Kiribati national football team

The Kiribati men's national football team is the national men's football team of Kiribati and is controlled by the Kiribati Islands Football Association. Kiribati is not a member of FIFA but is an associate member of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), and is therefore not eligible to enter the FIFA World Cup but may enter the OFC Nations Cup. It became a provisional member of the N.F.-Board on 10 December 2005.

Background Kiribati have only ever played 11 International matches up to April 2012 where they scored 7 goals and conceded 125. All of these matches were played away from home due to the lack of grass pitches in the archipelago. The Bairiki National Stadium has a sand pitch rather than grass. Kiribati's first match took place in Fiji on 30 August 1979 when they played Fiji, losing 24–0 in a South Pacific Games match. The side have never won a match but came very close when they lost 3–2 to fellow minnows Tuvalu on 30 June 2003 in Pool A of the South Pacific Games in Fiji, as well as losing 4–2 in penalties to Tuvalu in the consolation round of the 1979 South Pacific Games. Kiribati's only two goals in the 2011 Pacific games were scored by Karotu Bakaane versus Papua New Guinea and Erene Bakineti versus Tahiti, but in the 2003 competition, both goals against Tuvalu came from Lawrence Nemeia on the 26th minute and the 46th minute.

In 2012, Scotsman Kevin McGreskin became the team's coach, with the aim of improving its results and obtaining recognition from FIFA.

On 10 April 2015, Jake Kewley was officially appointed as the Manager and Ambassador for the Kiribati Islands National Football Team with the remit of liaising with the relevant footballing bodies to advance Kiribati's prior membership applications, with a FIFA application being drafted, finalised and submitted later that year.. BBC. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2017.

On 6 May 2016, Kiribati was formally accepted as the newest member of ConIFA (Confederation of Independent Football Associations), becoming the first ever Oceanic member to join the federation. Kiribati hosted an official visit from ConIFA in November 2016 for the national football competition in Tarawa – Taiwan Sport Tournament – with ConIFA documenting the tournament whilst in the country. Kiribati qualified for the 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup held in England, but were forced to withdraw and were replaced with Tuvalu. The team were also entered in the 2023 Pacific Games, but withdrew a fortnight before the tournament began.

History

Early years and Pacific Games Kiribati made its international debut at the 1979 South Pacific Games in Fiji. The team was represented by the Flying Tigers club from South Tarawa and played its first match on 30 August 1979, losing 24–0 to Fiji. Kiribati subsequently lost 13–0 to Papua New Guinea, before drawing 3–3 with Tuvalu in the consolation tournament. Tuvalu won the match on penalties.

Kiribati did not return to the Pacific Games football tournament until 2003, when the team lost all four of its group matches, against Tuvalu, the Solomon Islands, Fiji and Vanuatu.

The national team made its third Pacific Games appearance at the 2011 Pacific Games in New Caledonia. Kiribati again failed to progress from the group stage, suffering defeats including a 17–1 loss to Papua New Guinea and a 17–1 loss to Tahiti.

International isolation and membership efforts After several years of international inactivity, the Kiribati Islands Football Association joined CONIFA in 2016. The organisation subsequently visited Kiribati and held discussions about the national team's participation in future CONIFA competitions. According to CONIFA, Kiribati had previously applied for membership of the Oceania Football Confederation and FIFA in the early 2000s without being admitted.

Kiribati qualified for the 2018 CONIFA World Football Cup in London, but withdrew before the tournament because of financial constraints and was replaced by Tuvalu.

Kiribati was scheduled to return to the Pacific Games at the 2023 Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands, which would have been the men's national team's first appearance at the tournament since 2011. However, the team withdrew shortly before the Games began.

Renewed international ambitions In 2026, the Kiribati Islands Football Federation renewed its efforts to gain full membership of the Oceania Football Confederation and FIFA, with the stated ambition of entering qualification for the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

In 2026, OFC officials also conducted their first official visit to Kiribati, delivering development programmes in coaching, refereeing, futsal and beach soccer. Federation president Eriati Reebo said that Kiribati aimed to be able to compete internationally and regionally within three years.

Coaching history

Pine Iosefa (2003–2011) Kevin McGreskin (2012) Jake Kewley (2015-present)

Last squad

Squad selected for the 2011 Pacific Games. Players' club teams and players' age as of 27 August 2011 – the tournament's opening day

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Player records

+Most appearancesRankNameCapsGoalsCareer1Nabaruru Batiri802003–20112Tarariki Tarotu602003–20113Tebwaia Baikawa402003Naingimea Beiaruru402003Atanuea Eritara402011Kaben Ioteba402011Ruevita Iotin402003Nabuaka Itimaroroa402003Tokabi Kaiorake402003Biitamatang Keakea402011Ukenio Kobuti402003Martin Miriata402011Antin Nanotaake402011Enri Tenukai402011

+Top goalscorersRankNameGoalsCapsRatioCareer1Lawrence Nemeia2320032Karotu Bakaane132011Erene Bwakineti32011 Note: Missing goalscorers from 1979.

