Samoa hosts OFC U-19 Men’s Championship football qualifiers

The OFC U-19 Men’s Championship is set to begin in Apia, Samoa, featuring eight teams from the Oceania region. The tournament serves as a qualifier for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, with the two finalists earning spots in the global competition to be held in Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.

Host nation Samoa is placed in Group A alongside New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. Samoa’s head coach, Michael Alvarez, stated that the team aims to be competitive and represent the nation with pride. New Caledonia, coached by Jules Wakanumune, expressed high ambitions for qualifying for the next round.

Papua New Guinea, led by Matthew Witu, enters the tournament following a qualifying campaign in the Cook Islands, while Solomon Islands coach Franco Ne’e noted the inclusion of both provincial and experienced senior-level players in his squad.