Kiribati national football team facts for kids
 |
|||
| Association | Kiribati Islands Football Federation (KIFF) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Confederation | OFC (Oceania) | ||
| Most caps | Nabaruru Batiri (8) | ||
| Top scorer | Lawrence Nemeia (2) | ||
| Home stadium | Bairiki National Stadium | ||
| FIFA code | KIR | ||
|
|||
| Elo ranking | |||
| Current | 234  (3 March 2019) |
||
| Highest | 187 (1979) | ||
| Lowest | 235 (2018) | ||
| First international | |||
 Fiji 24–0 Kiribati  (Nausori, Fiji; 30 August 1979) |
|||
| Biggest win | |||
| None | |||
| Biggest defeat | |||
| Fiji 24–0 Kiribati (Nausori, Fiji; 30 August 1979) |
|||
| Pacific Games | |||
| Appearances | 3 (first in 1979) | ||
| Best result | Group stage (1979, 2003, 2011) Ninth place (1979) |
||
The Kiribati men's national football team represents the country of Kiribati in men's football. The Kiribati Islands Football Association controls the team. Kiribati is not a member of FIFA, which means they cannot play in the FIFA World Cup. However, they are an associate member of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC). This allows them to compete in the OFC Nations Cup. The team also became a provisional member of the N.F.-Board on December 10, 2005.
Contents
About the Kiribati Football Team
The Kiribati national football team has played 11 international matches. These games took place up to April 2012. In these matches, they scored 7 goals and let in 125 goals. All their games were played away from home. This is because Kiribati does not have grass football pitches. The Bairiki National Stadium has a sand pitch instead.
First Match and Close Games
Kiribati's first match was in Fiji on August 30, 1979. They played against the Fiji team. Kiribati lost this game 24–0 during a South Pacific Games match. The team has never won an official match. However, they came very close to winning against Tuvalu. This game was on June 30, 2003, in the South Pacific Games in Fiji. Kiribati lost 3–2. They also lost 4–2 in a penalty shootout to Tuvalu in 1979.
Goal Scorers and Coaches
In the 2011 Pacific Games, Karotu Bakaane scored a goal against Papua New Guinea. Erene Bakineti scored another goal against Tahiti. In the 2003 competition, Lawrence Nemeia scored both goals against Tuvalu. He scored in the 26th and 46th minutes.
In 2012, a coach from Scotland named Kevin McGreskin joined the team. His goal was to make the team better. He also wanted them to be recognized by FIFA. On April 10, 2015, Jake Kewley became the team's Manager and Ambassador. He worked to help Kiribati get full membership in football organizations. A FIFA application was sent in later that year.
Joining ConIFA
On May 6, 2016, Kiribati became a member of ConIFA. ConIFA stands for the Confederation of Independent Football Associations. Kiribati was the first team from Oceania to join this group. ConIFA visited Kiribati in November 2016. They watched the national football competition in Tarawa. Kiribati qualified for the 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup in England. But they had to pull out, and Tuvalu took their place.
Team Coaches Over Time
- Pine Iosefa (2003–2011)
Kevin McGreskin (2012)
Jake Kewley (2015)
Current Team Squad
This is the team that played in the 2011 Pacific Games. The players' club teams and ages are from August 27, 2011, the first day of the tournament.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | GK | Tarariki Tarotu | 27 July 1974 (aged 37) | 6 | 0 | |||
| 21 | GK | Tiaon Miika | 4 November 1992 (aged 18) | 3 | 0 | |||
| 3 | DF | Kaake Kamta | 28 August 1980 (aged 30) | 3 | 0 | |||
| 4 | DF | Kaben Ioteba | 24 February 1992 (aged 19) | 4 | 0 | Makin |
||
| 5 | DF | Enri Tenukai | 17 December 1985 (aged 25) | 4 | 0 | Betio Urban Council |
||
| 6 | DF | Nabaruru Batiri | 1 December 1984 (aged 26) | 8 | 0 | |||
| 12 | DF | Beniamina Kaintikuaba | 3 December 1993 (aged 17) | 2 | 0 | Marakei |
||
| 16 | DF | Barurunteiti Kaiorake | 1 April 1980 (aged 31) | 1 | 0 | Betio Urban Council |
||
| 7 | MF | Atanuea Eritara | 24 October 1992 (aged 18) | 4 | 0 | Marakei |
||
| 9 | MF | Atino Baraniko | 6 April 1985 (aged 26) | 1 | 0 | Betio Urban Council |
||
| 10 | MF | Jeff Jong | 4 April 1971 (aged 40) | 3 | 0 | Marakei |
||
| 15 | MF | Martin Miriata | 27 May 1994 (aged 17) | 4 | 0 | Makin |
||
| 17 | MF | Biitamatang Keakea | 26 March 1989 (aged 22) | 4 | 0 | Betio Urban Council |
||
| 18 | MF | Tongarua Akori | 30 June 1983 (aged 28) | 2 | 0 | |||
| 19 | MF | Lawrence Nemeia | 12 November 1977 (aged 33) | 3 | 2 | |||
| 14 | FW | Karotu Bakaane | 20 April 1987 (aged 24) | 3 | 1 | Betio Urban Council |
||
| 13 | FW | Erene Bwakineti | 2 July 1982 (aged 29) | 3 | 1 | Marakei |
||
| 8 | FW | Antin Nanotaake | 3 July 1982 (aged 29) | 4 | 0 | Betio Urban Council |
||
| 11 | FW | Joseph Yan | 25 January 1993 (aged 18) | 3 | 0 | Tarawa Urban Council |
||
Player Records
Here are some records for players on the Kiribati team.
|
Note: We are missing information about goalscorers from 1979. |
Team Uniforms Through the Years
          1979
South Pacific Games |
 2003 Home
|
     2011 Home
|
    2011 Away
|
See also
In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Kiribati para niños
- Kiribati national futsal team
