Solomon Islands: new year, new World Cup!

Solomon Islands had the taste to be for the first time in a FIFA football competition in the past year, when they played the FIFA U17 World Cup in Brazil. Despite losing all three matches they played in group stage, for the first-timers it was a especial moment. The team led by Charles Mani, Leon Kofana and Raphael Lea’i faced high quality opposition and surely could learn a lot from this experience, as Charles Mani stated in an interview.

The honour the country felt from their young men was in 2019 – now they have the task to continue developing their game to be the future starts Solomon Islands need in football, but now it is time for another honour, for another World Cup: the Kurukuru will play their 4th straight FIFA Futsal World Cup in 2020.

After winning the OFC Futsal Nations Cup back in 2019, the Solomon Islands Futsal national team qualified themselves for their fourth appareance in a row in the most important competition of the sport. The 2020 FIFA Futsal World Cup will be held in Lithuania and will count with the quality of players as Elliot Ragomo, James Egeta and Anthony Talo to represent Solomon Islands and Oceania.

See more:
A marvelous year for futsal in Solomon Islands;
James Egeta achieves glory in Australia;
Lea’i and Kofana to remain with Henderson Eels for OFC Champions League.

It is an exciting moment as the competition is nearing – starting in September 12th. This Kurukuru generation might have their last shot in the world stage competiton – most of their players are already 30+ and might be not able for another World Cup cycle for 2024.

Something that did not happen so strongly in the previous editions of the Oceanian tournament, Solomon Islands had a lot of difficulties to beat New Zealand in the grand final held in New Caledonia. The match ended in a 5-5 draw after much fight from the Solomon Islanders, that counted with the presence of their star goalkeeper Anthony Talo to seal their title and confirm their new appearence in the FIFA Futsal World Cup.

2019 was the year to support the U17 Football team in Brazil to show to the world there is football in Solomon Islands, 2020 is the year to support the Futsal national team in Lithuania to keep showing to the world Solomon Islands continue to be the king of futsal in Oceania – looking to settle themselves in the world stage, competing alongside the best.