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Kiribati national football team

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Jake Kewley)

Kiribati
Shirt badge/Association crest
AssociationKiribati Islands Football Federation (KIFF)
ConfederationOFC (Oceania)
Head coachJake Kewley
Most capsNabaruru Batiri (8)
Top scorerLawrence Nemeia (2)
Home stadiumBairiki National Stadium
FIFA codeKIR
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
CurrentNR (20 July 2026)[1]
First international
 Fiji 24–0 Kiribati 
(Nausori, Fiji; 30 August 1979)
Biggest win
None
Biggest defeat
 Fiji 24–0 Kiribati 
(Nausori, Fiji; 30 August 1979)
Pacific Games
Appearances3 (first in 1979)
Best resultGroup stage
(1979, 2003, 2011)
Ninth place
(1979)

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),[2] and is therefore not eligible to enter the FIFA World Cup but may enter the OFC Nations Cup.[3] It became a provisional member of the N.F.-Board on 10 December 2005.

Background

[edit]

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.[4] 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.[4]

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.[5]

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.[6] 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.[7] Kiribati qualified for the 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup held in England,[8] but were forced to withdraw and were replaced with Tuvalu.[9][10][11] The team were also entered in the 2023 Pacific Games, but withdrew a fortnight before the tournament began.[12]

History

[edit]

Early years and Pacific Games

[edit]

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.[13]

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.[14]

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.[15][16]

International isolation and membership efforts

[edit]

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.[17]

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.[18]

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.[19]

Renewed international ambitions

[edit]

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.[20]

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.[21]

Coaching history

[edit]

Last squad

[edit]
Squad selected for the 2011 Pacific Games.
Players' club teams and players' age as of 27 August 2011 – the tournament's opening day[24]
No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Tarariki Tarotu (1974-07-27)27 July 1974 (aged 37) 6 0
12 1GK Tiaon Miika (1992-11-04)4 November 1992 (aged 18) 3 0
3 2DF Kaake Kamta (1980-08-28)28 August 1980 (aged 30) 3 0
4 2DF Kaben Ioteba (1992-02-24)24 February 1992 (aged 19) 4 0 Kiribati Islands Football Federation Makin
5 2DF Enri Tenukai (1985-12-17)17 December 1985 (aged 25) 4 0 Kiribati Islands Football Federation Betio Urban Council
6 2DF Nabaruru Batiri (1984-12-01)1 December 1984 (aged 26) 8 0
2 2DF Beniamina Kaintikuaba (1993-12-03)3 December 1993 (aged 17) 2 0 Kiribati Islands Football Federation Marakei
16 2DF Barurunteiti Kaiorake (1980-04-01)1 April 1980 (aged 31) 1 0 Kiribati Islands Football Federation Betio Urban Council
7 3MF Atanuea Eritara (1992-10-24)24 October 1992 (aged 18) 4 0 Kiribati Islands Football Federation Marakei
9 3MF Atino Baraniko (1985-04-06)6 April 1985 (aged 26) 1 0 Kiribati Islands Football Federation Betio Urban Council
10 3MF Jeff Jong (1971-04-04)4 April 1971 (aged 40) 3 0 Kiribati Islands Football Federation Marakei
15 3MF Martin Miriata (1994-05-27)27 May 1994 (aged 17) 4 0 Kiribati Islands Football Federation Makin
17 3MF Biitamatang Keakea (1989-03-26)26 March 1989 (aged 22) 4 0 Kiribati Islands Football Federation Betio Urban Council
18 3MF Tongarua Akori (1983-06-30)30 June 1983 (aged 28) 2 0
19 3MF Lawrence Nemeia (1977-11-12)12 November 1977 (aged 33) 3 2
14 4FW Karotu Bakaane (1987-04-20)20 April 1987 (aged 24) 3 1 Kiribati Islands Football Federation Betio Urban Council
13 4FW Erene Bwakineti (1982-07-02)2 July 1982 (aged 29) 3 1 Kiribati Islands Football Federation Marakei
8 4FW Antin Nanotaake (1982-07-03)3 July 1982 (aged 29) 4 0 Kiribati Islands Football Federation Betio Urban Council
11 4FW Joseph Yan (1993-01-25)25 January 1993 (aged 18) 3 0 Kiribati Islands Football Federation Tarawa Urban Council

