The Fiji Young Kulas are set to make history as they prepare to compete in Colombia, becoming the first-ever 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.
Their inaugural match will be a challenging one, as they are placed in Group B alongside France, Canada, and Brazil. Assistant coach Annette Nainima expressed the mixed feelings of excitement and nervousness that the team is experiencing. “For most of them, they’ve only watched the Women Under-20 World Cup on TV and cheered for their favorite teams. Now, playing against a team like Brazil and Canada is a significant opportunity for them,” she remarked.
Fiji’s journey to the World Cup began last October when FIFA expanded the U-20 Women’s World Cup from 16 to 24 teams. The Fijian side secured their spot by finishing as runners-up to New Zealand in the 2023 OFC U-19 Women’s Championship in July. When there was initially only one available position for OFC teams in the World Cup, the tournament expansion allowed Fiji to join New Zealand in Colombia.
“We received tremendous support from our federation back home,” said Nainima. The team has been well-prepared for the tournament, having undergone a rigorous training camp in Canberra, as well as friendly matches in the United States and Costa Rica prior to arriving in Colombia. Nainima described this experience as an “eye-opening” education for the players, exposing them to various playing styles from different regions.
“It was a shock for the girls to see the scale of coaching and support that teams have abroad. Coming from Fiji with just a small support staff, witnessing these setups was quite significant for us,” Nainima noted.
The majority of the Young Kulas players are based in Fiji, with many integrating into the senior squad for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament earlier this year. Additionally, the team has included players from the Fijian diaspora in the U.S., such as 15-year-old goalkeeper Aliana Vakaloloma and Fullerton Titans’ player Talei Moodie, who recently joined the squad.
Nainima shared that integrating new players like Moodie was a concern, but it turned out to be seamless. “When we met her at the airport, the girls immediately connected with her. It was as if they had known each other for a long time, singing and sharing stories,” she said.
Fiji’s first World Cup match against Brazil will take place at 11 AM on Sunday, September 1. Following that, the team will face Canada at 1 PM on Wednesday, September 4, and conclude their group stage with a match against France at 10 AM on Saturday, September 7, all in Fiji time.