Vanuatu international striker Alex Saniel has returned to Australian football after completing a mid-season move to Caroline Springs George Cross.
The 29-year-old joins the Melbourne-based club following an outstanding campaign with Vanuatu United FC in the inaugural OFC Pro League, where he finished as the competition’s leading scorer with 11 goals.
Saniel’s move was completed in time for him to make his George Cross debut against Heidelberg United on Friday night. The forward started on the bench and was introduced in the 63rd minute, replacing Hamid Jalloh, as the two sides played out a goalless draw at Olympic Village.
The match formed part of the 22nd round of the NPL Victoria season and provided Saniel with his first minutes in one of Australia’s strongest state competitions.
Caroline Springs George Cross competes in NPL Victoria, the highest level of state football in Victoria and part of Australia’s National Premier Leagues system, below the professional A-League Men. The Georgies returned to the Victorian top flight in 2026 after earning promotion from VPL 1.
Saniel arrives in Melbourne after becoming one of the central figures of Oceania’s first professional football competition. He scored the first goal in OFC Pro League history when Vanuatu United opened its campaign with a 2-2 draw against Bula FC at Eden Park.
The striker remained Vanuatu United’s main attacking threat throughout the season. His goals helped the Chiefs progress through the Challengers Group and reach the semi-finals, where their campaign was ended by eventual champions South Melbourne FC.
Among Saniel’s most important performances was a late double in Vanuatu United’s 3-1 victory over PNG Hekari FC. He ended the competition with 11 goals and received the Golden Boot following the final at Eden Park.
The transfer represents a return to Australia for Saniel. He previously played for Northern Demons in South Australia during the 2024 season, scoring 10 goals in 19 appearances and finishing as the club’s joint leading scorer in State League Two.
Saniel later returned to Vanuatu and joined iCount Yatel FC. He became an important part of the Port Vila club’s attack and helped the side win the Vanuatu Made Shield before carrying his scoring form into the domestic league.
His performances also earned him another opportunity with the Vanuatu national team. Saniel was part of the squad that won the 2025 MSG Prime Minister’s Cup in Papua New Guinea, scoring in the final as Vanuatu drew 2-2 with the hosts before claiming the title in a penalty shootout.
The experienced forward has also played club football in Fiji and New Zealand. He represented Lautoka and Suva in the Fiji Premier League and was part of the Suva team that reached the 2023 OFC Champions League final in Port Vila.
Saniel scored against Auckland City in the title decider, although Suva eventually suffered a 4-2 defeat after extra time.
Caroline Springs George Cross head coach Eric Vassiliadis believes the Vanuatu international’s experience and recent goalscoring record can strengthen the team during the closing stages of the season.
“We are delighted to finally have Alex with us. His record speaks for itself, and winning the OFC Pro League Golden Boot is a fantastic achievement. We know he will add quality to the squad and look forward to seeing him make an impact,” Vassiliadis said.
After receiving his first minutes against Heidelberg United, Saniel will now look to establish himself in the George Cross attack and transfer his OFC Pro League goalscoring form to NPL Victoria.
Fiji’s strong campaign was not enough to stop New Zealand, as the Junior All Whites produced another dominant performance to win the OFC U-16 Men’s Championship final 5-0 at the PNG Football Stadium in Port Moresby.
The final confirmed the challenge Fiji were expected to face against the tournament favourites. Sunil Kumar’s side had reached the decider without conceding a goal, but that defensive record lasted less than two minutes against New Zealand’s attacking quality.
Zach Cashmore opened the scoring after only 90 seconds, meeting a corner at the near post and directing his header into the net. It was New Zealand’s earliest goal in an OFC U-16 final and immediately placed Fiji in a position they had avoided throughout the competition.
Fiji had built their run to the final around defensive organisation and discipline. They defeated New Caledonia 2-0, Samoa 5-0 and hosts Papua New Guinea 3-0 to finish top of Group A before overcoming Solomon Islands on penalties in the semi-finals.
However, containing New Zealand represented a different level of difficulty. Martin Bullock’s team had scored at least three goals in every match before the final and once again showed why they remain the dominant force in youth football across Oceania.
New Zealand controlled possession after the early opener and continued to force Fiji deeper. The second goal arrived in the 36th minute when Fiji failed to clear the ball from their penalty area, allowing Davi Valles Dos Santos to finish and double the advantage.
Any remaining Fijian hopes of recovering were effectively ended in first-half stoppage time. Cashmore was again involved, with his delivery deflecting off defender Somit Maharaj and into the net for an own goal.
At 3-0 by the interval, New Zealand had already placed one hand on the trophy. Fiji attempted to respond after the break and Ryan Swami sent one of their best opportunities over the crossbar following a corner, but they were unable to place sustained pressure on the New Zealand defence.
The Junior All Whites continued to use their squad depth and maintained their intensity despite holding a comfortable advantage.
Substitute Jack Clegg made an immediate impact after entering the match, taking advantage of another defensive mistake inside the Fiji penalty area and scoring New Zealand’s fourth goal in the 76th minute.
Four minutes later, Clegg intercepted a loose pass and supplied Valles Dos Santos, who completed his brace and the 5-0 victory.
The defeat was a difficult conclusion for Fiji after an otherwise successful tournament. The Junior Bula Boys had won all three of their group matches without conceding and qualified for the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2027 after defeating Solomon Islands in the semi-final shootout.
Nevertheless, the final demonstrated the distance that still separates New Zealand from their closest regional challengers at this age level. Fiji were organised enough to stop every previous opponent in Papua New Guinea, but they could not contain the speed, movement and depth available to Bullock’s team.
It was Fiji’s third appearance in an OFC U-16 Men’s Championship final and another defeat against New Zealand, who had also beaten them 3-1 when the teams contested the 2024 decider.
For New Zealand, the victory secured a record-extending 12th continental title and an 11th consecutive triumph in the competition. The Junior All Whites completed the tournament with five wins from five matches, scoring at least three times in each one.
Both finalists will now turn their attention towards the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2027 in Qatar. Fiji can leave Port Moresby with a historic qualification place and confirmation that they are among Oceania’s strongest emerging youth sides, but the regional trophy remains firmly in New Zealand’s hands.
