OFC Women’s Nations Cup 2025
The 13th edition of the OFC Women’s Nations Cup was held in Fiji from 4–19 July 2025, with matches played at Churchill Park in Lautoka and HFC Bank Stadium in Suva. The tournament featured eight competing nations.
The group stage was split between the two host cities. Group A was based in Lautoka and included Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Tahiti and Tonga. Group B was staged in Suva and featured hosts Fiji alongside the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Tonga.
In Group A, Tahiti and Cook Islands kicked the tournament off with a 1-1 draw in Lautoka before defending champions Papua New Guinea battled past Samoa 2-1. PNG were held to a 1-1 draw by Tahiti in their second Group match but clinched top spot in the Group with an 8-0 demolition of Cook Islands in their final group game. Samoa defeated Tahiti 3-1 to finish runner up and advance to the final four.
In Group B, the Solomon Islands recovered from an opening 3-2 defeat by hosts Fiji to emerge as Group winners. A 2-1 victory over Vanuatu was followed by a 5-0 romp over Tonga which proved crucial to their goal difference. In a tight group, Fiji and Vanuatu also ended up on six points with the hosts progressing by virtue of having scored more goals than Vanuatu, despite losing their final Group match 1-0 to Vanuatu.
In the playoffs Tonga beat Cook Islands 1-0 to finish 7th while Vanuatu defeated Tahiti 1-0 to finish 5th. The semi-finals produced two entertaining encounters. Hosts Fiji met Papua New Guinea in a repeat of the 2022 OFC Women’s Nations Cup Final and it was the same result. Goals from Keren Kalapai and captain Ramona Padio helped secure PNG a 2-1 win over Angeline Chua’s side. The Solomon Islands reached their first OFC Women’s Nations Cup final with a 2-1 win over Samoa with captain Ileen Pegi leading from the front, scoring her side’s first goal.
The third-place play-off saw Fiji take on Samoa and Juan Chang Urrea’s side stunned the hosts with two early goals and then defended like their lives depended on it to secure a 2-0 win and claim the bronze medal, their best ever result at the OFC Women’s Nations Cup.
The final at HFC Bank Stadium was a historic moment for women’s football in Oceania. Papua New Guinea was aiming to defend their crown, but it was the Solomon Islands who prevailed after an epic encounter that went to extra time.
Lorina Solosaia fired the Solomon Islands up early on before Padio replied three minutes before the break for PNG. However, Madeline Arukau restored the lead on the stroke of half-time after Merolyne Sali had been sent off for PNG for denying a goalscoring opportunity. Trailing 2-1 and a player down Ericson Komeng’s side fought valiantly and Padio scored her second to take the game into extra time. However, the Solomon Islands wouldn’t be denied, and substitute Jemina David scored four minutes into the 30 added minutes, a goal that would prove to be the winner and send the Solomon Islands and their fans into jubilant celebrations.
Papua New Guinea’s Ramona Padio won the Golden Ball for player of the tournament while compatriot Marie Kaipu was awarded the Golden Boot for top goal scorer, and the Golden Glove went to Solomon Islands goalkeeper Zainab Donga, and the Fair Play Award was presented to Cook Islands.
