World Cup spots on the line as OFC U-19 Women’s Championship set to start

The OFC U-19 Women’s Championship in Tahiti will determine which two teams qualify for next year’s FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland. Defending champions New Zealand are under pressure as other teams, such as New Caledonia, have shown they can challenge them at recent youth tournaments.

New Zealand head coach Callum Holmes acknowledged the rising competition and emphasized the importance of continuous improvement and strong habits for his team. New Zealand is placed in Group B alongside New Caledonia, Vanuatu, and hosts Tahiti, with their opening match scheduled against Tahiti on Tuesday NZT.

Tahiti’s coach, Raimana Bu-Luc, expressed excitement about competing at home and stated that while facing New Zealand is a challenge, their primary goal is to reach the semi-finals.

In Group A, Fiji, who made their FIFA U-20 World Cup debut last year, aim to qualify again under coach Angeline Chua. The group also includes the Cook Islands and Tonga, with Samoa having withdrawn. The tournament opener will feature the Cook Islands against Tonga, followed by Fiji’s entry later in the week.

Vanuatu, who narrowly missed the semi-finals in the recent OFC Women’s Nations Cup but impressed with their style, are eager to advance further under U-19 coach Joel Rarua.