Player records

[edit]
As of 5 September 2011[citation needed]

Kiribati records and statistics

[edit]
  • 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)
  • Most goals in second half: 1 - (2 times)
  • 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)
  • Fewest goals conceded in first half: 1 - (2 times)
  • Fewest goals conceded in second half: 2 - (2 times)
  • 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)
  • Fastest 5 goals by a opponent: 4 minutes - v Tahiti, 5 September 2011

Competitive record

[edit]

FIFA World Cup

[edit]
FIFA World Cup Qualification
Year Host Round Pld W D L F A Pos. Pld W D L F A
1930 to 2026 Not a FIFA member Not a FIFA member

Pacific Games Record

[edit]
Pacific Games
Year Host Round Pld W D L F A Source
1963 to 1975Did not enter
1979 FijiGroup stage3012340[25]
1983 to 1995Did not enter
2003 FijiGroup stage4004240[26]
2007 SamoaDid not enter
2011 New CaledoniaGroup stage4004246[27]
2015 Papua New GuineaDid not enter[A]
2019 SamoaDid not enter
2023 Solomon IslandsWithdrew
Total1101107126
Notes
  1. ^
    A: The men's football tournament at the 2015 Pacific Games was an age-restricted competition that doubled as the OFC Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Head-to-head record

[edit]
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD WPCT
 Cook Islands 1 0 0 1 0 3 −3 0.00
 Fiji 3 0 0 3 0 45 −45 0.00
 Papua New Guinea 2 0 0 2 1 30 −29 0.00
 Solomon Islands 1 0 0 1 0 7 −7 0.00
 Tahiti 1 0 0 1 1 17 −16 0.00
 Tuvalu 2 0 1 1 5 6 −1 0.00
 Vanuatu 1 0 0 1 0 18 −18 0.00
Total 11 0 1 10 7 126 −119 0.00
Source: Results

Results

[edit]

Kiribati's score is shown first in each case.

No. Date Venue Opponents Score Competition Kiribati scorers Att. Ref.
1 30 August 1979 Ratu Cakobau Park, Nausori (N)  Fiji 0–24 1979 South Pacific Games — [28][29][25]
2 31 August 1979 Bidesi Park, Suva (N)  Papua New Guinea 0–13 1979 South Pacific Games — [28][29][25]
3 5 September 1979 Ratu Cakobau Park, Nausori  Tuvalu 3–3
(2–4 p)		 1979 South Pacific Games Unknown — [28][29][25]
4 30 June 2003 National Stadium, Suva (N)  Tuvalu 2–3 2003 South Pacific Games Nemeia (2) — [28][29][26]
5 3 July 2003 National Stadium, Suva (N)  Solomon Islands 0–7 2003 South Pacific Games 700 [28][29][26]
6 5 July 2003 Ratu Cakobau Park, Nausori (N)  Fiji 0–12 2003 South Pacific Games 4,000 [28][29][26]
7 7 July 2003 Churchill Park, Lautoka (N)  Vanuatu 0–18 2003 South Pacific Games 2,000 [28][29][26]
8 30 August 2011 Stade Boewa, Boulari Bay (N)  Fiji 0–9 2011 Pacific Games — [28][27]
9 1 September 2011 Stade Boewa, Boulari Bay (N)  Cook Islands 0–3 2011 Pacific Games — [28][27]
10 3 September 2011 Stade Boewa, Boulari Bay (N)  Papua New Guinea 1–17 2011 Pacific Games Bakaane — [28][27]
11 5 September 2011 Stade Boewa, Boulari Bay (N)  Tahiti 1–17 2011 Pacific Games Bwakineti — [28][27]

