OFC News

There you go....the latest FIFA Ranking with Fiji making a big jump to sit on 119, followed by Solomon(121), NC (124), Vanuatu (133), Samoa (147), NZ (156), Tahiti (161), Tonga (167), PNG (182), Cook Is (199) and American Samoa (200). This is despite of the results of the SPG finals. oops!!!!

NZ All Whites are no longer the best ranked team in Oceania - which begs the question - Why are they the seeded team for the World Cup Qualifiers? I would have thought Oceania Nations Cup finalist Solomon Islands would be the seeded team....that is done everywhere else in the world but NOT in Oceania?

Neo, I hold similar views as you..... why on earth the OFC and FIFA has seen it fit to seed New Zealand for the WC qualifiers. Afterall they don't deserve to be in the playoffs anyway. Shame on them!!!! Got beaten by Vanuatu at the recent qualiying competition in Adelaide and they will again be given a hiding...mark my words!!!!

NZ can play friendlies with nations from other continents they could drew or won some matches in recent European tours other Pacific islands can't afford overseas tours

The OFC is undermining the players in the region with limited international matches. they should not allow three teams from the pacific games to qualify for the world cup playoffs. This means that Solomon Islands which is better ranked than NZ do not have a chance to play and in the last qualifier NZ was beaten by Solomon and Vanuatu. 2010 world cup playoff could have been played in the end of 2008 and at the start of 2009. Europe is gearing up for Euro 2008 and here we are looking forward for world cup birth.The O-League is a failure. They should remove this event and put in something new which is affordable and more players are involved. This is one reasons we cannot see pacific players playing in europe and in top leagues and then we suffer playing against teams from South america

With regards to comments by AW, in recent friendlies, New Zealand has not won any games except for a draw with Wales. So this does not mean New Zealand is a better team than other Oceania teams. Just because New Zealand play friendlies with teams from other continents does not mean that they should be the seeded team in Oceania because they have lost to other Oceania teams like Vanuatu and Solomons which brings us back to the question that Neo and Naodalen have already raised and that is who should be seeded, New Zealand or Solomon Islands as according to the latest fifa ranking Solomon Islands is ranked higher than New Zealand.

why did the writer of the report said that new zealand lost their lead in ceania for the time being. what about if fiji, new caledonia and vanuatu all beat new zealand in the qualifying competion, will new zealand still retain its lead??????? ha.. idon't think so.

why did the writer of the report said that new zealand lost their lead in ceania for the time being. what about if fiji, new caledonia and vanuatu all beat new zealand in the qualifying competion, will new zealand still retain its lead??????? ha.. idon't think so.

I personally think NZ should join the top nations in the Oceania in a playoff to determine the Oceania rep. To handpick them for the second stage of World Cup playoff is not only bias but hypocritical. As alluded to earlier, NZ will be eliminated by any of the three island nations - NC, Fiji n' Vanuatu. Vanuatu did before and it is likely history will repeat itself.

even Vanuatu can't play home matches

Well, I will take comfort in the hope that one day soon - past reputation does not matter. Women's World Cup - the US, despite its past near-perfect record was humbled by a Brazilian team who deserved to win and were by far the better team (inspite of excuses by American media)..I hope Oceania football's top brass come to realize that the way forward is to give everyone a football field to prove their worth. By virture of being Oceania Cup/Confederation Cup Qualifiers - Solomon Islands has earned the right to be the seeded team in this years WC qualifiers. Then again looking at the quality of the top four finishers in the SPG - all four deserve to be in the WC qualifiers. Soccer is a game played on a soccer field not on comfortable couches and the cool comfort of an Auckland office. All the best to Fiji, Vanuatu & New Caledonia - I hope you carry the Pacific's flag high!

Oceania like Caribbean level: NZ - Jamaica, T&T, Cuba, Haiti NC, Fiji, Vanuatu, SI - St. Vincent, Barbados, Bermuda, Guyana.. sometimes teams like St. Vincent can upset Jamaica, Haiti , but can they qualify for World Cup or even CONCACAF Gold Cup ? they don't reach level to compete with worldwide teams now

Oceania like Caribbean level: NZ - Jamaica, T&T, Cuba, Haiti NC, Fiji, Vanuatu, SI - St. Vincent, Barbados, Bermuda, Guyana.. sometimes teams like St. Vincent can upset Jamaica, Haiti , but can they qualify for World Cup or even CONCACAF Gold Cup ? they don't reach level to compete with worldwide teams now

NZ like Jamaica, T&T, Cuba, Haiti. N.C., Fiji, Vanuatu, S.I. like St. Vincent, Barbados, Bermuda, Guyana..

sometimes teams like St. Vincent can upset Jamaica, Haiti , but canthey qualify for World Cup or even CONCACAF Gold Cup ? they don't reach level to compete with worldwide teams now