As the curtain comes down on another year of milestones for football across the Oceania region, OFC looks back at six of the best competition highlights from 2025.
These were the moments that made history, set hearts pulsing, and stirred our emotions – across men’s and women’s football, at international and club level, from the grass pitches to the futsal courts.
New Zealand qualify for third FIFA World Cup™
The first automatic spot awarded to an OFC nation for a senior Men’s FIFA World Cup™ was claimed by New Zealand in March. Played in front of 25,000 fans at the iconic Eden Park stadium in Auckland, the All Whites defeated New Caledonia with three second half goals to book their spot for 2026.
New Zealand have been drawn alongside Belgium, Egypt, and IR Iran at the global finals in North America next year, whilst New Caledonia can still qualify when they enter the intercontinental qualifying tournament in March 2026.
Solomon Islands win country’s first OFC Women’s Nations Cup
The OFC Women’s Nations Cup in July featured just it’s fifth different winner in 42 years when the Solomon Islands won their first women’s continental crown in Suva, Fiji, beating Papua New Guinea 3-2 after extra-time in a pulsating final.
Jemina David’s extra-time winner proved decisive, cancelling out two goals from Papua New Guinea’s Ramona Padio. Solomon Islands’ history-making players were greeted to a hero’s welcome upon their return to Honiara.
Part-timers stun the football world
A group of 11 part-time footballers took on one of the most prestigious football clubs in world football at the FIFA Club World Cup™, in what many expected to be a significantly one-sided affair.
Competing in the inaugural expanded edition of the competition, Auckland City FC had already suffered defeats to European giants FC Bayern Munich and SL Benfica, before they took on Argentinean heavyweights CA Boca Juniors at Geodis Park in Nashville, USA.
The Navy Blues confounded expectation however, claiming a famous 1-1 draw, thanks to a second-half header from defender Christian Gray and a monumental defensive effort.
The result shocked the football world and ranks as one of the most notable achievements by an OFC club on the international stage, alongside Auckland City’s memorable third place finish at the FIFA Club World Cup™ in 2014.
American Samoa make history as road to Brazil begins
American Samoa won their first-ever international women’s match and their first FIFA Women’s World Cup™ qualifier, beating Tonga 3-0 at the CIFA Academy in Rarotonga, Cook Islands, as qualifying for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™ in Brazil got underway.
Cassidy Pamela Drago scored twice – one in each half – to make history for her nation.
Coached by Amanda Cromwell, a former USA women’s international, American Samoa followed up that victory with an even more impressive showing, securing a 4-0 win over the Cook Islands, marking the first time the nation have advanced past the first round of the qualifying stage for any senior FIFA World Cup™.
Futsal Kings: Solomon Islands reinstate their Oceania dominance
Solomon Islands’ national futsal team and club champions Mataks FC helped to re-establish the nation’s dominance of futsal in the region in 2025.
The national team won the OFC Futsal Men’s Cup for the seventh time – their first time since 2019 – whilst Mataks FC won the OFC Futsal Men’s Champions League, following a thrilling three hour final against New Zealand’s Waikato Rapids.
Their epic match finished 4-4 after extra-time, with Mataks FC winning a shoot-out to claim the championship and their inaugural title.
New Caledonia qualify for first FIFA women’s tournament
A second-place finish at the OFC U-19 Women’s Championship 2025 on home soil meant New Caledonia qualified for their maiden women’s FIFA competition, securing their spot at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2026™ in Poland.
Their 2-0 win over Fiji in the semi-finals clinched their place, and they performed admirably in their final defeat to New Zealand.
In qualifying, New Caledonia will be competing in their third different FIFA national team competition in recent years, following in the footsteps of the men’s U-17 and U 20 teams respectively.
Photo Credit: OFC Media via Phototek