Fiji 0–5 New Zealand
Goals: Zach Cashmore 2’, Davi Valles Dos Santos 36’, 81’, Somit Maharaj own goal 45+1’, Jack Clegg 76’
Rewa FC have completed one of their most intriguing signings ahead of the 2026 OFC Men’s Champions League, bringing New Caledonia international Joseph Athale to Fiji from professional side Tahiti United.
The 31-year-old arrives with considerable experience in Oceania, France and international football. His versatility should provide Rewa with an important tactical option as the Delta Tigers prepare to represent Fiji in the continental tournament on home soil.
Athale spent the earlier stages of his career playing predominantly in midfield, where he was also given the freedom to move forward and contribute in attacking areas. As his career developed, he became increasingly versatile and has since been deployed as a full-back, central defender and defensive midfielder.
Although he can operate in the centre of defence, Athale has frequently been used on the right side. His coaches have generally allowed him to advance from that position, using his energy, crossing ability and powerful shooting to provide an additional attacking presence.
The New Caledonian represented several leading clubs in his home country before establishing himself with Hienghène Sport. He was part of the club during its historic 2019 season, when Hienghène became the first New Caledonian side to win the OFC Champions League.
The achievement took Hienghène to the FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar, where Athale played the full match against hosts Al Sadd. The Pacific champions produced a strong performance and forced the heavily favoured Qatari side into extra time before eventually losing 3-1.
Athale was one of Hienghène’s most important performers in the match. Playing on the right side of the defence, he made two crucial clearances close to his own goal line and also attempted to threaten Al Sadd from distance.
Hienghène became only the second Pacific Island club from outside New Zealand and Australia to compete at the FIFA Club World Cup, following Papua New Guinea’s Hekari United in 2010.
Athale later faced his new club during the 2022 OFC Champions League. He scored Hienghène’s second goal in a 2-0 quarter-final victory over Rewa, eliminating the Delta Tigers and sending the New Caledonian side into the semi-finals.
He subsequently moved to France to represent Olympique Saint-Quentin, gaining experience in National 2, the fourth level of the French football system. He also featured in National 3, the country’s fifth tier, during his period with the club.
Athale returned to the Pacific to join Tahiti United for the inaugural OFC Pro League, signing the first professional contract of his career. Despite being registered primarily as a defender, he remained highly productive in attacking areas.
He finished the competition with three goals and three assists, becoming one of Tahiti United’s main contributors at both ends of the pitch. His performances included the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Vanuatu United, as well as several dangerous deliveries and forward runs from the right.
Athale also remains an important member of the New Caledonia national team. He scored three goals during the Oceania qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and started the intercontinental play-off against Jamaica.
New Caledonia were narrowly defeated 1-0, but Athale played an influential role in midfield and came close to scoring with an ambitious long-range attempt against Jamaican goalkeeper Andre Blake.
His ability to cover several positions could be particularly useful for Rewa during the OFC Champions League. Athale can strengthen the central defence, play as a full-back or move into midfield, while his offensive qualities offer another option when the Fijian champions need to attack.
The New Caledonian was not included in Rewa’s starting line-up or among the substitutes for their Fiji Premier League match against Nadi following the announcement of his signing. His absence could indicate that he has been recruited specifically for the continental tournament, although this has not been confirmed.
Rewa have been drawn in Group B alongside Vanuatu champions Galaxy FC, Papua New Guinea representatives Lae City FC and Cook Islands side Tupapa Maraerenga. The Delta Tigers will begin their campaign against Galaxy at Churchill Park on 9 August.
The exact nature of Athale’s move has not been disclosed. It remains unclear whether he has joined Rewa permanently, on loan from Tahiti United or through a short-term registration limited to the OFC Champions League.
Players have departed OFC Pro League clubs under different arrangements since the end of the competition, with some having their professional contracts terminated and others moving temporarily on loan. Neither Rewa nor Tahiti United has publicly clarified which arrangement applies to Athale.
Solomon Islands have secured Oceania’s final qualification place at the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2027 after defeating Papua New Guinea in a dramatic penalty shootout at the PNG Football Stadium in Port Moresby.
Henry Fa’arodo’s side recovered from conceding in the second half to draw 1-1 with the tournament hosts before winning the shootout 4-1, confirming Solomon Islands as Oceania’s third representative at the World Cup alongside New Zealand and Fiji.
Papua New Guinea created the better opportunities for much of the third-place play-off as they attempted to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the first time.
The hosts came close on several occasions and struck the crossbar from a long-range free-kick before Solomon Islands cleared another effort off the goal line.
Papua New Guinea’s pressure was eventually rewarded in the 66th minute. Captain Matthew Sopo reacted first to a loose ball outside the penalty area and produced an excellent first-time strike into the top corner.
Solomon Islands struggled to establish control of the match but remained within one goal of forcing their way back into the contest.
Their persistence was rewarded in the 84th minute when Papua New Guinea goalkeeper Luther Rodney was unable to hold a delivery into the penalty area. Andriano Kabolo reacted quickly and forced the ball across the line to level the score.
With the match finishing 1-1 after 90 minutes, Oceania’s final World Cup qualification place had to be decided from the penalty spot.
Solomon Islands converted all four of their attempts, while Papua New Guinea missed twice. George Lea’i scored the decisive penalty to complete the 4-1 shootout victory and begin the celebrations among the Solomon Islands players and coaching staff.
Celebrations erupted after George Lea’i’s final penalty – Image: OFC/Phototek
The result sends Solomon Islands to the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the second time in the country’s history. Their previous appearance came in 2019 after qualifying through the 2018 OFC U-16 Championship held in Honiara.
The qualification represents an important achievement for a new generation of Solomon Islands players, who recovered from their semi-final disappointment to secure the final ticket available to Oceania.
New Zealand, Fiji and Solomon Islands will represent the region at the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2027 in Qatar.
