Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands are set to kick off their qualifying campaign for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Suva tomorrow, as the group stage begins at HFC Bank Stadium.
This marks a historic moment for the Oceania region, as it has one guaranteed spot for qualification, along with an additional chance to compete in the FIFA Intercontinental Playoff.
With high stakes, the top teams in Pacific football are motivated by the possibility of representing their nations on a global stage. Match Day 3 will take place in Suva before the action relocates to Papua New Guinea for Match Days 4 and 5 in November. Fiji hopes to leverage the support of a passionate home crowd during their match against the Solomon Islands, a formidable opponent in recent encounters.
Coach Rob Sherman expressed hopes for a strong turnout to rally the players. “It would be great if a big crowd turns up to get behind the lads,” he said, acknowledging the challenge posed by the Solomon Islands.
The Solomon Islands, alongside Papua New Guinea, recently appointed a new coach in pursuit of better qualification prospects. Australian Josh Smith, despite limited preparation, is optimistic about his team’s potential. “I think with the pool of players that Solomon Islands has, we’re very blessed to have a strong group to pick from,” Smith noted.
In the afternoon fixture, Papua New Guinea’s new coach, Felipe Vega-Arango, shared his exclusive focus on the immediate match, emphasizing the unpredictability of football. “This is a new starting point for us. We need to be strong, we need to be humble, and the fans need to understand that there is a process,” he said.
New Caledonia, while determined, faces challenges due to a lack of recent game time, having withdrawn from the OFC Men’s Nations Cup in June. Coach Johann Sidaner remains hopeful, stating that despite the preparation hurdles, his team is ready for the upcoming match.
“The preparation hasn’t been at the level we would have liked, but we’re here and ready to participate,” Sidaner remarked.