Fiji to host football World Cup qualifiers, IOC opens Pacific office, and big boost for sport in Rarotonga
Oceania's top football teams have eyes on World Cup
The Oceania Women's Nations Cup has been confirmed to take place in Fiji in July, with nine football teams trying to take a significant step towards qualifying for the 2023 World Cup which is being co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia.
Cook Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tonga and Vanuatu will hope to join New Zealand - which has qualified automatically as co-hosts - at the tournament.
Photo: Oceania Football
The tournament winners will then contest a ten-team play-off competition for the final three spots; that mini-tournament will be held in both Australia and New Zealand in February 2023.
American Samoa have withdrawn due to the challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The quarter-finals, semi-finals and final will all be single-leg matches with the final taking place on July 30.
Defending champions PNG are the highest-ranked team in the competition, followed by Fiji and Tonga.
Back to the future as IOC opens Suva office
International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach has opened the Committee's Oceania headquarters in in Suva.
Mr Bach was among the attendees at a ceremony to mark the opening of the building.
The building will be the Oceania Committee's first headquarters, with the organisation saying the opening marked a major milestone.
Sport gets major boost in Cook Islands
A deal has been signed to promote sport and physical recreation in the Cook Islands.
The agreement aims to establish accessible and affordable sports and recreational facilities of an international standard.
In addition to establishing high-class facilities, the agreement places a focus on promoting the inclusiveness of facilities and their availability for use by the entire community.
Cook Islands Investment Corporation chief executive Allan Jensen says the deal will play a crucial role in encouraging all Cook Islanders to live more active and healthier lifestyles.
"It's all about working together for the betterment of the sporting community - and the Cook Islands community in general," Jensen said.
"The MoU will promote more effective and efficient management of our national sporting facilities - including the National Stadium and Indoor Sports Arena - while also making clear what each party's responsibilities and obligations are."
The MoU was signed on behalf of CISNOC by secretary general Owen Lewis, in the presence of Prime Minister Mark Brown and other guests.
Lewis emphasised that sports facilities are relevant not only to improving athletes' performance but also for showcasing the country.
"We want to ensure the venues are affordable and accessible," he said.
"We want to see them utilised for the betterment of our people and our national sports federations."