Solomon Islands 1–1 Papua New Guinea Solomon Islands won 4–1 on penalties
The SIFF Super League returns this weekend after a lengthy delay, but the beginning of a new season cannot conceal a difficult question for football in Solomon Islands: how can the country’s leading domestic competition move forward without several of the clubs that defined its recent history?
Central Coast will begin their title defence as the strongest team in the competition. Malaita Kingz, Green Shield and Honiara City are expected to provide the principal opposition, while KOSSA, Marist, Laugu United, SOSA, Southern United and newcomers Ghupo complete the ten-team field.
However, Solomon Warriors, Henderson Eels and Real Kakamora are all missing. FC Juniper Tree and Waneagu United have also been excluded. Their situations are not identical, but together they expose the financial and administrative fragility surrounding the national league.
Solomon Warriors are the most successful club of the S-League era. They won seven championships between 2011 and 2023, including three consecutive titles from 2017 to 2020 and another two in 2022/23 and 2023. For more than a decade, any discussion about the championship usually began with Warriors.
Henderson Eels were the team that interrupted that period of dominance. After emerging as Warriors’ principal challengers and finishing second in 2019/20, Eels captured their first S-League title in 2020/21. Their squad included some of the country’s most important players, with Raphael Lea’i, Joses Nawo and other Solomon Islands internationals helping establish the club as a major domestic force.
Central Coast then became the next dominant side. They won their first championship in 2021 before returning to the top in 2024 and retaining the title in 2025. Their success means the reigning champions remain in the league, but two of the three clubs responsible for every S-League title from 2017/18 until 2023 are now absent.
Warriors and Eels withdrew before the 2025 season amid difficulties securing the sponsorship and funding required to operate at national-league level. Neither club was included among the ten teams declared administratively compliant for 2026.
Their absence shows that sporting strength alone does not guarantee survival in the S-League. Clubs need to finance registration, player payments, transportation, preparation and daily operations in an environment where commercial opportunities remain limited. Even historically successful teams can quickly disappear from the competition when their financial backing changes.
Real Kakamora represent a different and considerably more controversial case.
After losing all 22 matches and conceding 116 goals in 2023, Kakamora rebuilt their squad through an arrangement involving Green Shield’s management. They subsequently produced one of the most remarkable turnarounds in Solomon Islands football, challenging near the top of the table for much of 2024 before finishing third.
At the same time, the club developed an international following through an unconventional Instagram account. Kakamora embraced their previous struggles and used sarcastic posts, memes and interactions with football pages around the world to attract an audience rarely seen by an Oceanian club outside New Zealand.
Their online presence gave international supporters a reason to follow not only Kakamora, but also the S-League. Players such as Paul Francis and Gordon Iro became recognisable to people who previously knew little about domestic football in Solomon Islands.
Despite finishing third and contributing significantly to the league’s international exposure, Kakamora were not granted a new licence for the 2025 season. The explanation presented publicly was non-compliance with league requirements, but the precise requirements the club failed to meet were not fully detailed.
Kakamora said the problems began when the club and Green Shield submitted separate licence applications after working together during the previous season. Green Shield was admitted independently, while Kakamora were left outside. According to the club, attempts to appeal the decision did not change the outcome.
The matter became even more contentious when Kakamora sought to return in 2026. The club said it was informed that no additional teams could enter until the current three-year licensing cycle expires, potentially leaving it outside the S-League until 2028.
A licensing system can provide stability. It can ensure that clubs have adequate administration, finances and organisational structures before being permitted to compete. SIFF also has a responsibility to prevent situations in which teams enter the competition without the resources to complete a season properly.
However, such a system also requires transparency. When one of the previous season’s best-performing and most widely followed clubs is excluded, “non-compliance” alone is not a sufficiently informative public explanation. Supporters should be able to understand which criteria were not fulfilled, whether the club was given an opportunity to correct them and how the appeal process operated.
The cases of Juniper Tree and Waneagu are more clearly documented. SIFF said both clubs were penalised for failing to pay their registration fees for the 2025 season. The federation subsequently reduced the league from 12 to ten teams and announced that all remaining participants had satisfied their financial and administrative obligations.
Yet even that decision illustrates the underlying problem. Exclusion may enforce the regulations, but it does not solve the financial conditions that repeatedly leave clubs unable to comply with them. A national competition loses sporting value when established teams disappear not through relegation, but because they cannot secure sponsors or meet administrative costs.
The creation of Solomon Kings for the OFC Professional League adds another layer to the situation. The new professional side provides leading Solomon Islands players with access to a higher-level regional competition, but it also concentrates talent and attention outside the domestic league.
The S-League therefore begins its new season in an unusual position. It remains the highest domestic competition in a country where football is the national sport, but it does not currently include the country’s most successful S-League club, the 2020/21 champions or the team that produced its most internationally visible social-media story.
There is still considerable sporting interest. Central Coast are pursuing a third consecutive championship, Malaita Kingz came within one match of winning the 2025 title, and Green Shield’s rapid development offers another compelling story. The return of Malaita Kingz and the inclusion of new clubs also demonstrate that the competition is capable of producing new challengers.
Nevertheless, new teams cannot immediately replace the history, support and identity associated with Warriors, Eels and Kakamora. Their absence makes the competition administratively compliant, but not necessarily representative of the strongest and most recognisable club football available in Solomon Islands.
For the S-League to grow, regulations and financial standards are necessary. So are communication, accessible appeals and a clearer pathway through which excluded clubs can return. Otherwise, supporters may continue to see major football institutions disappear through decisions made away from the pitch—and the league will continue losing some of the clubs people are most interested in watching.
A promising footballer from Papua New Guinea has taken an important step towards his professional ambitions, with Ruach Wemin leaving Australia to continue his development at the 433 Football Academy in Stoke-on-Trent, England.
The academy confirmed Wemin’s arrival through its social media channels, welcoming the Papua New Guinean as the number ten of Southern Strikers FC and describing him as a player who brings creativity, quality and experience in the final third. The announcement also stated that he was arriving from Melbourne.
Wemin developed at the club now known as Port Moresby Strikers, which previously competed under the Southern Strikers name in the Papua New Guinea National Soccer League. The Strikers first entered the national competition under their former identity before later returning as Port Moresby Strikers, meaning the two names refer to different periods in the history of the same football project.
