region's elite and consequently bring the spotlight to countries where football is still.

In short, while football has a history of participating in the Pacific Games and active OFC membership, they are not far behind in taking the next step, which would be full membership and formalizing the league. They are close to participating in the 2028 OFC Nations Cup qualifiers, and their experience in the Pacific Games, combined with their many years of OFC membership, are a major asset.