Papua New Guinea national soccer team facts for kids
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Nickname(s) | Kapuls (Cuscus) | |||||||||||||
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Association | Papua New Guinea Football Association | |||||||||||||
Confederation | OFC (Oceania) | |||||||||||||
Head coach | Felipe Vega-Arango | |||||||||||||
Captain | Ronald Warisan | |||||||||||||
Most caps | Emmanuel Simon (40) | |||||||||||||
Top scorer | Raymond Gunemba (16) | |||||||||||||
Home stadium | Hubert Murray Stadium | |||||||||||||
FIFA code | PNG | |||||||||||||
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FIFA ranking | ||||||||||||||
Current | 168 ![]() |
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Highest | 153 (June 2017) | |||||||||||||
Lowest | 206 (October–November 2015) | |||||||||||||
Elo ranking | ||||||||||||||
Current | 178 ![]() |
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Highest | 134 (1989) | |||||||||||||
Lowest | 188 (2003) | |||||||||||||
First international | ||||||||||||||
![]() ![]() (Suva, Fiji; 29 August 1963) |
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Biggest win | ||||||||||||||
![]() ![]() (Nouméa, New Caledonia; 15 December 1987) |
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Biggest defeat | ||||||||||||||
![]() ![]() (Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia; 20 June 2023) |
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OFC Nations Cup | ||||||||||||||
Appearances | 5 (first in 1980) | |||||||||||||
Best result | Runners-up (2016) | |||||||||||||
Melanesia Cup/MSG Prime Minister's Cup | ||||||||||||||
Appearances | 8 (first in 1989) | |||||||||||||
Best result | Melanesia Cup: Third place (1994) MSG Prime Minister's Cup: Champions (2022, 2024) |
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Medal record
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The Papua New Guinea national soccer team is the men's national soccer team for Papua New Guinea. The Papua New Guinea Football Association controls the team. Their nickname is the Kapuls, which means Cuscus in the local language, Tok Pisin.
The team's highest ever FIFA ranking was 153rd in June 2017. As of April 2024, they were ranked 166th out of 211 countries. This was a small drop from February 2024. The team once left the FIFA rankings because they didn't play any matches between July 2007 and August 2011. They returned to the rankings after playing in the 2015 Pacific Games. In June 2016, they played in the 2016 OFC Nations Cup. They made it to the final but lost to New Zealand in a penalty shootout after a 0–0 tie.
Contents
Team History
Early Years (1963–1978)
The Papua New Guinea national team played its first game at the 1963 South Pacific Games. They lost 3-1 to Fiji and were out of the tournament. At the 1966 South Pacific Games, they reached the third-place match but lost. Three years later, in 1969, they won the bronze medal by beating Fiji 2-1.
At the 1971 South Pacific Games, they lost in the semi-finals. Then they were beaten 8-1 by Tahiti in the third-place game. In 1975, they were eliminated early in the group stage.
Growing the Game (1979–1995)
At the 1979 South Pacific Games, they lost 3–2 in the quarter-finals. The next year, they played in the 1980 Oceania Cup. They beat the New Hebrides team but lost to Australia and New Caledonia, so they didn't move past the first stage.
In the 1983 South Pacific Games, they lost the match for third place. In 1987, they won another bronze medal by beating Vanuatu 3-1. However, in the 1991 and 1995 Games, they were eliminated in the first round.
New Millennium Challenges (1996–2012)
After not playing in three OFC Nations Cup tournaments, they qualified for the 2002 tournament. They only managed one draw, 0-0 against the Solomon Islands, and were out in the first round. In the 2003 South Pacific Games, they didn't do well, getting only four points from five games.
They didn't play in the 2007 tournament. In the 2011 Pacific Games, they were eliminated in the first stage. In the 2012 OFC Nations Cup, they drew with Fiji but lost to the Solomon Islands and New Zealand. This meant they were out in the group stage again.
Recent Years (2013–Present)
In 2015, Papua New Guinea was chosen to host the 2016 OFC Nations Cup. In the group stage, they drew 1–1 with New Caledonia and 2–2 against Tahiti. They also had a big 8–0 win against Samoa. They won their semi-final match 2–1 against the Solomon Islands. In the final, they lost to New Zealand in a penalty shootout after a 0–0 draw. On June 20, 2023, Papua New Guinea had their biggest loss ever, losing 10–0 to Malaysia.
FIFA Series Tournament
In 2024, Papua New Guinea played in their first tournament outside of Oceania. FIFA invited them to the 2024 FIFA Series in Colombo. They played against Sri Lanka and Central African Republic.