Port Moresby Strikers franchise owner and team manager Gordon Manub announced that Wemin had departed Melbourne for England after earning his opportunity with the academy.
Wemin, who has family roots in Chimbu and Southern Highlands, initially emerged through the Port Moresby Schools Football Association system. His development continued at Paradise College, where he combined football and futsal with strong academic results.
According to Manub, Wemin was an A-grade student and earned selection to study at the University of Papua New Guinea. However, after establishing himself in the Strikers’ senior setup, the attacker decided to place his university studies on hold and concentrate on his ambition of pursuing football professionally.
His progress at club level also led to international recognition. Wemin was included in the Papua New Guinea under-23 squad in 2023 and represented the country during its Olympic qualifying campaign.
After leaving Papua New Guinea, Wemin moved to Australia, where he worked in the agricultural sector while continuing to pursue opportunities in football. His chance eventually came through a trial with the 433 Football Academy in Melbourne, where his performances reportedly convinced the academy’s coaches to select him for the next stage of its programme in England.
The Stoke-on-Trent-based academy operates full-time and part-time development programmes for footballers seeking further training and exposure within the English game. It accepts international players and organises matches against under-17, under-19 and under-23 teams from partner clubs across the United Kingdom. The organisation also provides accommodation options for players arriving from overseas.
The move does not represent a professional contract with an English club, but it places Wemin in a structured development environment where he will have the opportunity to train, compete and be observed as he attempts to advance his career.
For the young Papua New Guinean, the opportunity represents the continuation of a journey built through school football, the domestic national league and the experience of leaving home to work and play in Australia.
“I believe this opportunity has come through the grace of the Lord. I have always trusted that God would open the right doors at the right time, and today I am living proof that faith, hard work and perseverance can take you places beyond your imagination,” Wemin said in a statement shared by the Strikers.
Manub also praised the player’s commitment and the support provided throughout his development, describing his progress as an example for other young footballers in Papua New Guinea.
Wemin will now seek to make the most of his opportunity in Stoke-on-Trent as he begins another important stage of his football journey, carrying the hopes of his family, former school, club and country with him.
Fiji and New Zealand have already secured their places at the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2027, but their campaign in Papua New Guinea is not over. The two sides will meet at the PNG Football Stadium this Saturday to decide the champions of the OFC U-16 Men’s Championship.
The final kicks off at 7:30pm local time in Port Moresby, shortly after Solomon Islands and hosts Papua New Guinea contest the third-place play-off for Oceania’s remaining World Cup qualification place. Both matches will be streamed live and free through the Oceania Football Confederation’s YouTube channel.
Fiji and New Zealand became the first teams to qualify on the pitch for the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup after winning their respective semi-finals. They joined tournament hosts Qatar in the expanded 48-team competition, which will be staged annually in the Gulf country until 2029.
The two nations are therefore guaranteed appearances at the next two editions of the global youth tournament. Fiji and New Zealand had already qualified for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup through last year’s OFC championship and will represent Oceania in Qatar alongside New Caledonia later this year.
The 2026 tournament will be played from 19 November to 13 December. New Caledonia, however, will not return in 2027 after missing the semi-finals of the current regional championship, with the third Oceania place now set to go to either Solomon Islands or Papua New Guinea.
Before attention turns fully towards the World Cup, Fiji and New Zealand have the continental trophy to play for.
New Zealand enter the final seeking an 11th consecutive OFC U-16 title and a record-extending 12th overall. The Junior All Whites have won each of the previous ten editions and defeated New Caledonia 2-0 in last year’s final.
Martin Bullock’s side have again been the dominant team in the competition. New Zealand scored 18 goals during the group stage before defeating tournament hosts Papua New Guinea 3-0 in the semi-finals, taking their total to 21 goals in four matches.
Papua New Guinea frustrated the defending champions during a goalless first half, but New Zealand broke through five minutes after the restart when a Cruz Pietersen attempt was deflected into the net by defender Bomecge Basanuc.
Pietersen scored himself in the 60th minute after meeting Jack Clegg’s cross and added another goal during stoppage time to complete the victory and confirm New Zealand’s 13th appearance at the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Fiji arrive in the final with a different but equally impressive record. The Junior Bula Boys are yet to concede a goal in Papua New Guinea, having defeated New Caledonia, Samoa and the tournament hosts during the group stage before overcoming Solomon Islands in the semi-finals.
Their place in the final was secured after a tense goalless match against Solomon Islands. Fiji were placed under considerable pressure during the opening half, particularly by George Lea’i and the Solomon Islands attacking line, but goalkeeper Kirikiti Biu helped keep the match level.
With neither team able to score during regulation time, the contest went directly to penalties. Biu saved two attempts before Isoa Baselala converted the decisive kick, giving Fiji a 4-2 shoot-out victory and their third consecutive qualification for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
Fiji are appearing in the OFC U-16 Men’s Championship final for only the third time. Their most recent appearance at this stage came in 2024, when they were beaten 3-1 by New Zealand.
Coach Sunil Kumar praised the character and fighting spirit shown by his players in the difficult semi-final, while New Zealand coach Martin Bullock highlighted the depth and tournament experience available within his squad.
For Fiji, the final presents an opportunity to turn an already successful qualification campaign into a continental title and challenge New Zealand’s long-standing dominance of youth football in Oceania.
For New Zealand, it is the final step towards extending one of the most commanding winning runs in any OFC competition.
Both teams already know they will be present in Qatar in 2027. Before then, however, Fiji and New Zealand will meet in Port Moresby to determine which country leaves Papua New Guinea as the champion of Oceania.
Two young players carrying two of Melanesian football’s most recognisable family names will meet in Port Moresby on Saturday, when Solomon Islands face Papua New Guinea for Oceania’s final place at the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2027.
George Lea’i, the younger brother of Solomon Islands star Raphael Lea’i, and Nigel Gunemba, son of former Papua New Guinea captain Raymond Gunemba, are part of a new generation attempting to write their own chapter on the international stage.
