Does anyone have any new information about the 2007 South Pacific Games doubling as 2010 World Cup Qualifying?
The OFC's qualification process will consist of three phases. The first phase will begin at the 2007 South Pacific Games in Samoa with the football tournament doubling as an OFC preliminary World Cup qualifying competition. The gold, silver and bronze medallists will advance to the second phase. The three medallists will join New Zealand in a home and away round-robin tournament on FIFA match dates in 2007 and 2008. The winner of this final group will be crowned OFC Nations Cup champions and secure qualification for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa. This team will then advance to third qualification phase in the final group stage of the AFC qualification programme. http://www.oceaniafootball.com/index.cgi?det=1&intArticleID=2031&sID=12 -------------------------------------------------- First World Cup 2010 qualifiers will be in 2007 South Pacific Games in Samoa from 24 august to 8 September
At the 2003 Tournament Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea & Tonga all took part. These FIFA members will play again in the Games I assume? But American Samoa, Cook Islands & Samoa did not take part in 2003. Will these FIFA nations take part as well in 2007, in order to be included in the World Cup Qualifying process? Also which Non FIFA Members are playing in the Pacific Games this year. In 2003 Tuvalu, Kiribati & Micronesia were the only non FIFA teams.
I am sure that FIFA want all their members to compete in World Cup qualifiers, so I expect all Oceania FIFA members to compete in South Pacific Games in Samoa. Which NON FIFA members who will also participate is maybe too early to say now...
The chance that Kiribati win South Pacific Games is not very high But if they do they will not be playing in the finals , I guess they will let number 2,3 and 4 participate if they are FIFA members.
Lol, I know the chance for Kiribati is not high - I just thought it would have been an interesting hypothetical. Realistically, the money is all on NZ.
Thats true , but remember who came to the finals against Australia in last World Cup qualifiers.... It was Solomon Islands
Yeah I remember - there were some accusations from NZ that Australia intentionally drew with Solomon Islands so that NZ didn't come second and progress into the final round.
Systems are different. In last qualifiers, they played in single round-robin format, lost one match can cause elimination. But next qualifiers will be in home and away format and play in international dates, teams can play with full strength.
http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=2-3567-0-0-0&sID=43892 24th August-8th September 2007 Participants: American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu There will be 11 teams divided into 2 pools.
New Zealand are not playing - they never play in the South Pacific Games. You must have misread New Caledonia as New Zealand.
The full draw for the XIII South Pacific Games: Men's Tournament: GROUP A FIJI TAHITI NEW CALEDONIA COOK ISLANDS TUVALU GROUP B SOLOMON ISLANDS VANUATU SAMOA TONGA AMERICAN SAMOA The top three teams at the XIII South Pacific Games - Samoa 2007 will progress to Stage Two where they will face New Zealand in a home and away round robin group format. The winner of the Stage Two group will face the 5th placed team in the Asian Football Confederation in a home and away playoff with the winner sealing a spot at the FIFA World Cup - South Africa 2010. http://www.oceaniafootball.com/index.cgi?det=1&intArticleID=2299&sID=12
They apparently did not register. Vanuatu also seemed not to register in the women's tournament. I think both initially said they would compete, but perhaps budegt constraints forced them to cut back on some Pacific Games sports.
My bet is a final between Fiji and Solomon Islands. Tahiti or New Caledonia to semifinals in group A , Vanuatu in group B.
New Caledonia for me.... Will anybody be able to post any links for possible LIVE showings or at least highlights of the matches..
www.fifa.com promise livescores and updates http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=576030.html#oceanian hopefuls south africa
