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Football, they say, is a global sport. With the game’s governing body FIFA comprising 209 member nations, interestingly more than United Nations has, there is no denying the fact it is a truly global phenomenon. And as a testament of the widespread nature of the game, FIFA’s global competitions have representatives from all 6 inhabited continents – Asia, Africa, Americas (North and South), Europe and Australasia – or as it is recognized by FIFA as Oceania.
Geographically, Oceania consists of three sub-regions of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Or in more general terms – the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australia, New Zealand and proximate islands.
FIFA recognizes six confederations which oversee the game in the different continents and regions of the world, one for each continent. OFC i.e. Oceania Football Confederation is the umbrella organisation of the national football associations within Oceania. It promotes the game in Oceania and allows the member nations to qualify for the FIFA World Cup. Located in Auckland, New Zealand, OFC has 11 member associations which it supports financially and logistically through various programmes.
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OFC is made up of 11 full member associations and 4 associate members. (* represents associate members)
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Of the six worldwide confederations, the OFC is by far the smallest and is predominantly made up of island nations where football is not the most popular sport. Consequently, the OFC has little influence in the wider football world, either in terms of international competition or as a source of players for high-profile club competitions. New Zealand (57) is the highest ranked team in this region according to the latest FIFA world ranking. Although 57 is somewhat a respectable rank, the second best nation from this region, Tahiti, is ranked 138th in the world. This clearly indicates of the quality of football in the Oceania region or rather indicates the lack of quality.
Further evidence is the qualifying system for the World Cup. While UEFA has 13 qualifying spots out of the 31 (Brazil – host country the 32nd team) the most represented confederation, Oceania just has 0.5 qualifying spots. What it basically means is that after a long qualifying campaign of three stages, only one nation from the Oceania region will qualify – for the inter-continental playoffs. Here one team each from Oceania, Asia, CONCACAF (North and Central America) and CONMEBOL (South America) will enter a draw to decide which team plays against which. The winners from the two playoffs will qualify for the World Cup. Meaning there is a distinct possibility that Oceania may not have any representative in the World Cup.
Such a tragedy, sarcasm intended, has occurred time and again. Only four times in history has an Oceania team qualified for the World Cup. Australia in 1974 and 2006 while New Zealand in 1982 and 2010. And only Australia in 2006 was able to get past the group stages.
Australia, a founder member of the OFC, on January 1, 2006, left the OFC and joined the Asian Football Confederation. The move was on the premise that it will improve the quality of Australia football as the national team and also the clubs from Australia will compete with better teams. Also, it would give Australia a better chance of qualifying for the World Cup. Having made the World Cup in 2010 seems to confirm the wisdom in this initiative. But on the flip side, the best quality side from the OFC has departed, ensuring the quality of OFC football downgrades further and the hopes of development suffer a body blow.
It would be wrong to suggest that FIFA has completely neglected the region. The FIFA Development Office for Oceania, which is based next to OFC headquarters in Auckland, works closely with the Confederation to ensure the continued development of football in the region. In conjunction with OFC, the FIFA Development Office organizes a range of courses to educate and train instructors, coaches, referees, medical personnel and various others involved in the game. The FIFA Goal Programme and Financial Assistance Programme have also been implemented in the region.
Where football lacks, is in the popularity. Football, unlike its global status, is not the most popular sports in the region. Rugby, in its variations, is the dominant sport; And is the national sport of New Zealand, Samoa, Fiji and Tonga. Infact, Fiji’s rugby sevens team is one of the most successful teams in the sport. Football takes a backseat when compared to Rugby. Interestingly, Vanuatu is the only country in Oceania to call football its national sport. Even Australian Rules Soccer enjoys a better fan following.
Football remains overshadowed by Rugby in countries like Fiji, New Zealand and Samoa
The level of African football has risen in the past decade and a half as many programmes linked with upliftment of the region have used football as a tool for creating awareness about poverty, unemployment, literacy and crime issues. Such an endeavor might not be viable in the Oceania region as the game doesn’t enjoys the popularity as it does in Africa. Also, many African players play in the cash-rich European leagues. These players in association of their clubs have helped in setting up football academies in Africa which have helped the young talent. But as not many players from Oceania play in big leagues, even the academy movement has not yet taken over Oceania.
The professional leagues from Europe have started commercially targeting Asia, as Asia provides a large audience. Also the economies in the Asian countries are strong. Oceania lacks in both the fronts. In the off season, the clubs will go on tours to different countries like the Far East and the South East Asian countries or the US as it will be commercially rewarding on many levels. But Oceania won’t be able to provide the target audience or the expected financial returns. Thus, even the professional leagues give Oceania a miss.
The format of the Confederations Cup allows participation of one Oceania team. The winners of the OFC Nations Cup get to participate in the Confederations Cup as the OFC representative. It is quite ironic that while Tahiti, in beating New Zealand to the OFC Nations Cup trophy, scripted one the biggest upsets and perhaps the greatest Oceania footballing story, on the world stage the only stories that are being discussed are by what margin will the other teams thrash Tahiti in the competition.
This is the sad truth. Come end of the tournament, there will be sympathetic reports about Tahiti’s Confederations Cup participation. Perhaps New Zealand, Oceania’s representative for the World cup inter-continental playoff, will create an upset and qualify for the 2014 World Cup, second time in a row. But till that happens and barring the future World Cups and Confederations Cups, Oceania football, will sadly, not be missed by the rest of the world.
