OFC FUTSAL CHAMPIONSHIP: TELEVISION COVERAGE IN OCEANIA

SUVA – The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) in conjunction with Fiji TV is pleased to advise football fans around the region of broadcast details of the OFC Futsal Championship – Fiji 2008. OFC and Fiji TV have reached an agreement to cover all 21 matches of the championship for broadcasters around the region.

Full details of the exact broadcast arrangements for each country can be obtained by contacting your local broadcaster. OFC will provide updates at www.oceaniafootball.com of where and when you can follow the fortunes of your nation’s matches in Suva.

Host nation Fiji and its close rivals Solomon Islands and Vanuatu recorded opening day wins at the Vodafone Arena in Suva – Vanuatu handed Tuvalu a 6-0 defeat as Solomon Islands turned over New Zealand 5-1. Fiji scored what could be a pivotal win over highly fancied New Caledonia 4-2.

Australia won the OFC Futsal Championship title on four occasions in 1992, 1996, 1999 and 2004. However its last experience at the FIFA Futsal World Cup – Thailand 2004 resulted in three defeats: Brazil (0-10), Czech Republic (0-5) and Thailand (2-3).

Fiji and New Zealand have finished runners-up to Australia on two occasions with Vanuatu finishing third in the four previous editions of the OFC Futsal Championship.

The highest placing for a team from outside the traditional football powerhouses in Oceania came in 1996 when Samoa finished in fourth place.

Apart from Australia and New Zealand only Solomon Islands has previously qualified for a major FIFA event when it played at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in 2006 and 2007. 

Solomon Islands are set to repeat that accomplishment when it travels to Marseille for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in July 2008 where it will play the opening match against Italy.

The broadcast details of host nation Fiji’s matches are listed below.

Stay tuned to www.oceaniafootball.com as updates for all the broadcast details for all nations is made known.

The FIFA Futsal World Cup takes place in Brazil from 30 September – 19 October 2008 in Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro.