Papua New Guinea face significant geographical challenges for their elite youth programmes but with support from FIFA Forward the Melanesian nation is developing the stars of tomorrow. Papua New Guinea is comfortably the most populated of the Oceania Football Confederation’s (OFC) 11 member associations, yet the nation faces rare logistical obstacles. Only a modest portion of the population lives in the capital and biggest city, Port Moresby. Eye-catching coastal areas, rugged terrain mountain regions and a seemingly endless list of islands scattered beyond the mainland means that many locations are only reachable by air or arduous road journeys.

Papua New Guinea seemed unlikely candidates for one of three qualification tickets on offer at during the two-week OFC U-16 Men’s Championship in Honiara, Solomon Islands. Featuring in the eight-nation Championship was not assured with PNG reaching the tournament for the first time in seven years after progressing through the preliminary stage. Despite the obstacles, PNG fell narrowly short of what would have been qualification for their first FIFA tournament for any PNG men's national team. Having provided stout opposition in a 2-0 defeat against holders New Zealand in the semi-final, PNG were then edged by a lone Fiji goal in the third-place playoff on Saturday to narrowly miss out on a ticket to next year’s FIFA U-17 World Cup Qatar 2026™.

The U-16 team’s preparation took place at the recently renovated Papua New Guinea Football Association (PNGFA) headquarters in Port Moresby - a project supported by FIFA Forward with funding of USD 499,889. The team utilised USD 110,837 from the FIFA Forward fund (2.0 & 3.0 cycles) to support the team's travel and accommodation in the OFC tournament. “This year, we were fortunate and proud to witness our U-16 men’s national team qualify for the OFC Championship, a milestone we did not anticipate but wholeheartedly embraced,” said PNGFA General Secretary Ahmjad Tekwie. “The unexpected nature of this qualification presented significant logistical and financial challenges, particularly in covering airfares and accommodation, which are among the most substantial expenses for any national team campaign. “Thanks to the FIFA Forward funding, PNGFA was able to meet these critical costs and ensure our young athletes could represent Papua New Guinea on the regional stage with dignity and professionalism. This support not only enabled participation but also reinforced FIFA’s commitment to equitable football development across all Member Associations.”

FIFA Forward can provide up to USD 8 million to each Member Association between 2023-26, seven times the amount they received when compared to the 2011-14 cycle. Increased funding, combined with an expanded FIFA U-17 World Cup, has seen heightened competitiveness in the Pacific, a feature of recent competitions highlighted by New Zealand U-16 coach Martin Bullock. “I think we've seen a lot of improvement over the last couple of years from every [OFC] nation,” he said. “I think that FIFA, Technical Directors and OFC deserve a lot of credit for helping nations be better prepared and have better player identification programmes in place to enable their players to reach the next level.”

Papua New Guinea will not have to wait long to again test their young players at continental level with the OFC U-19 Women’s Championship scheduled for later this month. “On behalf of the PNGFA Secretariat, we extend our heartfelt appreciation to FIFA for standing with us in both expected and unexpected moments,” added Tekwie. “Your support continues to empower football in Papua New Guinea and inspire the next generation of players.”