Auckland, 3 October 2003: The OFC World Futsal Qualifying Tournament scheduled for Canberra, Australia from 20-25 October 2003, has now been deferred to 2004. The Oceania Football Confederation made this decision after the withdrawal of Fiji which left the three teams remaining for this tournament

Rather than proceeding with just three teams, the tournament has now been rescheduled to July/August 2004.

The decision to defer the tournament is also taking into account proposed assistance from FIFA in futsal development for the Oceania region. This assistance which OFC is looking to implement in 2004 will better prepare the participating teams for the tournament and will likely mean more teams will enter the FIFA qualifying tournament in 2004.

According to Acting OFC President, Tautulu Roebeck, a renewed commitment to futsal development with assistance from FIFA will breathe new life into the regional game and provide a more stable platform for holding the OFC World Futsal Qualifying Tournament than going ahead with only three teams.

“With the FIFA Futsal World Championships likely to take place in Chinese Taipei towards the end of 2004, the decision to defer the tournament will allow proposed futsal programmes to get off the ground which will encourage greater participation come mid-2004,” he explained.

“This will ensure our champion will have a good lead up when it takes on the best at the FIFA Futsal World Championship”

Mr Roebeck re-iterated the importance of futsal as a complimenting the skills of outdoor players.

“Futsal is a game of skill and assists the nurturing of young players, as well as being entertaining,” he added.