Historical kits

[edit]
1979
South Pacific Games
2003 Home
2011 Home
2011 Away

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking". 20 July 2026. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
  2. ↑ "Kiribati enjoying new adventure". OFC. Archived from the original on 6 September 2008. Retrieved 23 March 2009.
  3. ↑ "OFC Statutes, Article 10, Section 2b" (PDF). OFC. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2009.
  4. 1 2 "The hardest job in football?". bbc.co.uk. BBC Sport. 20 April 2012. Archived from the original on 21 April 2012. Retrieved 21 April 2012.
  5. ↑ . BBC. 15 May 2015. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  6. ↑ "Kiribati − Background". conifa.org. CONIFA. Archived from the original on 7 October 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  7. ↑ "A Beautiful Game for a Beautiful Nation". kiribatifootball.com. Kiribati Islands Football Association. Archived from the original on 16 January 2017. Retrieved 24 January 2017.
  8. ↑ "Team Tibet set for 2018 CONIFA World Football Cup in London next summer". Sports Illustrated. Time Inc. 8 September 2017. Archived from the original on 3 October 2017. Retrieved 3 October 2017.
  9. ↑ "Kiribati pull out of World Cup". Football in Oceania. 7 March 2018. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  10. ↑ "BREAKING NEWS! Tuvalu to replace Kiribati at the 2018 CONIFA World Cup". The Bootiful Game. 7 March 2018. Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  11. ↑ "Tuvalu to replace Kiribati at the 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup". CONIFA. Archived from the original on 15 October 2018. Retrieved 9 September 2018.
  12. ↑ "Kiribati withdraws from football". SOL 2023. 3 November 2023. Archived from the original on 3 November 2023.
  13. ↑ "South Pacific Games 1979 (Fiji)". RSSSF. Retrieved 16 September 2026.
  14. ↑ "South Pacific Games 2003 (Fiji)". RSSSF. Retrieved 16 September 2026.
  15. ↑ "Fiji march into semi-finals". Oceania Football Confederation. Retrieved 16 September 2026.
  16. ↑ "Kiribati 1–17 Tahiti". Oceania Football Confederation. 4 September 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2026.
  17. ↑ "CONIFA travels to Kiribati to meet with Pacific member KIFA". CONIFA. Retrieved 16 September 2026.
  18. ↑ "Tuvalu to replace Kiribati at the 2018 Paddy Power World Football Cup". CONIFA. 7 March 2018. Retrieved 16 September 2026.
  19. ↑ "Kiribati's men's football team withdraw from Pacific Games, just two weeks before competition starts". ABC Pacific. Retrieved 16 September 2026.
  20. ↑ "'This may be our last chance': rising sea levels threaten Kiribati's World Cup dream". The Guardian. 8 June 2026. Retrieved 16 September 2026.
  21. ↑ "A new chapter for football in Kiribati begins with OFC Visit". Oceania Football Confederation. Retrieved 16 September 2026.
  22. ↑ "Kiribati: Fighting for FIFA membership". oceaniafootball.com. 12 July 2017. Archived from the original on 20 October 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  23. ↑ "Interview with Jake Kewley". thinkhouse.ie (Archived). Archived from the original on 28 January 2018.
  24. ↑ "Kiribati Official Team List". oceaniafootball.com. Oceania Football Confederation. Archived from the original on 10 February 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2013.
  25. 1 2 3 4 Abbink, Dinant; Morrison, Neil; Cruickshank, Mark (1 April 2015). "South Pacific Games 1979 (Fiji)". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 23 October 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 Zlotkowski, Andre (14 July 2003). "South Pacific Games 2003 (Fiji) - Tournament Details". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 29 September 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  27. 1 2 3 4 5 Morrison, Neil; Schöggl, Hans (18 January 2018). "Pacific Games 2011 (New Caledonia)". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 29 July 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  28. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "World Football Elo Ratings: Kiribati". www.eloratings.net. World Football Elo Ratings. Archived from the original on 7 July 2019. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
  29. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Courtney, Barrie (30 October 2005). "Kiribati - List of International Matches". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 25 February 2023. Retrieved 7 July 2019.
[edit]
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