AS Tefana, the reigning champions and Tahiti’s representatives in the upcoming O-League, started with a win but Excelsior and Vairao, both new to the division, lost their first matches and could face a tough battle to remain in the top flight. They have plenty of time to put things right though – the national league season does not end until June next year.
Both the men’s and women’s national teams are also in action this month.
Coach Eddy Etaeta is leading his men to France for the Overseas Cup, which takes place in Paris from September 22 to October 3. The cup is a biennial competition put in place for the national teams of French overseas territories and former territories to play against each other.
Tahiti have been drawn in group one and will meet fellow OFC member New Caledonia, Guadeloupe and Martinique, while group two is made up of French Guiana, Mayotte, Reunion and Saint Pierre et Miquelon.
The Tahiti squad contains a blend of experienced and young players, with the new generation including a number of up-and-coming stars who competed at the last FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2009.
The trip to France is a chance for them to gain some international experience ahead of the Pacific Games New Caledonia 2011.
The national women’s team will also take to the field soon but their competition is a little closer to home than that of their male counterparts.
The Jeanne Mahiatapu-coached side are finishing off their preparations for the OFC Women’s Nations Cup, held in Auckland from September 29 to October 8. Tahiti are in Group A and will face favourites New Zealand, Cook Islands and Vanuatu.
A place at next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Germany is up for grabs for the tournament winner.
Tahiti’s best young male players are also set to test themselves against Oceania’s finest in the coming months. They will take part in the OFC U-17 Championship, held in Auckland from January 8 to 21, and will be keen to achieve the same feat as the U-20 team which qualified for the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2009.
Another important event on FTF’s agenda is the OFC Beach Soccer Championship, hosted by Tahiti from February 21 to 27. The tournament will be an ideal practice run for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2013, also set to be hosted in Tahiti.
As hosts, the French Polynesians have already booked themselves a place at the World Cup but the OFC event will give them some much-needed competition, particularly in the form of defending champions Solomon Islands.
FTF will also host the OFC Congress during January. The purpose of the gathering is to define the OFC strategy and development plans for the next four years, and FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter will be in attendance.