The two countries meet in the third-place play-off of the OFC U-16 Men’s Championship at the PNG Football Stadium. The match kicks off at 4:00pm local time, before Fiji and New Zealand contest the continental final later in the evening. While the finalists have already secured their World Cup places, everything remains at stake for the two losing semi-finalists.
For Solomon Islands, qualification would take the country back to the FIFA U-17 World Cup for only the second time. Their first appearance came in Brazil in 2019, when Raphael Lea’i was one of the leading figures of a historic generation that became the first Solomon Islands side to compete at an 11-a-side FIFA tournament.
Raphael had been the outstanding player of the 2018 OFC U-16 Championship, winning both the Golden Ball and Golden Boot after scoring eight goals as Solomon Islands secured their place in Brazil. He later appeared in all three World Cup matches against Italy, Paraguay and Mexico.
Seven years later, George has the opportunity to help the country return to the same competition.
The younger Lea’i has scored twice during the tournament in Papua New Guinea. After missing an early penalty against Vanuatu, he responded by scoring from distance to complete a 2-1 comeback victory. He then opened the scoring in the decisive 3-1 group-stage win over Tahiti, finishing powerfully after running onto Walcott Kona’s pass.
George was also one of Solomon Islands’ main attacking threats during their goalless semi-final against Fiji. Operating from the left, he helped create opportunities for Barry Waletofea and Jayer Makarani, but Solomon Islands were eventually beaten 4-2 in the penalty shoot-out.
A victory on Saturday would therefore create a notable family connection. Raphael helped take Solomon Islands to their first FIFA 11-a-side tournament, while George could help secure their second and potentially give the Lea’i family representation at two different editions of the U-17 World Cup.
Standing in his way will be Nigel Gunemba and a Papua New Guinea side playing for history on home soil.
Nigel is the son of Raymond Gunemba, one of the most important forwards in the modern history of the Kapuls. Raymond represented Papua New Guinea for several years and won the Golden Boot at the 2016 OFC Nations Cup, scoring five goals as the hosts reached the final before losing to New Zealand on penalties.
George Lea’i of Solomon Islands and Nigel Gunemba of Papua New Guinea will meet with Oceania’s final place at the 2027 FIFA U-17 World Cup at stake.
The younger Gunemba was already identified as one of Papua New Guinea’s promising players during the 2025 OFC U-15 Development Tournament in Auckland. At the time, he spoke about his ambition to continue progressing through the national youth system, and he has since earned his place in the squad competing for World Cup qualification.
Nigel has contributed to Papua New Guinea’s campaign without yet reproducing his father’s prolific goalscoring numbers. He provided the pass for Boas Tommy to score in the 4-0 opening victory over Samoa and came close to finding the net during the important 1-0 win against New Caledonia, which secured the hosts’ place in the semi-finals.
Papua New Guinea were defeated 3-0 by New Zealand in the last four, but kept the defending champions scoreless for the opening 50 minutes. The hosts now have another opportunity to achieve what narrowly escaped them last year, when they lost the third-place play-off and missed qualification for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Victory over Solomon Islands would send Papua New Guinea to the tournament for the first time.
Solomon Islands coach Henry Fa’arodo believes his young team has continued to improve throughout the competition.
“I’ve seen the team grow with every single game. We’ve learnt a lot from the four games that we’ve played,” Fa’arodo said. “The semi-final was a learning curve, and we want to remain focused moving forward into the third-place play-off.”
Papua New Guinea coach Mathias Apo has also praised the progress made by his players during the tournament.
“I’m impressed with how far this team has come in the tournament,” Apo said. “We still have a lot to improve on going forward and we’re looking forward to our last match of the tournament. It has been a great learning experience.”
The names Lea’i and Gunemba already occupy an important place in the football histories of their respective countries. On Saturday, George and Nigel will meet with the chance to move beyond those family connections and become part of a historic achievement of their own.
Brazil’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign is over following a 2-1 defeat to Norway in the Round of 16, but the five-time champions did not leave the tournament without receiving remarkable support from the South Pacific. (The Guardian)
Thousands of kilometres away from Brazil, Ni-Vanuatu football fans took to the streets wearing yellow shirts, carrying Brazilian flags and celebrating the Seleção as if it were their own national team. Their enthusiasm did not go unnoticed in Brazil, where the country’s largest television network and one of its leading newspapers highlighted the scenes during the competition.
On 28 June, Globo’s Esporte Espetacular broadcast a five-minute report titled “Vanuatu: O pequeno país da Oceania que vibra com a Seleção” — “Vanuatu: the small Oceanian country that cheers for the Seleção”. The report introduced Brazilian viewers to supporters in the Pacific nation and showed how the Brazilian team had inspired celebrations far beyond South America. You can watch the report with subtitles by clicking here.
Vanuatu was also included in an edition of Globo’s Central da Copa, in a segment presenting Brazilian supporters in countries including Bangladesh and Lebanon. The programme reinforced the idea that the Seleção remains a global football institution, capable of attracting committed followers in places with very different languages, histories and cultures. (Globoplay)
Brazilian football has a special place in Vanuatu’s hearts – TV Globo
Brazilian newspaper Folha de S.Paulo also reported on the phenomenon. In an article published on 25 June, the newspaper included Vanuatu among several countries where supporters had demonstrated strong affection for Brazil. The report described how green and yellow had taken over the streets during celebrations connected to the beginning of the World Cup. (Folha de S.Paulo)
Videos shared through social media added to the visibility of the story. Images of Ni-Vanuatu supporters wearing Brazil shirts, joining car parades and waving flags reached Brazilian and international audiences, transforming a local celebration in Port Vila into one of the tournament’s most unexpected stories.
A connection built through Brazilian football
There is no major historical or political relationship between Brazil and Vanuatu that can fully explain the strength of this support. The connection appears to have been created primarily through football, international broadcasts and the enormous cultural influence of the Brazilian national team.
Pelé, Zico, Romário, Ronaldo Nazário, Ronaldinho and Neymar helped establish Brazil as more than simply a successful national side. Across generations, the yellow shirt became associated with skill, attacking football, individual creativity and the idea of jogo bonito.
