The Digicel Fiji Beach soccer side opens its campaign against the Solomon Islands at the Oceania Football Confederation Beach Soccer National Cup in Tahiti today.
The Simione Tamanisau captained side will go against one of the tournament favourites in its tournament opener. Solomon Islands themselves hold the record for the most titles, having won four of the six championships since it’s inception in 2006.
The match kicks off at 2pm. Meanwhile, for the fifth time, Tahiti will play host to the OFC Beach Soccer Nations Cup, with the 2023 edition taking place in the French Polynesian capital city of Papeete.
It marks the first time the tournament has been held since 2019, with the 2021 tournament cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hosts Tahiti are the reigning champions, having secured the trophy with a dramatic 4-3 victory over Solomon Islands in June 2019.
Beach Soccer itself has a long and rich history in French Polynesia. Tahiti remain the only OFC Member Association to reach a senior level World Cup Final – having done so twice, at the 2015 and 2017 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cups – losing out to Portugal and Brazil respectively – as well as a fourth place finish in 2013.
