OFC Beach Soccer -Tahiti 2006

OFC's first ever Beach Soccer tournament was won by Solomon Islands and since then Beach Soccer has caught on throughout the region with New Zealand hosting its own qualification event in the idyllic setting of Mount Maunganui.

The Solomon Islands created OFC history when they defeated Vanuatu in the final of the inaugural OFC Beach Soccer Championship (FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Qualifier – Tahiti), becoming the first Member Association outside of Australia and New Zealand to qualify for a FIFA world championship.

The purpose-built beach soccer facility at the picturesque Temae Beach on the island of Moorea off Tahiti proved the ideal backdrop for the tournament. Four teams – Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Vanuatu – all with little or no formal beach soccer experience put on a display that captured the imagination of the watching public and showcased the enormous potential the new form of the game has in the Oceania region.

The natural geography of the confederation lends itself to this form of the game, and resource wise it provides an attractive alternative for some of the smaller Member Associations, especially in terms of required equipment and ground maintenance.

During the tournament a FIFA Futsal and Beach Soccer Seminar was held in order to facilitate development of the sport in Member Associations. The seminar provided a chance to exchange experiences and best practices between countries and see how FIFA and OFC could provide assistance in establishing or strengthening beach soccer activities.

Perhaps most importantly, the seminar gave the all parties an opportunity to promote and develop a long-term approach to the relatively new form of football.

FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup – Rio de Janeiro 2006

The Solomon Islands performance at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup – Rio de Janeiro 2006 was nothing short of amazing after they defeated CAF champions Cameroon 5-2 in their opening match before finally succumbing to Uruguay (5-10) and Portugal (1-14). Cameroon's upset win over Uruguay meant that the Solomon Islands were eliminated from the tournament on goal difference.