That reputation travelled far beyond South America. World Cup broadcasts, European club competitions, documentaries, video games and social media allowed football followers in the Pacific to watch Brazilian players and develop their own relationship with the Seleção.
One of the people interviewed by Globo was former Vanuatu international Ronaldo Wilkins, whose life offers a particularly meaningful example of the influence of Brazilian football in the country. Wilkins was named in honour of Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazário, widely known as O Fenômeno, and later wrote his own chapter in Vanuatu’s football history.
Wilkins represented Vanuatu at the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup in South Korea, the country’s first appearance at a FIFA World Cup tournament. In Vanuatu’s opening match, he played a central role in a courageous comeback against Mexico. After his team fell two goals behind, Wilkins assisted Bong Kalo before scoring the equaliser himself, finding a gap between several defenders to make it 2-2. Mexico eventually won 3-2 through Edson Álvarez’s goal in stoppage time, but Wilkins and Kalo had already become the first Vanuatu players to score on the world stage.
Wilkins’ journey helps show that the admiration for Brazil in Vanuatu is not merely a passing trend created by the 2026 World Cup. In his case, Brazilian football influenced his name, his childhood references and part of his own playing career.
Football culture in Vanuatu
Football has an important place in Ni-Vanuatu society. The Oceania Football Confederation has previously described it as the country’s biggest sport, while Vanuatu’s national teams and leading clubs have long participated in regional competitions.
The scenes witnessed in 2026 were also not entirely unprecedented. During the 2014 World Cup, the OFC reported that victories by popular international teams were followed by honking cars, cheering supporters and lively celebrations in the streets of Port Vila. Local football followers have long adopted international teams during major competitions, creating their own World Cup traditions while continuing to support Vanuatu in Oceanian football.
Modern technology has strengthened that relationship. Supporters no longer depend exclusively on television coverage. Matches, goals, interviews, highlights and historical footage can be followed through mobile phones, while international football discussions take place instantly through social media.
In that environment, geographical distance matters far less. A young supporter in Port Vila can watch the same Brazilian players, goals and celebrations as someone in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo or Salvador.
For a country yet to appear at a senior FIFA World Cup, adopting a major international side is also part of the tournament experience. Brazil, Argentina, France and other traditional football nations attract supporters across the Pacific, but the Seleção’s history and visual identity give it a particularly powerful appeal.
More than an unusual World Cup story
The attention received by Vanuatu should not reduce Ni-Vanuatu supporters to an exotic curiosity from a distant island nation. Their celebrations were genuine expressions of football passion and showed that followers in Oceania are active participants in the global game.
They watch international competitions, develop connections with players and teams and create their own match-day traditions. The Brazilian flags seen in Port Vila were therefore not simply decorations. They represented decades of football history reaching another part of the world.
For Brazilian audiences, Globo’s report offered an opportunity to understand how deeply the country’s football identity has travelled. It also allowed Ni-Vanuatu voices such as Ronaldo Wilkins’ to be heard in Brazil, presenting a connection that has developed through television, memory, admiration and personal experience.
Brazil’s World Cup ended earlier than its supporters had hoped, but the scenes from Vanuatu provided another reminder of the Seleção’s extraordinary international reach.
The yellow shirt still carries meaning well beyond Brazil. In the streets of Port Vila, it brought people together, turned World Cup matches into community events and connected a South Pacific nation with one of football’s most recognisable traditions.
Thirteen players and a manager stood huddled together in a dressing room, their heads lowered and faces expressionless, as had become the usual. They had suffered countless defeats this season, losing every single match they played, often conceding seven to eight goals a match in a long series of lopsided scorelines. This contest, however, the final one of the year, felt as if something much worse was about to transpire.
It had now reached half time at the iconic Lawson Tama Stadium, as a long and seemingly endless exercise in futility was at last only 45 minutes away from reaching its long-desired conclusion. Nestled in the capital city of the football-mad yet little known and perennially underfunded Oceanian country of Solomon Islands, the pitch had served as the official home of Solomon football for nearly six decades and had seen far better days of Real Kakamora football.
The club, founded in 1969, had dominated local competitions at will for most of their first decade of existence. Kakamora players composed half the national team’s starting eleven, and their unique style of play attracted the admiration of the entire country. But by 2011, the inaugural season of the Telekom S-League, the first true national football league in the history of the country, Kakamora were languishing in the third division. Their very participation in the competition happened entirely by luck. Makuru, one of the initial sides selected, had pulled out at the last second after their owner, a devout Seventh Day Adventist, refused to let his club play matches on a Saturday.
Kakamora were selected out of a pool of three local clubs to take their place, and had to sign players in order to form a complete squad from scratch so they could play in the league’s very first match—which was less than 24 hours away from kicking off.
The hastily-arranged Kakamora squad formed the next morning and predictably went on to struggle, losing their first match 2-0 and falling to win any the entire year. But the club gradually reinforced itself during mid-season transfer windows, and with the help of a player from Papua New Guinea side Hekari United that had just reached the Club World Cup, they began to stabilise themselves. By the end of the year, Kakamora had begun to produce some draws, and following the signing of a dynamic local attacking trio and a stronger management team, they miraculously placed 4th the very next season and did so again in 2014/15, shocking higher-ranked sides who expected to beat them with ease.
But in a country where funds are scarce, operating a club is expensive, and failing to secure a sponsorship could mean life or death for a team, Kakamora began to slowly regress again towards the bottom of the table for the rest of the decade as their funds began to dwindle. By 2018, they had not secured a main sponsor until three days prior to the start of the league, and by 2019/20, the club had completely run out of funds, effectively becoming bankrupt.
Selling or loaning all their top remaining players because they could no longer afford their wages, they were forced to create a squad of inexperienced local players, who predictably struggled immensely. Outmatched and outmanned in every regard, Kakamora suffered greatly and lost every single one of their 15 of their matches that season. By the end, seemingly everyone had checked out or given up on the club, and a side of amateurs lost their final match of the season to the eventual runners-up Henderson Eels in a league-record 19-0 thrashing. Star wonderkid Raphael Lea’i, only sixteen years of age at the time, hauled 11 of the Eels’ total goal tally himself that match.
