Papua New Guinea have withdrawn from the 2026 OFC Beach Soccer Men’s Nations Cup, the Oceania Football Confederation confirmed on Wednesday, 21 October, just one day before the competition is scheduled to begin in Tahiti.
The announcement leaves four nations preparing to compete for the regional championship and qualification for the 2027 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup: hosts Tahiti, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia and Vanuatu.
Papua New Guinea had been scheduled to open their campaign against Solomon Islands on Thursday, 22 October, at Aorai Tini Hau in Pirae, before facing Vanuatu, Tahiti and New Caledonia during the round-robin stage.
Their withdrawal will require changes to the original tournament schedule, which had been organised around five participating teams.
The development comes shortly after the OFC published its official team preview for Papua New Guinea, highlighting the country’s preparations for a second appearance in the competition.
PNG made their international beach soccer debut in 2024, defeating Fiji 8-6 in their opening match before finishing fourth in the tournament.
Head coach Babob Labong had selected a squad featuring eight players from that inaugural campaign, including captain and goalkeeper Kopi Samuel.
Their return was expected to provide another opportunity for the developing national programme to gain international experience, particularly as beach soccer continues to establish itself in Papua New Guinea.
The withdrawal therefore represents a setback for a team seeking to build on its first appearance two years ago.
With PNG no longer participating, the tournament will feature defending champions Tahiti, four-time winners Solomon Islands and returning challengers New Caledonia and Vanuatu.
Tahiti are seeking a fourth consecutive regional title, while Solomon Islands hope to end a championship drought stretching back to 2013.
The competition is scheduled to run from 22 to 31 October, although adjustments to the fixture programme are now expected following Papua New Guinea’s withdrawal.
Further details regarding the revised schedule and tournament arrangements remain to be confirmed.
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