OFC U-20 Championship 1978

The second edition of the OFC U-20 Championship was held in 1978 and was hosted by New Zealand. It was again contested between four nations, with each team playing each other in a round-robin format with the highest-ranked side claiming the title. The tournament doubled as qualification for the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship™ in Japan with the winner progressing to an intercontinental play-off.

Impressive wins against Fiji and Papua New Guinea confirmed Australia’s place in the intercontinental play-off even before they edged New Zealand 2-1 to claim their first OFC U-20 Championship title. Australia failed to qualify for the 1979 FIFA World Youth Championship. They finished last in an intercontinental play-off group with Paraguay and Israel.