Cook_Islands_national_football_team

Cook Islands national football team

Cook Islands national football team

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The Cook Islands men's national football team is the men's football team that represents the Cook Islands in international competition since 1971. It is governed by the Cook Islands Football Association which is part of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) and FIFA.

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Cook Islands women's national football team.

Quick Facts Association, Confederation ...

The nation has participated in seven FIFA World Cup qualification attempts since their first attempt back in 1998. They have qualified for the OFC Nations Cup twice in 1998 and 2000 OFC Nations Cup with both appearances seeing no wins from their four games that they have played.

History

Beginnings (1971–1995)

Despite being absent from the first three editions of the South Pacific Games, the geographical proximity of the Cook Islands with French Polynesia, host of the 1971 South Pacific Games, allowed the Cookian team to take part in the tournament. In the first round they were defeated 16–1 by Papua New Guinea and 30–0 by Tahiti, while in the match for fifth place, they fell to Fiji 15–1.

They next played a match in 1995 when proximity allowed them to participate again in the 1995 South Pacific Games. During the tournament they earned their first win, a 2–1 win over Wallis and Futuna, but lost their other four clashes resoundingly.

The two OFC Nations Cup (1996–2001)

The Cook Islands qualified for their first Oceania Nations Cup after finishing second in the 1998 Polynesia Cup, which they hosted. They faced Australia and Fiji in Group B, in what proved to be a tough draw. Australia crushed the Cook Islands 16–0 in their first match, scoring eight goals either side of the interval. In their next match against Fiji, however, the Cook Islands acquitted themselves much better, losing only 3–0, but with two defeats from two matches they failed to make the semi-finals.

In finishing 2nd at the 2000 Polynesia Cup, the Cook Islands also qualified for the OFC Nations Cup. They were drawn in Group A along with the Solomon Islands, and again, Australia. After their heavy defeat at the hands of Australia in the previous tournament, the Cook Islands hoped to avoid a repeat performance. However, they were powerless to prevent their opponents from running rampant, this time to the tune of 17–0. The Solomon Islands were up next, and in this game the Cook Islands had the consolation of scoring their first goal at the Oceania Nations Cup – the only bright spot in an otherwise bleak 5–1 defeat. After two defeats, then, the Cooks Islands again went out at the group stage.

Decline (2002–present)

They next entered qualification for the 2004 tournament however they lost all four matches and failed to progress.

They returned to the South Pacific Games for the 2007 competition where they could only beat Tuvalu 4–1. Four years later, at Nouméa 2011, they defeated Kiribati 3–0, but lost their other three meetings; while in 2012 OFC Nations Cup qualification they drew with American Samoa and fell to Samoa and Tonga.

In the 2016 OFC Nations Cup qualifiers, they beat Tonga 3–1 and Samoa 1–0, but fell in the last game against American Samoa 2-0, which relegated the Cook Islands to third place, surpassed on goal difference by both Samoas.

In March 2022, the Cook Islands played their first match in seven years when they lost 2–0 to the Solomon Islands in qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. However, they had to withdraw from their remaining matches due to a COVID-19 outbreak.[2][3]

On 28 August 2023, Cook Islands resumed their international matches playing against Tahiti but suffered a 9–1 heavy defeat to Tahiti at the Stade Pater Te Hono Nui in Pirae.

Kit sponsorship

More information Kit supplier, Period ...

Source:[4][5]

Results and fixtures

Main article: Cook Islands national football team results

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixture

2023

28 August Friendly Tahiti  9–1  Cook Islands Pirae, Tahiti
20:00 UTC−10
  • Tau 24'
  • Kaspard 29'
  • Tehau 37'
  • Horoi 42'
  • Paama 52'
  • Keck 55', 87', 89'
  • Gitton 76'
 Report
  • Enoka 74'
 Stadium: Stade Pater Te Hono Nui
31 August Friendly Cook Islands  0–3  Tahiti Pirae, Tahiti
20:00 UTC−10 Report
Stadium: Stade Pater Te Hono Nui
21 November 2023 Pacific Games Tonga  1-2  Cook Islands Honiara, Solomon Islands
16:00 UTC+11
  • Kendler 71'
 Report
Stadium: SIFF Academy Field
Referee: David Yareboinen (Papua New Guinea)
24 November 2023 Pacific Games Cook Islands  0-8  New Caledonia Honiara, Solomon Islands
16:00 UTC+11 Report
Stadium: SIFF Academy Field
Referee: Kavitesh Behari (Fiji)

2024

23 March 2024 OFC Nations Cup qualification Samoa  1–0  Cook Islands Nuku'alofa, Tonga
11:00
  • Taualai 88'
 Report Stadium: Teufaiva Stadium
Attendance: 300
Referee: Pari Oito (Tahiti)
26 March 2024 OFC Nations Cup qualification Cook Islands  1–0  Tonga Nuku'alofa, Tonga
14:00
Report Stadium: Teufaiva Stadium
Attendance: 500
Referee: Laurie Fairamoa (Solomon Islands)

Coaches

Current squad

The following players were called up for the 2023 Pacific Games.[6]

Caps and goals are correct as of 30 November 2023, after the match against Samoa.

More information No., Pos. ...

Player records

As of 26 March 2024[7]
Players in bold are still active with Cook Islands.

Most appearances

More information Rank, Name ...

Top goalscorers

More information Rank, Name ...

Competition record

FIFA World Cup

More information FIFA World Cup, Qualification ...

OFC Nations Cup

More information Oceania Cup / OFC Nations Cup record, Qualification record ...

Pacific Games

More information Pacific Games record, Year ...
  1. [N 1]
    The Cook Islands men's national team were withdrew by the federation after the elimination from the group stage citing travelling issues for coming back from Honiara. The team didn't play the 5th place semi-final, nor the 7th place final

Polynesia Cup

More information Polynesia Cup record, Year ...

Head-to-head record

Up to matches played on 26 March 2024.

More information Pld, W ...
Source: Results
Notes:
  1. Includes results as Western Samoa.

Historical kits

1995 Home
1995 Away
2001 Home
2007 Home
2007 Away
2011 Home
2015 Home
2015 Away
2022 Home
2022 Away

Sources:[8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 4 April 2024. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
  2. [2]
    "Cook Islands vs Solomon Islands". Elevensports. 23 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  3. [3]
    "Update on FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Oceania Qualifiers". Oceania Football Confederation. 23 March 2022. Archived from the original on 23 March 2022. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
  4. [4]
    "Antigo(a) Cook Islands camisas de futebol". Archived from the original on 14 June 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  5. [5]
    "KPI Sports". www.facebook.com. Archived from the original on 26 February 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
  6. [6]
    "Match report" (PDF). OFC.
  7. [7]
    "Cook Islands". National Football Teams.
  8. [8]
    "1999".
  9. [9]
    "1999".
  10. [10]
    "2001".
  11. [11]
    "2007".
  12. [12]
    "2007".
  13. [13]
    "2011".
  14. [14]
    "2015".
  15. [15]
    "2015".
  16. [16]
    "2022".
  17. [17]
    "2022".
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