Tonga national football team

The Tonga men's national football team (Tongan: timi soka fakafonua ʻa Tonga) represents Tonga in men's international football and is controlled by the Tonga Football Association, which is a part of the Oceania Football Confederation.

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Tonga women's national football team.

Tonga
Shirt badge/Association crest
AssociationTonga Football Association
ConfederationOFC (Oceania)
Head coachTimote Moleni
CaptainSione Uhatahi
Most capsKilifi Uele (26)
Top scorerUnaloto Feao (7)
Home stadiumTeufaiva Sport Stadium
Tonga Football Association Stadium
FIFA codeTGA
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
CurrentNR (21 September 2023)[1]
Highest163 (October 1998)
Lowest207 (April 2018, July 2019)
First international
 Tahiti 8–0 Tonga 
(Suva, Fiji; 29 August 1979)
Biggest win
 Tonga 7–0 Micronesia 
(Nausori, Fiji; 5 July 2003)
Biggest defeat
 Tonga 0–22 Australia 
(Coffs Harbour, Australia; 9 April 2001)

History

Information

Football in Tonga

Tonga's greatest football triumph to date was their triumph in the first ever Polynesian Cup held in 1993 over Samoa and the Cook Islands. Although local players have not yet made their mark on big leagues abroad, the Chief Executive of the Tonga Football Association, Joe Topou, was appointed to the FIFA Executive Committee in 2002.

In July 2023, Tonga became unranked within the FIFA rankings due to not having played any matches since they lost 8-0 to Papua New Guinea on 18 July 2019.

The second Goal project

Tonga's second Goal project will develop and improve the national football academy and the association's headquarters in Atele, Tongatapu, which was built in the country's first Goal project. This development work has the aim that all of the Tonga Football Association's needs are fully satisfied. Local matches will be held at the football academy, while the administration's requirements, including the needs of players, officials and spectators, will also be covered. The football school will be transformed into a House of Football.

Team image

Kit sponsorship
Kit supplier[2] Period
Italy Lotto2007–2013
2013–2017
Italy Lotto2018–

Fixtures and results
Main article: Tonga national football team results

Following their withdrawal from qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup due to the 2022 Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai eruption and tsunami,[3][4] Tonga have no matches scheduled. The team last competed at the 2019 Pacific Games.

13 March 2022 2022 World Cup qualification Tonga  Cancelled  Cook Islands Doha, Qatar
20:00 UTC+3 Report Stadium: Al-Arabi Stadium
Note: Tonga withdrew from qualification due to the 2022 Hunga Tonga–Hunga Ha'apai eruption and tsunami, and therefore the Cook Islands advanced to the group stage.[5]

Current squad

The following players were called up for the 2019 Pacific Games.

Caps and goals updated as of 18 July 2019, after the game against Papua New Guinea.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Mahe Malafu (1998-02-24) 24 February 1998 8 0 Tonga Veitongo
20 1GK Sinilau Taufa (1995-02-10) 10 February 1995 3 0 Tonga Lotohaʻapai United
21 1GK David Anau (1999-06-04) 4 June 1999 1 0 Tonga Veitongo
2 2DF Ofaloto Kite (2000-04-26) 26 April 2000 2 0 Tonga Veitongo
4 2DF Siuloa Fahina (1994-04-01) 1 April 1994 9 0 Tonga
5 2DF Timote Fakasi'i'eiki (1997-04-30) 30 April 1997 2 0 Tonga Veitongo
8 2DF Sione Uhatahi (captain) (1988-09-15) 15 September 1988 15 1 Tonga Veitongo
12 2DF Semisi Otukolo (1999-06-23) 23 June 1999 6 0 Tonga Haʻamoko United Youth
14 2DF Sitaleki Fisi (2000-02-11) 11 February 2000 2 0 Tonga Lotohaʻapai United
3 3MF Pita Huni (2001-02-25) 25 February 2001 4 0 Tonga Lotohaʻapai United
6 3MF Kamaliele Papani (1984-04-08) 8 April 1984 12 0 Tonga
7 3MF Vai Lutu (1999-09-30) 30 September 1999 9 0 Tonga Veitongo
11 3MF Tuia Falepapalangi (2000-07-15) 15 July 2000 4 0 Tonga Lotohaʻapai United
13 3MF Laulea Taufa (1999-07-14) 14 July 1999 9 0 Tonga Navutoka
17 3MF Fineasi Palei (1989-06-23) 23 June 1989 10 0 Tonga Lotohaʻapai United
18 3MF Petueli Tokotaha (2000-09-10) 10 September 2000 3 2 Tonga Haʻamoko United Youth
9 4FW Soeli Fakahafua (2000-07-18) 18 July 2000 3 0 Tonga
10 4FW Hema Polovili (1997-07-27) 27 July 1997 12 1 Tonga Veitongo
15 4FW Lachman Atoa (1998-12-05) 5 December 1998 4 0 Tonga
16 4FW Lafaele Moala (1982-07-22) 22 July 1982 16 1 Tonga Veitongo

