Seven years after their previous appearance at the OFC Beach Soccer Men’s Nations Cup, New Caledonia make their long-awaited return to the region’s premier beach soccer championship this week.
Their only two previous campaigns have seen them finish inside the top three, giving the French territory reason for optmisim, despite their limited international beach soccer experience in recent years.
Travelling to Tahiti with senior men’s national football team head coach Felix Tagawa as part of their staff, and talismanic Tahiti United and senior New Caledonian international Germain Hawegene, they also carry a fresh and exciting look.
Whilst they may not sit amongst the top nations in the region’s pecking order, New Caledonia have a case for being dark horses.
History
New Caledonia will be appearing at their third OFC Beach Soccer Men’s Nations Cup, seven years after their last trip to Tahiti for the tournament in 2019.
They have won three of their previous seven fixtures at the Beach Soccer Nations Cup, securing second place on home soil in Nouméa in 2013, and third place six years later.
The Coach: Felix Tagawa
The head coach of New Caledonia’s beach soccer national team in their previous two OFC Beach Soccer Men’s Nations Cup campaigns, Felix Tagawa returns to lead them again seven years after they last graced the sand.
Tagawa is also the current head coach of the senior men’s national football team and led them for the first time at the recent MSG Prime Minister’s Cup in Fiji. He famously won the OFC Men’s Champions League in 2019 with New Caledonian club Hienghene Sport.
The Squad
Jean-Pierre Ayawa is the only player in the squad who remains from New Caledonia’s previous campaign in 2019. He also played in their tournament debut in 2013, and at 36 years old, carries valuable international beach soccer experience.
Three of Tagawa’s squad are also full senior internationals for New Caledonia’s senior men’s national football team; Germain Haewegene, Makaluë Xowi, and Jean-Gilles Hnamuko. The latter, Hnamuko, has previously spent time playing his club football in France, Portugal, Belgium, and Luxembourg.
Player to Watch: Germain Haewegene
One of the stars of New Caledonian football, Germain Haewegene will be under the spotlight in Tahiti when he takes his first steps on the international beach soccer stage. He has eight international caps for the senior men’s national football team and was called up for their FIFA World Cup 2026™ Inter-Confederation Semi-final Play-off in Guadalajara against Jamaica earlier in the year.
Haewegene is a dangerous attacker and scored six goals in 17 OFC Pro League matches for Tahiti United. He also scored for AS Vénus against Auckland City FC at OFC Men’s Champions League 2026 in Fiji in August.
Squad List
Match Schedule
(All matches are played at Aorai Tini Hau, Pirae, Tahiti)
New Caledonia v Tahiti
Thursday 22nd October, 4pm local time
Solomon Islands v New Caledonia
Monday 26th October, 2pm local time
Vanuatu v New Caledonia
Tuesday 27th October, 2pm local time
New Caledonia v Papua New Guinea
Thursday 29th October, 2pm local time
How to Watch
All matches are available to watch LIVE and FREE on the OFC YouTube Channel