Eight nations are descending on Fiji, each hoping to secure one of two places at next year’s FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup™ in Morocco.
The OFC U-16 Women’s Championship kicks off tomorrow at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva, with each team believing they are a genuine chance of qualifying for the showpiece event in 2025, with two places for OFC at the tournament up for grabs following the World Cup’s expansion to 24 teams.
There are two groups of four teams in Suva with Fiji, Tonga, Cook Islands and Samoa in Group A and New Zealand, New Caledonia, Tahiti and Solomon Islands contesting Group B.
The Group A winners will meet the Group B runners up, and the Group B winners will meet the Group A runners up in the semi-finals on 18 September. The two semi-final winners will be able to celebrate qualification for Morocco before challenging for the OFC U-16 Women’s Championship crown in the final on 21 September.