Kit Sponsors
Kit supplier | Period |
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1998–2000 |
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2007–2010 |
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2011 |
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2012–2014 |
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2014 |
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2015 |
None | 2016 |
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2017–2023 |
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2024– |
Recent Matches
The following are some of the recent match results for the team.
- On March 22, 2024, Papua New Guinea drew 0–0 with Sri Lanka in Colombo.
- On March 25, 2024, they lost 4–0 to the Central African Republic in Colombo.
- On June 16, 2024, they lost 1–5 to Fiji in the 2024 OFC Men's Nations Cup.
- On June 19, 2024, they drew 1–1 with Tahiti in the 2024 OFC Men's Nations Cup.
- On June 22, 2024, they won 2–1 against Samoa in the 2024 OFC Men's Nations Cup.
- On October 10, 2024, they lost 3–1 to New Caledonia in a World Cup qualifier.
- On November 14, 2024, they drew 3–3 with Fiji in a World Cup qualifier.
- On November 17, 2024, they lost 1–2 to the Solomon Islands in a World Cup qualifier.
- On December 12, 2024, they won 3–2 against the Solomon Islands in the 2024 MSG Prime Minister's Cup.
- On December 15, 2024, they won 1–0 against Solomon Islands B in the 2024 MSG Prime Minister's Cup.
Coaches Through the Years
Richard Tamari Nagai (1996–1998)
John Davani (2002)
Steve Cain (2002)
Ludwig Peka (2003–2004)
Marcos Gusmão (2004–2011)
Frank Farina (2011–2013)
Mike Keeney (2013)
Wynton Rufer (2014–2015)
Flemming Serritslev (2015–2018)
Bob Morris (2019–2021)
Marcos Gusmão (2021–2022)
Santiago Marina (2022–2023)
Warren Moon (2023–present)
Team Players
Current Squad
These players were chosen for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches in November 2024.
Caps (games played) and goals are correct as of November 17, 2024.
No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
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GK | Dave Tomare | 26 April 1997 | 5 | 0 | ![]() |
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GK | Charles Lepani | 20 August 1994 | 1 | 0 | ![]() |
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GK | Christinus Biasu | 2 June 1995 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
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DF | Daniel Joe | 29 May 1990 | 37 | 0 | ![]() |
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DF | Alwin Komolong | 2 November 1994 | 30 | 2 | ![]() |
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DF | Kolu Kepo | 15 July 1993 | 24 | 3 | ![]() |
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DF | Joshua Talau | 19 April 1996 | 9 | 0 | ![]() |
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DF | Nathaniel Eddie | unknown | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
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DF | Arol Tateng | 5 April 1997 | 2 | 0 | ![]() |
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DF | Derek Kimai | unknown | 2 | 0 | ||
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MF | Rex Naime | 23 October 2003 | 11 | 0 | ![]() |
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MF | Simon Oberth | 1 January 2001 | 10 | 0 | ![]() |
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MF | Joseph Joe | 14 June 2002 | 7 | 1 | ![]() |
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MF | Solomon Rani | 22 May 2002 | 5 | 0 | ![]() |
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MF | Shane Sakael | 31 December 1992 | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
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MF | Juduh Asar | unknown | 2 | 0 | ||
MF | Ritzoki Tamgol | unknown | 2 | 0 | ![]() |
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MF | Chappy Upaiga | unknown | 0 | 0 | ||
MF | Ethan Mom | unknown | 0 | 0 | ||
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FW | Raymond Gunemba | 4 June 1986 | 34 | 15 | ![]() |
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FW | Tommy Semmy | 30 September 1994 | 28 | 11 | ![]() |
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FW | Ati Kepo | 15 January 1996 | 24 | 8 | ![]() |
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FW | Logan Biwa | unknown | 1 | 0 |
Recent Call-ups
These players have also been called to the Papua New Guinea squad in the last year.
Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
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GK | Ronald Warisan | 20 September 1989 | 34 | 0 | ![]() |
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GK | Vagi Koniel | 26 October 1996 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
2024 OFC Men's Nations Cup |
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DF | Godfrey Haro | 30 June 1998 | 12 | 0 | ![]() |
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DF | Felix Komolong | 6 March 1997 | 25 | 0 | ![]() |
2024 OFC Men's Nations Cup |
DF | Lennard Atterwell | 21 November 2005 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
2024 OFC Men's Nations Cup |
DF | Raymon Diho | 1 January 2007 | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
2024 OFC Men's Nations Cup |
DF | Philip Steven | 19 January 1995 | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
2024 FIFA Series |
DF | Joseph Waiwai | 7 March 2001 | 0 | 0 | ![]() |
2024 FIFA Series |
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MF | Emmanuel Simon | 25 December 1992 | 38 | 4 | ![]() |
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MF | Yagi Yasasa | 17 August 2000 | 17 | 0 | ![]() |
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MF | Kenneth Arah | 15 January 1996 | 5 | 0 | ![]() |
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MF | Bruce Tiampo | 25 July 2002 | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
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MF | Pala Paul | 25 July 1999 | 8 | 1 | ![]() |
2024 OFC Men's Nations Cup |
MF | Troy Dobbin | 24 September 2001 | 6 | 0 | ![]() |
2024 OFC Men's Nations Cup |
MF | Lee-Navu Faunt | 4 May 2003 | 5 | 0 | ![]() |
2024 OFC Men's Nations Cup |
MF | Jethro Yumange | 10 March 2002 | 3 | 0 | ![]() |
2024 OFC Men's Nations Cup |
MF | Nigel Dabinyaba | 26 October 1992 | 19 | 11 | ![]() |
2024 FIFA Series |
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FW | Matu Ben | 31 January 2004 | 2 | 0 | ![]() |
2024 OFC Men's Nations Cup |
Player Records
These statistics include only official matches recognized by FIFA. Players in bold are still playing for Papua New Guinea.
Most Games Played
Rank | Name | Caps | Goals | Career |
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1 | Emmanuel Simon | 40 | 4 | 2014–present |
2 | Daniel Joe | 39 | 1 | 2012–present |
3 | Ronald Warisan | 36 | 0 | 2014–present |
Raymond Gunemba | 36 | 16 | 2012–present | |
5 | Michael Foster | 31 | 7 | 2003–2022 |
6 | Alwin Komolong | 30 | 3 | 2016–present |
7 | Tommy Semmy | 26 | 10 | 2014–present |
Kolu Kepo | 26 | 4 | 2016–present | |
9 | Ati Kepo | 25 | 9 | 2019–present |
10 | Felix Komolong | 23 | 0 | 2016–present |
Top Goal Scorers
Rank | Name | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
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1 | Raymond Gunemba | 16 | 36 | 0.44 | 2012–present |
2 | Reggie Davani | 13 | 17 | 0.76 | 2002–2012 |
3 | Tommy Semmy | 10 | 26 | 0.38 | 2014–present |
4 | Nigel Dabinyaba | 9 | 21 | 0.43 | 2014–present |
Ati Kepo | 9 | 25 | 0.36 | 2019–present | |
6 | Michael Foster | 7 | 31 | 0.23 | 2003–2022 |
7 | Nathaniel Lepani | 6 | 8 | 0.75 | 2004–2011 |
8 | Neil Hans | 5 | 8 | 0.63 | 2007–2014 |
Andrew Lepani | 5 | 12 | 0.42 | 2003–2011 | |
Mauri Wasi | 5 | 14 | 0.36 | 2002–2014 |
Tournament Highlights
FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
Papua New Guinea has tried to qualify for the FIFA World Cup several times. They first entered the qualifiers for the 1998 World Cup. They have not yet qualified for the main tournament.
OFC Nations Cup
The team has played in the OFC Men's Nations Cup several times. Their best result was being the Runners-up in the 2016 OFC Nations Cup. This was a big achievement for the team.
Pacific Games
Papua New Guinea has won bronze medals at the Pacific Games twice: in 1969 and 1987. They have often reached the semi-finals or quarter-finals in this competition.
MSG Prime Minister's Cup
The team won the MSG Prime Minister's Cup in 2022. They also finished third in the 1994 (which was part of this competition).
Team Honours
Major Competitions
- OFC Nations Cup
- Runners-up (1): 2016
Regional Competitions
- Pacific Games
- Bronze medal (2): 1969, 1987
- Melanesia Cup
- Champions (1): 2022
- Third Place (1): 1994
Head-to-Head Record
Papua New Guinea national football team results
Historical Kits
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 1996 Home
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 2002 Home
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 2004
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 2011 Home
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 2014 Home
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 2014 Away
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 2015 Home
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 2015 Away
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 2017 Home
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 2017 Away
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 2022 Home
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 2022 Away
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 2022 Third
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 2024 Home
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 2024 Away
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See also
In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Papúa Nueva Guinea para niños
- Papua New Guinea women's national soccer team