Kiribati national team captain Teweia Butibara has sent a heartfelt message to his country following Te Itei’s historic triumph at the 2026 FMF Inter-District Championship in Fiji. After leading his side to the Premier Division title with a commanding 6-1 victory over Seaqaqa, the 27-year-old expressed his gratitude to the supporters, coaches and teammates who contributed to an unforgettable achievement for Kiribati football.
Speaking exclusively to Oceania Football Center, Butibara was particularly keen to acknowledge the I-Kiribati community living in Suva, whose presence throughout the tournament provided encouragement to the players. From the opening defeat against Seaqaqa to the celebrations following Sunday’s final, the supporters remained alongside the national team, something the captain wanted to recognise publicly.
“We have not forgotten our supporters from Kiribati who live in Suva. They gave us their full support from our first game until the end of the tournament. Without them, we players would have been nothing, but with them, we felt strong on the field,” Butibara told OFCe.
His appreciation extended beyond the supporters who attended the matches. Asked to deliver a message to the people of Kiribati following the team’s remarkable success, Butibara chose to address his fellow citizens in his native language, Te Taetae ni Kiribati. His words reflected the importance of faith, teamwork and the collective efforts behind the victory, while also expressing his hope that I-Kiribati communities at home and overseas would take pride in what the players had achieved.
Butibara’s original message in Te Taetae ni Kiribati:
“Bn banau n karabaa Uean te Maiu gkai ea tia n raoniira inanon moan rokora iaon te tabo aio n karokoa te tai ae tia roko n tokina iai nd tai aio.
Bn banau n karabwaia ara coaches ma ara officials n kabane ake gaia nab raora n managa nd tai aio ibukin botumwakaia n karaoii tibagaia ibukin Ana team Kiribati ao aia tatauraoi n tainako ibukin kainanoia ataeinimwane n kabane.
Ia karabwaia nab ara coaches Pine Iosefa ao Tetabo Manaima ake gaia raoi gkai taan kabuta raoi aron waakin Ana team Kiribati n te tai aio. N akea aia babaronga ma aia katauraoi ibukira ao I taku ba ti bn aki kona n tokanikai ma ti karabwaa nanoia gkai a tia n angaa gaiia ba Ana kabanei korakoraia ibukin kairan Ana tiim m butibooro Kiribati.
Te kabane bn banau n karabwaia kain au team ae Te Itei ibukin nanoia n ogotaeka ao n nanorinano ao n aantaeka n babaire ake a bane n karaoaki ibukira.
Au kantaniga ba te nati n Kiribati iaon Kiribati ao te nati n Kiribati ake I itinanikun Kiribati au kantaniga ba a bn rang rauaki nanoia ao n torobaki nanoia n aron d kekeiaki ae a tia n karaoia ataeinimwane aikai ibukin abaia ae Kiribati.”
English translation of Butibara’s message:
“First, I would like to thank the Lord of Life, who has been with us from the moment we arrived here until the conclusion of this tournament.
I would also like to thank all our coaches and officials who travelled with us throughout this journey. I am grateful for their contributions, their hard work for Team Kiribati and their efforts to prepare everything and look after the needs of all our players.
I would especially like to thank our coaches, Pine Iosefa and Tetabo Manaima, who guided and managed the Kiribati team throughout this tournament. Without their planning and preparation, I do not think we could have achieved this success. I am truly grateful to them for giving their time, energy and all their efforts to lead our team and support Kiribati football.
Finally, I want to thank my teammates, Te Itei, for their understanding, humility, discipline and willingness to follow the instructions and arrangements made for us.
My hope is that all the people of Kiribati, both those living in our country and those living overseas, will feel great happiness and pride in what these young men have accomplished for our nation, Kiribati.”
The captain’s message comes after an extraordinary week for a national team that arrived in Fiji seeking valuable competitive experience and departed as champions. Kiribati suffered a 4-2 defeat to Seaqaqa in their opening match, with Butibara scoring the country’s first-ever goal at the IDC. However, Te Itei responded with a 6-0 victory over Nadroga, followed by a 3-1 semi-final success against Fiji’s Under-17 national team, before taking revenge against Seaqaqa in the final at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva on October 11.
The title carries major considerable significance for Kiribati, where the development of football continues to face challenges related to infrastructure and playing conditions. Butibara had previously explained to OFCe how many players in his country grow up playing on sandy surfaces, making the experience of competing on proper football pitches in Fiji an important opportunity for the squad.
Beyond the results, the captain’s message highlights the connection between the national team and the I-Kiribati communities who followed its journey. The support received in Suva, combined with the efforts of the coaching staff and players, helped turn Kiribati’s first IDC appearance into a championship-winning campaign.
For Butibara, who began the tournament by scoring a historic goal and ended it by lifting the trophy, the achievement is something he wants every I-Kiribati person, whether living in the islands or elsewhere in the world, to celebrate with pride.
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