Kakamora’s catastrophic death spiral fortunately had a lifeline in the form of local businessman and philanthropist Robert Chow, who volunteered to assume management of the team and infused it with much-needed funding. With many of their players and coaches back now that the club could afford their wages, Kakamora placed 8th out of 12 clubs in 2020/21 and rose all the way to 5th the following year. Led by star striker Jaygray Sipakana, it seemed as if the club had finally recovered financially and had saved themselves from the brink of collapse. It was the first time in six years that Kakamora had finished in the top half of the table. But this brief hint of a resurgence was completely dashed after Chow died tragically in 2022 while battling a mysterious illness. Overnight, the club now found themselves in exactly the same position they were in before his intervention: struggling to survive with poor finances.
Almost immediately, Sipakana departed Kakamora to Fijian side Nadi, while top winger Adrian Mara left the club after four seasons to play for Eels. They finished 11th in 22/23, and by 2023, Kakamora were again completely out of funding.
The squad formed for the 2023 season was arguably even worse than 2019/20’s, again being forced to rely on mainly inexperienced local players as they could not afford to pay the wages of high-quality footballers. In their first match of the season against newcomers SOSA, Kakamora surprisingly led at the break but could not hold onto their advantage in the second half, ultimately losing 4-2, before suffering two more close defeats to Waneagu United and Honiara City in subsequent fixtures. After managing to put together respectable performances despite the poor circumstances, that initial week would be arguably the closest they ever came that season to even gaining a point.
Any short-lived hope completely vanished following a 7-0 drubbing from Marist in the next fixture, and things quickly began to spiral even further. Gradually, dejected players began to quit on the team mid-season, disenchanted with the club’s performance and fears of unpaid wages. An already weak squad had now completely crumbled apart. Mid-week training sessions weren’t even held, and the morale of the remaining players became entirely decimated. The situation was so bad, in fact, that Kakamora even struggled to field a full starting eleven in a subsequent match against Waneagu, where they played the entire match with only nine men on the pitch! Adam Olofsson, who had come from Sweden to help introduce the sport of floorball to the country, ended up playing for Kakamora’s midfield in his free time as an unpaid volunteer replacement.
The defeats (and their size) began to pile up in unprecedented numbers. A 6-0 defeat to league leaders Solomon Warriors, a 7-2 loss to 11th-placed Juniper, 5-0 defeats to Central Coast and Honiara City, an 8-0 thrashing from Kossa, and a 7-0 loss to Southern United. The final two weeks of the season saw another set of 7-0 defeats to Central Coast and SOSA, who they had nearly beaten at the league’s start. Arguments were common in the club’s dressing room, more players had quit, and the rest of the league had grown up in arms over Kakamora’s egregiously bad performances, as they now sat bottom of the table with 21 losses and not a single win or draw to their name.
That brings us back to the final match of the season, on a dreary, cloudy, emotionless day at Lawson Tama Stadium, where Kakamora lined up against Warriors, who then were sitting in second place and would win the league if they took care of business and secured the full three points against the historically-inept Kakamora side. It was already 3-0 at halftime, where Kakamora’s centre back Allan Ofai was sent off late after a handball in the box. As if it had not been already before the match even started, Warriors were now effectively guaranteed to win the S-League for a record seventh time. But against only 10 men on the pitch for Kakamora, most of whom were young, inexperienced local replacement players for a team that was already made of inexperienced local players in the first place, Warriors smelt blood in the water, and would do whatever they could to make sure the final 45 minutes of Kakamora’s tragic season felt as long as they possibly could have.
By the start of the second half, the floodgates had now completely opened. Star attacker and Solomons international Tigi Molea, already sitting on a first-half brace and 22 goals on the season, desperately wanted to win another golden boot, and Warriors were determined to make sure he won it at all costs. By then, Kakamora’s players, who had given up on the season weeks and months ago, had somehow managed to look hundreds of times worse than they did the entire season. Defenders couldn’t string together more than 2 passes together and didn’t even bother to run back to mark their opponents once possession was intercepted. The goalkeeper played embarrassingly off his line. Warriors continued to get the ball to Molea, who took advantage of his free opportunities with ease as if he were scoring against a local youth team of amateurs. Considering Kakamora’s effort, he might as well have been. Warriors scored 11 times in the second half alone as Molea added another 8 goals to his tally, finishing with 30 on the season in 22 matches played, winning the golden boot as Warriors officially became champions yet again.
The backlash towards Kakamora (who had already been investigated for potential match-fixing following 2020’s infamous 19-0 defeat but were cleared of all wrongdoing after the league concluded they were just that bad) was swift and fierce. Opposing supporters, especially those of Central Coast and Waneagu United who finished tied for second in the table a point behind Warriors, called RKFC a disgrace to Solomon football and called for their immediate expulsion. They finished the season with only 14 goals scored and a whopping 116 goals conceded. Warriors matched Kakamora’s entire season total in a single game against them. The pointless season, their second in addition to 2019/20, made them the first top-flight club in world football to finish more than one season losing every match they played. The S-League, however, notably does not have a system of promotion/relegation with lower leagues and instead approves franchised clubs on a 3-season license agreement, meaning that the winless Kakamora would be allowed back in the league for 2024.
Following the constant embarrassments of the prior season, a longtime Kakamora supporter was not willing to go down quietly. Contacting the team ownership in February of 2024, he volunteered to start an Instagram account for the club in a last-ditch attempt to help highlight the club’s story before they would almost certainly collapse forever. In the developing Solomon Islands, use of platforms such as Instagram were somewhat minimal, with most social media users in the country opting to stick to Facebook. Only two other clubs in the country had even registered an account, both of which were now inactive for over half a decade.
With the club’s future hanging in the balance, the new admin attempted to attain virality by posting Reels and memes joking about the team’s shortcomings and embracing the label of the “worst club in the world.” After two weeks of slow initial growth, the account exploded in popularity, and by the end of April, had over 10,000 followers and millions of views, nearly unheard of for an Oceanian club, even those from New Zealand. Thousands began intrigued by the club’s unique story, large defeats, and even hoped to play for Kakamora themselves. Inspired by the rapid initial success, Kakamora’s management devised a plan to partner with second-division side Green Shield, whose owners would help manage the team and infuse funds into the side.
