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Nauru national soccer team

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nauru
AssociationNauru Soccer Federation (NSF)
ConfederationOFC
Head coachCharlie Pomroy
Home stadiumNew Nauru Stadium
FIFA codeNRU
First colours
Second colours
First international
England Reading XL v  Nauru Nauru
(Topside, Nauru; TBD)

The Nauru national soccer team is the national team that represents the Pacific island nation of Nauru in soccer. It is under the auspices of the Nauru Soccer Federation which hopes to become a member of the OFC and FIFA and compete in official competitions of the organisations.[1]

Stadium

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Currently under construction for the 2026 Micronesian Games, Nauru's national stadium will be the New Nauru Stadium in the Meneng District’s interior plateau, also known as Topside. Previously, the home of soccer on Nauru was the Denig Stadium.[2][3]

History

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The Nauru Soccer Federation had reportedly applied for membership in both the OFC and FIFA but was denied, presumably because of a lack of infrastructure and league system.[4] In 2009 the Nauruan Minister of Sport Rayong Itsimaera indicated that the island nation desired to become a member of FIFA and the OFC and the organizations wanted to accept them, but reiterated that there were challenges preventing Nauru from joining both bodies.[5]

Previously, Nauru had never played any official international matches. However, a Nauruan representative team had played twice,[6] including a 2–1 victory over phosphate miners representing the Solomon Islands in 1994.[7] The second match featured a Nauru selection playing refugees from the Nauru Regional Processing Centre at the Denig Stadium in 2014 in recognition of World Refugee Day.[8][9]

After a long hiatus, the Nauru Soccer Association was relaunched in 2018. In 2020, the association’s vice-president Kaz Cain announced that Nauru was considering creating its first-ever official national side for a tournament in Hawaii in 2021.[10] After issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the association was relaunched again in 2023 as the Nauru Soccer Federation under the Nauru Olympic Committee umbrella. The federation’s intent was to build a grassroots soccer culture on the island and field its first-ever official national team.[1]

In December 2023, Englishman Charlie Pomroy was appointed by Head of Nauru Soccer Federation Gareth Johnson as Nauru’s first ever national team head coach.

Nauru's goal was to join the likes of the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands in increasing participation in the sport in their countries.[11] Joining Pomroy in Nauru's project were Paul Watson and acting NSA president, local Kaz Cain. The team’s first jersey was also expected to be available to the public sometime in 2024.[12][13] Johnson stated: "If we do not play at least one match in a Nauru kit I will see 2024 as a failure."[14][15]

In March 2024, the Nauru Soccer Federation announced that they had signed a deal with Stingz Sportswear, who had just designed and manufactured kits for Micronesia, to produce the Nauru jersey. Hong Kong-based Giordano International had also joined the project as the team's main sponsor, providing funding for the team's kits and matchday apparel. The kit design was expected to be announced in the weeks following the announcement as Stingz and the NSF were finalizing a new logo for the federation.[16]

Later that month, the association announced that it was in discussions with the Football Federation American Samoa to travel to the territory to face the American Samoa national team as part of a small friendly tournament.[17] In addition to shirt sales, the federation planned to document the team's journey with a film similar to American Samoa's own Next Goal Wins. With enough funding, the team could afford to bring in players of Nauran heritage from Australia to supplement the squad.[18] On 14 March 2024, former Premier League striker Dave Kitson was announced as Nauru's first ever national team manager, in addition to a role as international ambassador.[19]

After plans to play American Samoa were scrapped, discussions began with Reading XL FC about the team traveling to Nauru to be the nation's first opponent. The United Kingdom-based club was founded with the purpose of improving the players' physical fitness.[20] Reading XL FC then began fundraising for the trip with a goal of £50,000. In addition to setting up a GoFundMe, the club pursued other options including a corporate sponsor and a documentary deal with a large television network.[21]

Coaching staff

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Current staff

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Position Name
Team manager England Dave Kitson
Head coach England Charlie Pomroy

Coaching history

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Results and fixtures

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The following is a list of match results in the last twelve months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixture

2024

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TBD Friendly Reading XL FC England v Nauru Nauru Topside, Nauru
Stadium: New Nauru Stadium

References

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  1. ^ a b "Nauru Soccer Federation-About". Nauru Soccer Federation. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  2. ^ "NRC Conducts blasting operation at topside area". Loop Nauru. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  3. ^ "Taiwan Reaffirms Support for Nauru's Plans for Micronesian Games". Loop Nauru. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  4. ^ Düerkop, Sascha (5 January 2020). "The Associate Members of OFC – 0:3 for football". Football in Oceania. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  5. ^ Menary, Steve (19 November 2009). "Micronesia is struggling to keep the game afloat". World Soccer. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  6. ^ "Nauru Soccer Federation-History". Nauru Soccer Federation. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  7. ^ Cruickshank, Mark. "Nauru - International Matches". RSSSF. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  8. ^ "Nauru Honours World Refugee Day". Government of Nauru. Archived from the original on 24 August 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
  9. ^ "Nauru 2014". RSSSF. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  10. ^ Ewart, Richard (23 July 2020). "Fake soccer league website turns spotlight on what is really happening on Nauru". Pacific Beat (with audio, 6 mins 55 secs). ABC Radio Australia. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  11. ^ Ewart, Richard (8 February 2024). "Small island states race to get the ball rolling on the international soccer scene". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
  12. ^ "Nauru Soccer Federation Relaunched". Young Pioneers. 30 December 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  13. ^ Gareth, Johnson (31 December 2023). "Football in Nauru 2024". Young Pioneer Tours. Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  14. ^ Bjerkevoll, Ola (21 January 2024). "Nauru have high hopes: "If we don't play at least one match, I will see 2024 as a failure"". Football in Oceania. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  15. ^ Johnson, Gareth (24 January 2024). "The Nauru Soccer Federation and Cambodia". Cambodia Lifestyle. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  16. ^ Johnson, Gareth (9 March 2024). "Nauru Announce Official Kit Maker and Sponsor". Nauru Soccer Federation. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
  17. ^ Johnson, Gareth (12 March 2024). "Next Goal Wins 2 – Nauru vs American Samoa". Nauru Soccer Federation. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  18. ^ Price, Steve. "The Pacific Island Of Nauru Plans Its First International Soccer Match". Forbes. Retrieved 23 March 2024.
  19. ^ "Dave Kitson: Former Reading forward set to manage Nauru in first international match". BBC Sport. 25 March 2024. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  20. ^ "Fat-fighting footballers aiming for Pacific match". BBC. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
  21. ^ Earnshaw, James (2 July 2024). "Reading football team fundraising for 'bonkers' match-up". The Reading Chronicle. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
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See also

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