Kiribati records and statistics Most appearances: 8 - Nabaruru Batiri - from 30 June 2003 to 5 September 2011 Most consecutive appearances: 8 - Nabaruru Batiri - from 30 June 2003 to 5 September 2011 Top goalscorer: 2 - Lawrence Nemeia - from 30 June 2003 to 7 July 2003 Longest goalless streak: 564 minutes - from 30 June 2003 to 3 September 2011 Longest clean sheet streak: 72 minutes - v Tuvalu, 30 June 2003 Biggest wins: 0 - Trucktown Biggest defeat: 24 - v Fiji, 30 August 1979 Kiribati own goal scored: - Kaake Kamta - v Fiji, 30 August 2011 Most goals by a player in a match: 2 - Lawrence Nemeia - v Tuvalu, 30 June 2003 Most goals by a opponent player in a match: 8 - Dewan Chand - v Fiji, 30 August 1979 Most goals by a opponent player in first half: 4 - Seimata Chilia - v Vanuatu, 7 July 2003 Most goals by a opponent player in second half: 6 - Teaonui Tehau - v Tahiti, 5 September 2011 Most goals in a match: 3 - v Tuvalu, 5 September 1979 Most goals in first half: 1 - (2 times) v Tuvalu, 30 June 2003 v Tahiti, 5 September 2011 Most goals in second half: 1 - (2 times) v Tuvalu, 30 June 2003 v Papua New Guinea, 3 September 2011 Most goals conceded in a match: 24 - v Fiji, 30 August 1979 Most goals conceded in first half: 10 - v Vanuatu, 7 July 2003 Most goals conceded in second half: 11 - v Tahiti, 5 September 2011 Fewest goals conceded in a match: 3 - (3 times) v Tuvalu, 5 September 1979 v Tuvalu, 30 June 2003 v Cook Islands, 1 September 2011 Fewest goals conceded in first half: 1 - (2 times) v Tuvalu, 30 June 2003 v Cook Islands, 1 September 2011 Fewest goals conceded in second half: 2 - (2 times) v Tuvalu, 30 June 2003 v Cook Islands, 1 September 2011 Most goals by both teams in a match: 24 - v Fiji, 30 August 1979 Fewest goals by both teams in a match: 3 - v Cook Islands, 1 September 2011 Fewest goals by both teams in first half: 1 - v Cook Islands, 1 September 2011 Fewest goals by both teams in second half: 2 - v Cook Islands, 1 September 2011 Fastest goals: 26th minutes - Lawrence Nemeia - v Tuvalu, 30 June 2003 Fastest goals by a opponent: 3rd minutes - Kivoli Manoa - v Tuvalu, 30 June 2003 Fastest 2 goals: 20 minutes - v Tuvalu, 30 June 2003 Fastest 2 goals to start the match: 46th minutes - v Tuvalu, 30 June 2003 Fastest 2 goals by a opponent to start the match: 10th minutes - v Vanuatu, 7 July 2003 Fastest 2 goals by a opponent: 0 minutes - v Papua New Guinea, 3 September 2011 Fastest 3 goals by a opponent: 1 minutes - v Papua New Guinea, 3 September 2011 Fastest 4 goals by a opponent: 3 minutes - (2 times) v Papua New Guinea, 3 September 2011 v Tahiti, 5 September 2011 Fastest 5 goals by a opponent: 4 minutes - v Tahiti, 5 September 2011

Competitive record FIFA World Cup FIFA World CupQualificationYearHostRound1930 to 2026Not a FIFA memberNot a FIFA member

Pacific Games Record Pacific GamesYearHostRoundSource1963 to 1975colspan=81979Group stage30123401983 to 1995colspan=82003Group stage40042402007colspan=82011Group stage40042462015colspan=82019colspan=82023colspan=8Total1101107126

Notes

Head-to-head record

Results Kiribati's score is shown first in each case.

No.DateVenueOpponentsScoreCompetitionKiribati scorersAtt.Ref.1Ratu Cakobau Park, Nausori (N)0–241979 South Pacific Games—2Bidesi Park, Suva (N)0–131979 South Pacific Games—3Ratu Cakobau Park, Nausori3–3(2–4 p)1979 South Pacific GamesUnknown—4National Stadium, Suva (N)2–32003 South Pacific GamesNemeia (2)—5National Stadium, Suva (N)0–72003 South Pacific Games6Ratu Cakobau Park, Nausori (N)0–122003 South Pacific Games7Churchill Park, Lautoka (N)0–182003 South Pacific Games8Stade Boewa, Boulari Bay (N)0–92011 Pacific Games—9Stade Boewa, Boulari Bay (N)0–32011 Pacific Games—10Stade Boewa, Boulari Bay (N)1–172011 Pacific GamesBakaane—11Stade Boewa, Boulari Bay (N)1–172011 Pacific GamesBwakineti—1 (Club)HFC Stadium, Suva Seaqaqa F.C.2–42026 FMF Inter-District ChampionshipTeweia ButibaraJr Bauro Martin—

Historical kits

Kiribati national football team

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