Kiribati national football team

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

The Kiribati men's national football team is the national men's football team of Kiribati and is controlled by the Kiribati Islands Football Association. Kiribati is not a member of FIFA but is an associate member of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC),^[1] and is therefore not eligible to enter the FIFA World Cup but may enter the OFC Nations Cup.^[2] It became a provisional member of the N.F.-Board on 10 December 2005.

Kiribati

Association	Kiribati Islands Football Federation (KIFF)
Confederation	OFC (Oceania)
Most caps	Nabaruru Batiri (8)
Top scorer	Lawrence Nemeia (2)
Home stadium	Bairiki National Stadium
FIFA code	KIR
First colours Second colours
First international
Fiji 24–0 Kiribati  (Nausori, Fiji; 30 August 1979)
Biggest win
None
Biggest defeat
Fiji 24–0 Kiribati  (Nausori, Fiji; 30 August 1979)
Pacific Games
Appearances	3 (first in 1979)
Best result	Group stage (1979, 2003, 2011) Ninth place (1979)

Background

Kiribati have only ever played 11 International matches up to April 2012 where they scored 7 goals and conceded 125. All of these matches were played away from home due to the lack of grass pitches in the archipelago.^[3] The Bairiki National Stadium has a sand pitch rather than grass. Kiribati's first match took place in Fiji on 30 August 1979 when they played Fiji, losing 24–0 in a South Pacific Games match. The side have never won a match but came very close when they lost 3–2 to fellow minnows Tuvalu on 30 June 2003 in Pool A of the South Pacific Games in Fiji, as well as losing 4–2 in penalties to Tuvalu in the consolation round of the 1979 South Pacific Games. Kiribati's only two goals in the 2011 Pacific games were scored by Karotu Bakaane versus Papua New Guinea and Erene Bakineti versus Tahiti, but in the 2003 competition, both goals against Tuvalu came from Lawrence Nemeia on the 26th minute and the 46th minute.

In 2012, Scotsman Kevin McGreskin became the team's coach, with the aim of improving its results and obtaining recognition from FIFA.^[3]

On 10 April 2015, Jake Kewley was officially appointed as the Manager and Ambassador for the Kiribati Islands National Football Team with the remit of liaising with the relevant footballing bodies to advance Kiribati's prior membership applications, with a FIFA application being drafted, finalised and submitted later that year.^[4]

On 6 May 2016, Kiribati was formally accepted as the newest member of ConIFA (Confederation of Independent Football Associations), becoming the first ever Oceanic member to join the federation.^[5] Kiribati hosted an official visit from ConIFA in November 2016 for the national football competition in Tarawa – Taiwan Sport Tournament – with ConIFA documenting the tournament whilst in the country.^[6] Kiribati qualified for the 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup, that was held in England.^[7] However, Kiribati were forced to withdraw, with Tuvalu taking their place.^[8][9][10]

Results and fixtures

2025

Coaching history

• Pine Iosefa (2003–2011)
• Kevin McGreskin (2012)
• Jake Kewley (2015)^[11][12]

Last squad

Squad selected for the 2011 Pacific Games.

Players' club teams and players' age as of 27 August 2011 – the tournament's opening day^[13]

