OFC News

OFC U20 WOMEN'S DRAW CONFIRMED

The draw for the 2006 Oceania Football Confederation Under 20 Women's Qualifying Tournament was recently made in Tahiti. The finals are scheduled from 1 - 15 April 2006 in Samoa.

Nine nations have entered the tournament with the winner qualifying directly to the FIFA U20 Women's World Championships in Russia scheduled for August and September next year.

Host nation Samoa are pooled in a group of four teams including Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Tahiti. On the other side of the draw New Zealand head a five team pool consisting New Caledonia, Solomon Islands, Tonga, and Vanuatu.

With the departure of Australia to the Asian Football Confederation, the field has a much more even look to it. New Zealand has emerged as an early favourite, entering their training squad into their women's national league. Other nations that have begun their preparations include Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Samoa.

The second FIFA/ OFC Symposium on Women's Football in Oceania will also be held during the tournament and all eleven OFC member associations will present their initial findings and developments coming from the first symposium held in the Cook Islands in October.

With increasing opportunities available for the regions top female football players and with many women's development programmes still in their infancy around the Pacific, FIFA, in conjunction with OFC organized a seminar to discuss the development of the women's game.

OFC U20 Women's Qualifying Tournament - 2006

JS Blatter Soccer Complex - Apia, Samoa

April 1 - 15 2006

Tournament format (group round robin with top two clubs qualifying for semi finals)

Group A

Vanuatu

Tonga

New Zealand

New Caledonia

Solomon Islands

Group B

Fiji

Papua New Guinea

Tahiti

Samoa