The countdown has begun for the Tiki Toa. On the eve of the OFC Beach Soccer Nations Cup, the five nations taking part gathered on Tuesday morning for a press conference. The event also allowed the trophy to be unveiled, the one that the teams will be hoping to lift at the end of the tournament.
For their opening match, the Tahitian players will face their neighbors from New Caledonia on Thursday, October 22, on the sand at Aorai Tini Hau Park. A first important meeting for the two teams, who are aiming to secure a ticket to the next Beach Soccer World Cup.
On the New Caledonia side, there is no intention of merely making up the numbers. Despite the status of the Tiki Toa, who are seasoned participants in major international competitions, the Caledonian coach Ludovic Wakanume stated his ambitions: “Thursday’s match will be a big match. We know Tahiti has a good level. But we came to qualify for the World Cup. Our team is composed of players from 11-a-side football and futsal. We have trained well.”
The competition will take place from October 22 to 31, with New Caledonia, Tahiti, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea taking part. The Tiki Toa are three-time defending champions and are aiming for a fourth consecutive title. They had won the previous edition in 2024, defeating the Solomon Islands 3-2 in the final.
Polynesian supporters will be able to follow the Tiki Toa’s matches live on Tahiti Nui Television.
