Press Release – OFC
Vanuatu, Fiji, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea will all host group stage matches in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 26 Qualifiers of the Oceanian Zone.
Vanuatu, Fiji, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea will all host group stage matches in the upcoming FIFA World Cup 26™ Qualifiers of the Oceanian Zone.
Following the draw at FIFA HQ in Zurich, the OFC Executive met to confirm the qualifying schedule.
After Round One of qualifying in September in Samoa, which features the hosts alongside Cook Islands, American Samoa and Tonga, match day three in October will be hosted at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva, Fiji and VFF Freshwater Stadium in Port Vila, Vanuatu.
Group A fixtures will take place in Suva on Thursday October 10, with the Solomon Islands to play Fiji and New Caledonia to meet Papua New Guinea.
Group B fixtures will take place in Port Vila on Friday October 11 with New Zealand playing Tahiti and Saturday October 12 with Vanuatu meeting the winner of Round One.
Match day four and five will take place during the November FIFA international window, with matches at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton and Auckland in New Zealand and at PNG Football Stadium in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.
Group A matches in Port Moresby will see Solomon Islands play New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea meet Fiji on Thursday November 14, before the final round of group fixtures sees Fiji meet New Caledonia and Papua New Guinea play Solomon Islands on Sunday November 17.
In Group B, the winner of Round One will face Tahiti, whilst New Zealand will meet Vanuatu at Waikato Stadium on Friday, November 15, before the final group matches are played on Monday November 18, when Tahiti face Vanuatu and New Zealand meet the winner of Round One in Auckland.
Match day six and seven will be held in New Zealand in March, with the Group A winner to meet the Group B runner up and the Group B winner to face the Group A runner up, followed by the final, to determine which country qualifies for the FIFA World Cup 26™ and which country goes to the FIFA Intercontinental Playoff Tournament.
Content Sourced from scoop.co.nz
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