The Fiji Young Kulas are set to make history as they take the field in Colombia tomorrow, becoming the first Fijian women’s team to participate in a FIFA World Cup event. Coached by Angeline Chua, the team will face the formidable Brazil at Estadio Atanasio Girardot in Medellín.
The Young Kulas have a challenging start, being drawn in Group B alongside France, Canada, and Brazil. Assistant coach Annette Nainima expressed mixed feelings of excitement and nerves as the team prepares for this momentous occasion. “For most of them, they usually just watch the Under-20 Women’s World Cup on TV and cheer for their favorite teams. Now, to play against Brazil and Canada is something significant for them,” she stated.
Fiji’s journey to the World Cup began in October after FIFA expanded the U-20 Women’s World Cup format from 16 to 24 teams. The team earned a spot by finishing as runners-up to New Zealand in the 2023 OFC U-19 Women’s Championship held in July. Initially, only one team from the Oceania Football Confederation could qualify, but the expansion allowed Fiji to join New Zealand in Colombia.
Nainima noted the tremendous support from their federation back home, with excitement shown by their CEO, who ensured the team received the best preparations possible. The squad underwent rigorous preparations, including a training camp in Canberra, and participated in pre-tournament friendlies in the United States and Costa Rica.
This experience has been enlightening for the team. “We were able to observe different playing styles from various teams worldwide,” Nainima explained. She added that the players were surprised by the extensive support systems of other teams, such as the number of coaches and staff compared to their own small contingent.
Most of the Young Kulas are based in Fiji and have experience with the senior squad from this year’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Recently, the team also incorporated players from the Fijian diaspora in the U.S., including 15-year-old goalkeeper Aliana Vakaloloma and Fullerton Titans’ player Talei Moodie.
Nainima acknowledged the importance of integrating new team members, particularly with Moodie being one of the last to join. However, there were no concerns as Moodie quickly blended in with the team. “We were surprised to see how well she connected with the others right from the airport, as if they had known each other for a long time,” she noted.
Fiji’s first match of the World Cup is against Brazil at 11 AM on Sunday, September 1, followed by games against Canada at 1 PM on Wednesday, September 4, and France at 10 AM on Saturday, September 7, all in Fiji time.