The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Futsal Championship kicks off in Suva, Fiji today with seven nations competing for a place at the FIFA Futsal World Cup in Brazil in September.

There was a late change to kick off times in the tournament and the first match between Solomon Islands and New Zealand will now kick off at 16H00 (local time) followed by Tuvalu v Vanuatu at 18H00 and Fiji v New Caledonia at 20H00.

Oceaniafootball.com will provide up to date results, photos and match reports of all games at the tournament.

The tournament is destined to have a new winner this year as New Caledonia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tuvalu and Vanuatu all compete for the championship which Australia has dominated since the tournaments conception.

Australia has won four titles in a row since 1992 with New Zealand and Fiji both earning runners up honours on two occasions, New Zealand in ‘92 and ‘04 and Fiji in ‘96 and ’99.

Australia left OFC on January 1, 2006 to join the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and their absence provides a pathway for another nation to represent Oceania at the FIFA Futsal World Cup in Brazil in September.

Australia was cast in the same group as world champions Brazil at the FIFA Futsal World Cup – Chinese Taipei 2004 and finished the group stage of the tournament without a win.

Futsal – an indoor form of football played with five players per side and a weighted ball – has become increasingly popular throughout countries in OFC and the lure of a FIFA World Cup and the absence of heavyweights Australia will make this tournament well received throughout all competing nations.

The OFC Futsal Championship kicks off on Sunday 8 June at 16H00 with the Solomon Islands entertaining New Zealand in the tournament opener.

The tournament follows a round robin format based on a league system and runs from Sunday 8 June through to Saturday 14 June.

All match results, news and photos can be found at www.oceaniafootball.com

2008 OFC Futsal Championships

Dates 8 – 14 June 2008

Venues Vodafone Arena, Suva, Fiji

Format Round robin tournament based on a league system. The winner will represent OFC at the FIFA Futsal World Cup Brazil 2008.

Teams Fiji, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

Match Day 1 – June 8 2008
Kick Off Team A Team B Result
4.00pm Solomon Islands New Zealand

6.00pm Tuvalu Vanuatu

8.00pm Fiji New Caledonia

Bye Tahiti

Match Day 2 – June 9 2008
4.00pm New Zealand Vanuatu

6.00pm Solomon Islands New Caledonia

8.00pm Tuvalu Tahiti

Bye Fiji

Match Day 3 – June 10 2008
4.00pm Vanuatu New Caledonia

6.00pm New Zealand Tahiti

8.00pm Solomon Islands Fiji

Bye Tuvalu

Match Day 4 – June 11 2008
4.00pm New Caledonia Tahiti

6.00pm Vanuatu Fiji

8.00pm New Zealand Tuvalu

Bye Solomon Islands

Match Day 5 – June 12 2008
4.00pm Tahiti Fiji

6.00pm New Caledonia Tuvalu

8.00pm Vanuatu Solomon islands

Bye New Zealand

Match Day 6 – June 13 2008
4.00pm Fiji Tuvalu

6.00pm Tahiti Solomon Islands

8.00pm New Caledonia New Zealand

Bye Vanuatu

Match Day 7 – June 14 2008
4.00pm Tuvalu Solomon Islands

6.00pm Fiji New Zealand

8.00pm Tahiti Vanuatu

Bye New Caledonia