Fiji’s Maikah Dau celebrates a goal at the OFC U-16 Men's Championship 2025, Fiji v Tahiti. Photo: DJ Mills / Phototek.nz
Football
Three World Cup spots will be up for grabs when the semi-finals of the OFC Men's Under-16 Championship gets underway in Honiara on Wednesday.
Oceania has been granted three spots at the FIFA Under-17 Men's World Cup in Qatar.
Fiji and New Caledonia, who both qualified for this year's world cup at last year's OFC meet, will clash in the opening semi-final at 1.30pm New Zealand time.
Defending OFC champions, New Zealand, take on Papua New Guinea at 5pm.
The two winners will secure world up spots, while the losers will play-off for the third spot.
Rugby
Pacific Nations Cup champions Fiji kick off their title defense against the 'Ikale Tahi of Tonga in Suva on Saturday.
Flying Fijians head coach Mick Byrne said they are wary of Tonga, who shot down Manu Samoa in Nuku'alofa last weekend.
'Ikale Tahi head coach Tevita Tuifua said they are the underdogs, knowing full well what it means playing Fiji at home in Suva.
The Flying Fijians will take on Tonga at 3pm Saturday, local time.
League
Hundreds of teachers across Papua New Guinea are undertaking formal training as rugby league coaches, through the PNG NRL Academy program, supported by the Australian Government.
This week more than 60 teachers and school team coaches from 24 schools took part in the Goroka course, and 60 attended in Mount Hagen.
With school competitions increasingly becoming the focus of talent identification, the Australian High Commission says building the capacity of teachers as rugby league coaches is crucial to unearthing future rugby league stars.
Floorball
Solomon Islands will compete for a spot at the 2026 Men's World Floorball Championship, scheduled for December next year in Finland.
Floorball is similar to hockey, played indoors with a stick and a lightweight ball.
The Solomon Star reported the national team will compete at the Asia-Oceania Floorball Confederation qualifiers, scheduled for Wellington next January.
Solomon Islands will be the only Pacific team in the qualifier.
