2023 OFC MENS Qualifying Tournament in New Zealand

2023 OFC MENS Qualifying Tournament in New Zealand

Introduction

The OFC Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament (also known as the 2019 OFC Under-23 Championship) is the eighth edition of the OFC Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the four-year age-restricted international soccer championship once a year organized by the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) for the Oceania men's under-23 national team. In November 2018, it was announced that Fiji would host the competition. The winner qualifies as OFC representative at the Summer Olympics Men's Soccer Tournament in Japan. New Zealand won the championship after defeating the Solomon Islands in the final. Vanuatu is third and defending champion Fiji is fourth.

Tournament Matches

The tournament will feature eight teams from the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) divided into two groups of four. The top two teams in each group will advance to the semi-finals, where the winners will meet in the final to decide their place in the Olympics. The tournament will also serve as a qualifier for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Indonesia, with the top four teams securing their spots. The tournament will also be the first to use the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, approved by the OFC Executive Committee in February 2023. The VAR system will help referees make decisions on goals, penalties, red cards and fouls. identification.

Accessible Streaming

The tournament will be broadcast live on OFC TV, OFC's official streaming platform, as well as various local and regional TV channels. The tournament will also be covered by social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Arrangement

The OFC Men's 2023 Qualifier Tournament will feature eight teams from the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), divided into two groups of four.

The past History

The 2023 OFC Men's Qualifying Tournament will be the 11th tournament to be held for the first time in 1968. The tournament is dominated by New Zealand, which has won seven titles and two runners-up twice. . The only other teams to win the tournament are Australia, who left OFC in 2006 and joined the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and Fiji, who won their first championship in 2015.

Technology \ Equipment

The tournament will also be the first to use the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, which was approved by the OFC Executive Committee in February 2023. The VAR system will help referees. Make decisions on goals, penalties, red cards and misidentifications.

Media

The Contest will be broadcast live on OFC Tele Vision, OFC's official online streaming platform as well as various local and regional locality Tele Vision channels. The tournament will also be followed on the platform of social media named and mentioned as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Professional Stars

In the year of 2023 the OFC Men's Qualifying Contests will also be a showcase of the young talents from the region named as Oceania who will have the opportunity to impress coaches and scouts around the world. Some of the professional players that people can watch out are mentioned are.

Benjamin Old

There is a 19 year old striker from New Zealand, who plays for Wellington Phoenix in the A-League. He gained six goals in the year of 2019 contests and was mentioned and named as the best player of that competition. This Player has also made his senior debut for the All Whites in the year of 2021.

Raphael Le ai

18-year-old forward from Solomon Islands who plays for Henderson Eels in the S-League. He scored seven goals in the 2019 tournament and was named the competition's top goalscorer. He also represented his country at the 2017 and 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cups.

Bruce Kaukau

A 17-year-old midfielder from Fiji who plays for Ba FC in the National Football League. He was part of the Fiji squad that won the 2022 OFC U-19 Championship, scoring twice in the final against Tahiti.He was also called up to the senior national team in 2022.

Jean Pierre Bob

18-year-old defender from Tahiti who plays for AS Dragon in Ligue 1. Was part of the Tahitian team that finished second in Ligue 1 OFC U-19 League 2022 and was named the competition's best defender. He also captained his country at the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2019.

Paul Gope Fenepej

19-year-old New Caledonian forward who plays for Toulouse FC in Ligue 2.He was part of the New Caledonia squad that finished third at the 2022 OFC U-19 Championship, scoring four goals in the tournament. He also made his senior debut with Les Cagous in 2021.