Oceania Update

 

FYI, a wee update on upcoming Oceania qualifying tournaments.

 

U-20s - Tahiti, December 13-17, 2008.

Fiji, Tahiti, New Caledonia and the Youth All Whites are the contenders. Round-robin winners qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup Finals in Egypt, September 25 - October 16, 2009.

 

U-17s - Fiji, March 2009 (dates TBC)

Up to six teams involved, including the Junior All Whites. Round-robin winners qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup Finals in Nigeria, October 24 - November 15, 2009.

 

I'm reliably informed that, subject to ratification by the OFC Executive in February, subsequent OFC age-grade qualifying tournaments until at least 2012 will take place in Auckland.

 

This will (amongst other things):

minimise travel costs for the island nations (a hugely important factor in this centralisation plan);

maximise the involvement and support of the burgeoning Pacific Islands communities in Auckland; ensure we get tournaments taking place which have some substance to them (e.g. a minimum of six teams involved);

increase the likelihood of TV coverage of said events on Sky, holders of the coverage rights for the Finals of these competitions.

 

These events will include:

October 2009 U20 WWC qualifiers (winners go to the 2010 Finals in Germany);

U17 WWC qualifiers (winners go to the 2010 Finals in Trinidad & Tobago);

FIFA WWC qualifiers (winners go to the 2011 Finals in Germany);

U20 mens qualifiers (winners go to the 2011 Finals in Columbia);

U17 mens qualifiers (winners go to the 2011 Finals in Mexico);

Olympics qualifiers (both genders - winners go to the 2012 Games in London);

U20 WWC qualifiers (winners go to the 2012 Finals, venue TBA);

U17 WWC qualifiers (winners go to the 2012 Finals, venue TBA).

 

 

Cheers,

 

JR