Over the course of a week, Kakamora signed a handful of promising youngsters from other clubs with youth international caps. The new management managed to convince Waneagu head coach Stephen Aumanu to come to the club, who brought over 18 year-old winger Paul Francis in addition to a talented young striker in Philip Ropa and goalkeeper Harold Nauania. Elsewhere, they signed 18 year-old centre back Gordon Iro from Central Coast’s youth side, and landed the services of veteran player and former international Jeffery Bule to help anchor the midfield and provide some experience and leadership to the new squad. The low-risk, high-upside signings continued for another few days, until management were able to completely replace every single player from last season’s team, forming an interesting mix of new players that would compose the youngest-average squad in the league.
Coincidentally, Kakamora’s first match of the season happened to come against Warriors, and now with a new team and significant online traction, the Instagram admin began to market the upcoming contest as a heated derby, humorously referring to Warriors as “VARriors” and calling on Kakamora’s new supporters to back the club in record numbers. With everyone unsure of what to expect from the new squad, Francis bagged a brace in his Kakamora debut as the side narrowly lost 3-2 to the very same club that had embarrassed them in their most recent fixture a season ago.
The next game, Kakamora picked apart Marist to win 4-0 and secure the club’s first victory in nearly two years. They embarked on an incredible run of form and went on to win five straight, finishing the first half of the season on top of the S-League table for the very first time as the Instagram only continued to grow. Kakamora had officially become the most popular Oceanian club not from New Zealand, and their exploits continued to captivate fans who were now fully invested in the team’s unprecedented comeback story. Francis became a cult hero, scoring stoppage-time winners and difficult free kicks to the delight of their new supporters.
Kakamora played Warriors again, drawing 0-0 and securing a point against them for the very first time since the league began in 2011. Francis’s fame, Iro’s success in the back line, and the admin’s shitposting successes intensified even further, with the team now improbably having their sights set on qualifying for Champions League football. Unfortunately, after a heated title race, Kakamora ran out of gas as Central Coast and Warriors (who had multiple matches in hand) gradually overtook them as the season came to a close. Despite that, Kakamora secured their first ever third-place finish and a league-record 7-0 victory over SOSA. The greatly-improved backline and Nauania’s success at the keeper position helped Kakamora lead the league in clean sheets a season after they had conceded 116 goals. Francis, Iro, and Nauania all earned call-ups to the Solomon Islands national team at the end of the season and would go on play for them at the World Cup Qualifiers, although they controversially received little playing time as Solo were bounced out of the group stages.
By the end of the season, Kakamora reached 30,000 followers, temporarily overtaking perennial OCL winners Auckland City as the most followed club on Instagram from the confederation, with the exception of the A-League’s NZ expatriate members Auckland FC and Wellington Phoenix. For a region so largely overlooked by most global football fans, Kakamora had become Oceania’s first global success story and helped bring Solomon and Oceania football closer to the mainstream for the first time. The S-League received record viewership figures on FIFA+ as Kakamora pursued their title chase, and the admin continued to vigorously push to help grow Oceanian football online, often working for 20 hours a day to help promote the club.
As Kakamora had their sights set on winning the league for the very first time in 2025, disaster struck. After a lack of communication, Green Shield and Kakamora applied for their new league licenses independently from one another, and the league’s board somehow controversially denied Kakamora their renewed license at the start of the season. They were the only former club denied participation, sparking rumours of corruption amongst members of the board. Refusing to contact the club directly and vaguely citing “non-compliance with league requirements” as the only reason for their expulsion, Kakamora’s new supporters were now up in arms. The club was now banned indefinitely from playing football in their own league after a year in which they had dramatically boosted its global popularity to levels never thought possible. The team attempted to appeal but received no response from the board, who merely said that “the decision was final.” The 2025 S-League season, which also saw Warriors and Eels drop out due to struggles with obtaining proper sponsors and funding, was the least viewed of the decade as Central Coast went on to win a second successive championship.
Despite the ban, Real Kakamora, who are also responsible for running the Makira-Ulawa provincial football team of the same name for the Solomon Cup tournament, managed to secure their first ever win of the competition, finishing unbeaten in the group stages and triumphing 3-0 in the final in front of a passionate crowd of over 10,000 at the new Solomon Islands National Stadium, further strengthening calls to let Kakamora back in the league.
The club’s Instagram account continued its unconventional posts and attention-grabbing tactics by continuing to promote the club and commenting on larger football pages in order to maintain relevance, sparking a controversy with popular “journalist” Fabrizio Romano, who went to block the club on the platform after they called out his “excessive engagement farming” regarding the death of Liverpool star Diogo Jota, and paid PR-style posts to promote and defend certain players, including Lamine Yamal and Marseille’s Mason Greenwood. They partnered with more clubs within their continent, establishing relations with sides in the A-League, Australia’s NPL and New Zealand’s National Leagues, in addition to recently-founded OFC Pro League clubs South Island United and Tahiti United. They’ve also been responsible for helping promote the country’s own team, Solomon Kings, and have interacted with German giants Borussia Dortmund.
However, as Kakamora once again re-launched a push to have the club admitted back into the league for the 2026 season, the board confirmed that Kakamora would be expelled until at least the 2028 season as they refused to let any club enter the league until the current franchise licenses expire. Despite their tremendous successes, Kakamora are now faced in a difficult position, as it seems unlikely that the club will be able to enter the lower divisions of Solomon football in an attempted comeback and will face significant difficulties in maintaining interest of online supporters as the club faces another two seasons without top-flight football. Without any competitions to play in or stream of income, the club may have to cease operations before they could even return. For such an incredible story that helped shine a light on Oceanian football to a global audience for the very first time, it’s difficult to come to terms with it potentially ending like this: a football club deprived of the ability to play due to circumstances they couldn’t control, desperately doing whatever they can as their chances of survival fade further and further by the day.
Oceania Football Center 