Auckland FC secure 10th appearance at CWC with 10th OFC Champions League win
August 17 – New Zealand’s Auckland City FC have booked a ticket for the Club World Cup after defeating Tahiti’s AS Venus 3-0 to clinch a 10th OFC Champions League.
Oceania
Cook Islands club gifted slot for Oceania Champions League finals in New Zealand
June 7 – The finals tournament for Oceania’s Champions League will be hosted by New Zealand in August, with all eight competing teams to be confirmed at the end of June, the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) has announced.
Fiji to host OFC Women’s Nations Cup, winners earn 2023 World Cup play-off
April 29 – Fiji will host the OFC Women’s Nations Cup 2022 in July with the winner earning a spot for the inter-continental playoffs on the road to the 2023 Women’s World Cup.
New Zealand beat Tahiti to set up OFC qualifying final against the Solomon Islands
By Samindra Kunti in Doha
March 28 – New Zealand edged towards a ticket for the international World Cup playoff following a laboured 1-0 victory against Tahiti to set up the OFC qualification final against Solomon Islands.
OFC 2022 qualifiers: Covid kills Vanuatu’s campaign, Cook Islands also hit
March 21 – Vanuatu have withdrawn from Oceania’s eight-team World Cup qualifiers because of a Covid-19 outbreak in the squad. The Cooks Islands’ second game was also postponed due to positive coronavirus cases.
OFC 2022 qualifiers: Solomon Islands open with win, Vanuatu hit by Covid, NZ waiting
March 18 – The Solomon Islands defeated the Cook Islands 2-0 to kick off the eight-team Oceania World Cup qualifiers with a ticket for the intercontinental playoffs at stake, but on the first day of the tournament Tahiti – Vanuatu had to be postponed because of a Covid-19 outbreak.
Arrest warrants issued for OFC bosses charged with fraud over House of Football site in NZ
By Andrew Warshaw
February 17 – Years after being plunged into scandal with a spate of high ranking officials banned for financial wrongdoing, the Oceania Football Association (OFC) has once again become embroiled in chaos and corruption.
AFC mobilises Asian support for OFC’s Tongan appeal
January 25 – Support is gathering for the Oceania Football Confederation’s campaign to support Tonga following the devastating volcanic eruption and tsunami which hit the country.
Auckland City record ‘disappointing’ Club World Cup double
January 4 – Auckland City officials say they are “bitterly disappointed’’ at having to pull out of Club World Cup finals in the United Arab Emirates for a second successive year over Covid-19 quarantine issues.
Qatar to host OFC nations for centralised 2022 World Cup qualifying
November 30 – Qatar will host the 2022 Oceania World Cup qualifiers featuring eight participants following the withdrawal of both Samoa and American Samoa, FIFA have announced.
FIFA-forgotten Pacific Islands plan new regional tournament
February 14 – A new competition for non-FIFA affiliated Oceania regions is in the pipeline according to local reports.
Pacific pariah: FIFA bans former OFC boss Nicholas for eight years
By Andrew Warshaw
May 30 – Yet another high-profile former FIFA bigwig has been thrown out of the game, making a mockery of the suggestion that corruption is over among those who have served football’s world governing body.
Wood becomes first female president of New Zealand FA
April 3 – Johanna Wood has been elected the first female president of New Zealand Football (NZF) in an overhaul of the ruling body’s governance following a tumultuous 2018.
Infantino sells 24-team Club World Cup to Oceania with keeping of guaranteed spot
March 12 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino has reportedly promised Oceania a guaranteed place in an expanded Club World Cup if his proposal is approved by the FIFA Council in Miami this week.
Maltock takes helm at corruption-ridden OFC promising clean future
March 11 – Interim Oceania Football Confederation president Lambert Maltock has been elected to the role on a permanent basis and has vowed to clean up the region following the recent bans of two high-profile colleagues.