A NEW chapter in Kiribati football is set to unfold at the FMF Inter-District Championship today, with the island nation preparing to make its first appearance in the tournament.
Kiribati faces Seaqaqa at 11am at the HFC Bank Stadium in what will be the first time a Kiribati national team has competed at the IDC.
For national team manager Bernard Tatireta, the historic opportunity is about more than simply taking the field.
He wants his players to embrace the challenge, learn from the experience and use the tournament as a stepping stone towards future competitions.
“We are very hopeful that they will do their best and that our players will have the best experience to help them in their future preparations for bigger tournaments,” Tatireta said.
Kiribati has brought 19 players and five officials to Suva for the championship, with the team drawn alongside Seaqaqa and Nadroga in Pool A of the Premier Division.
The opening match will give the players their first opportunity to test themselves against Fijian opposition, with Seaqaqa providing the first challenge in what promises to be an important learning experience for the side.
Tatireta said the opportunity to compete at the IDC was made possible through collaboration between football officials from Fiji and Kiribati.
“This is actually the collaboration between Kiribati football and Fiji football,” he said.
He thanked the Fiji Football Association for allowing Kiribati to participate and also acknowledged FMF and other sponsors for supporting the team’s involvement.
“We would like to extend our appreciation to the Fiji Football Association for allowing us to join and participate in this very important event for Kiribati football,” Tatireta said.
The tournament forms part of Kiribati’s broader efforts to develop its football and work towards becoming a full member of the Oceania Football Confederation.
With their historic first match now hours away, the focus for Tatireta and his players will be on making the most of the opportunity.
After Seaqaqa, Kiribati will face Nadroga in its second Premier Division match on Thursday at 11am.
This will give the side another chance to measure itself against Fijian opposition and build the experience it hopes will strengthen its preparations for bigger tournaments.