Player records
As of 18 July 2019[6]
Players in bold are still active with Tonga.

Coaching staff

Coaching history

Competitive record

World Cup
FIFA World Cup record Qualification record
Year Result Position Pld W D* L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
Uruguay 1930 Not member of FIFA Not member of FIFA
Italy 1934
France 1938
Brazil 1950
Switzerland 1954
Sweden 1958
Chile 1962
England 1966
Mexico 1970
West Germany 1974
Argentina 1978
Spain 1982
Mexico 1986
Italy 1990
United States 1994 Did not enter Did not enter
France 1998 Did not qualify 4 2 0 2 3 13
South Korea Japan 2002 4 2 0 2 7 30
Germany 2006 4 1 0 3 2 17
South Africa 2010 4 1 0 3 6 10
Brazil 2014 3 1 1 1 4 4
Russia 2018 3 0 0 3 1 8
Qatar 2022 Withdrew Withdrew
Canada Mexico United States 2026 To be determined To be determined
Total — 0/22 – – – – – – 22 7 1 14 23 82

OFC Nations Cup
Oceania Cup / OFC Nations Cup record Qualification record
Year Result Position Pld W D* L GF GA Pld W D L GF GA
New Zealand 1973 Did not enter Did not enter
New Caledonia 1980
Pacific Community 1996 Did not qualify 3 1 1 1 4 4
Australia 1998 4 1 1 2 5 9
French Polynesia 2000 4 1 0 3 4 15
New Zealand 2002 4 1 0 3 7 18
Australia 2004 4 1 0 3 2 17
Pacific Community 2008 4 1 0 3 6 10
Solomon Islands 2012 3 1 1 1 4 4
Papua New Guinea 2016 3 0 0 3 1 8
2024 To be determined To be determined
Total — 0/10 – – – – – – 29 7 3 19 33 85

Pacific Games

Head-to-head record
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD WPCT
 American Samoa 9 7 0 2 28 10 +18 77.78
 Australia 1 0 0 1 0 22 −22 0.00
 Cook Islands 8 3 2 3 11 12 −1 37.50
 Micronesia 1 1 0 0 7 0 +7 100.00
 Fiji 3 0 0 3 1 17 −16 0.00
 New Caledonia 5 0 0 5 2 36 −34 0.00
 Papua New Guinea 4 0 1 3 2 20 −18 0.00
 Samoa[lower-alpha 1] 11 2 3 6 9 21 −12 18.18
 Solomon Islands 5 0 0 5 0 31 −31 0.00
 Tahiti 6 0 0 6 1 28 −27 0.00
 Tuvalu 2 0 0 2 6 9 −3 0.00
 Vanuatu[lower-alpha 2] 5 0 0 5 2 33 −31 0.00
 Wallis and Futuna 2 1 0 1 1 3 −2 50.00
Total 62 14 6 42 70 242 −172 22.58
Source: Results
Notes:
  1. Includes results as Western Samoa.
  2. Includes results as New Hebrides.

Honours

See also

References
  1. "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
  2. "Antigo(a) Tonga camisas de futebol". Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  3. "Tonga withdraw from FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ OFC preliminary competition". FIFA. 29 January 2022. Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  4. "Tonga out of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 OFC preliminary competition following disaster". Oceania Football Confederation. 28 January 2022. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  5. "Tonga withdraw from FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ OFC preliminary competition". FIFA. 29 January 2022. Archived from the original on 29 January 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  6. "Tonga". National Football Teams.
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