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	1GK	Tarariki Tarotu	(1974-07-27)27 July 1974 (aged 37)	6	0
21	1GK	Tiaon Miika	(1992-11-04)4 November 1992 (aged 18)	3	0
3	2DF	Kaake Kamta	(1980-08-28)28 August 1980 (aged 30)	3	0
4	2DF	Kaben Ioteba	(1992-02-24)24 February 1992 (aged 19)	4	0	Makin
5	2DF	Enri Tenukai	(1985-12-17)17 December 1985 (aged 25)	4	0	Betio Urban Council
6	2DF	Nabaruru Batiri	(1984-12-01)1 December 1984 (aged 26)	8	0
12	2DF	Beniamina Kaintikuaba	(1993-12-03)3 December 1993 (aged 17)	2	0	Marakei
16	2DF	Barurunteiti Kaiorake	(1980-04-01)1 April 1980 (aged 31)	1	0	Betio Urban Council
7	3MF	Atanuea Eritara	(1992-10-24)24 October 1992 (aged 18)	4	0	Marakei
9	3MF	Atino Baraniko	(1985-04-06)6 April 1985 (aged 26)	1	0	Betio Urban Council
10	3MF	Jeff Jong	(1971-04-04)4 April 1971 (aged 40)	3	0	Marakei
15	3MF	Martin Miriata	(1994-05-27)27 May 1994 (aged 17)	4	0	Makin
17	3MF	Biitamatang Keakea	(1989-03-26)26 March 1989 (aged 22)	4	0	Betio Urban Council
18	3MF	Tongarua Akori	(1983-06-30)30 June 1983 (aged 28)	2	0
19	3MF	Lawrence Nemeia	(1977-11-12)12 November 1977 (aged 33)	3	2
14	4FW	Karotu Bakaane	(1987-04-20)20 April 1987 (aged 24)	3	1	Betio Urban Council
13	4FW	Erene Bwakineti	(1982-07-02)2 July 1982 (aged 29)	3	1	Marakei
8	4FW	Antin Nanotaake	(1982-07-03)3 July 1982 (aged 29)	4	0	Betio Urban Council
11	4FW	Joseph Yan	(1993-01-25)25 January 1993 (aged 18)	3	0	Tarawa Urban Council

Player records

As of 5 September 2011^{[citation needed]}

Most appearances Rank Name Caps Goals Career 1 Nabaruru Batiri 8 0 2003–2011 2 Tarariki Tarotu 6 0 2003–2011 3 Tebwaia Baikawa 4 0 2003 Naingimea Beiaruru 4 0 2003 Atanuea Eritara 4 0 2011 Kaben Ioteba 4 0 2011 Ruevita Iotin 4 0 2003 Nabuaka Itimaroroa 4 0 2003 Tokabi Kaiorake 4 0 2003 Biitamatang Keakea 4 0 2011 Ukenio Kobuti 4 0 2003 Martin Miriata 4 0 2011 Antin Nanotaake 4 0 2011 Enri Tenukai 4 0 2011

Top goalscorers Rank Name Goals Caps Ratio Career 1 Lawrence Nemeia 2 3 0.67 2003 2 Karotu Bakaane 1 3 0.33 2011 Erene Bwakineti 3 0.33 2011 Note: Missing goalscorers from 1979.

Competitive record

Pacific Games Record

Pacific Games record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D*	L	GF	GA
1963	Did not enter
1966
1969
1971
1975
1979	Group stage	9th	3	0	1	2	3	40
1983	Did not enter
1987
1991
1995
2003	Group stage	9th	4	0	0	4	2	40
2007	Did not enter
2011	Group stage	11th	4	0	0	4	2	46
2015	N/A – tournament was U23
2019	Did not enter
2023	Withdrew
Total	Group stage	3/15	11	0	1	10	7	126

Head-to-head record

Up to matches played on 5 September 2011.

Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	WPCT
Cook Islands	1	0	0	1	0	3	−3	0.00
Fiji	3	0	0	3	0	45	−45	0.00
Papua New Guinea	2	0	0	2	1	30	−29	0.00
Solomon Islands	1	0	0	1	0	7	−7	0.00
Tahiti	1	0	0	1	1	17	−16	0.00
Tuvalu	2	0	1	1	5	6	−1	0.00
Vanuatu	1	0	0	1	0	18	−18	0.00
Total	11	0	1	10	7	126	−119	0.00

Source: Results

Results

Kiribati's score is shown first in each case.

No.	Date	Venue	Opponents	Score	Competition	Kiribati scorers	Att.	Ref.
1	30 August 1979	Ratu Cakobau Park, Nausori (N)	Fiji	0–24	1979 South Pacific Games		—	[14][15][16]
2	31 August 1979	Bidesi Park, Suva (N)	Papua New Guinea	0–13	1979 South Pacific Games		—	[14][15][16]
3	5 September 1979	Ratu Cakobau Park, Nausori	Tuvalu	3–3 (2–4 p)	1979 South Pacific Games	Unknown	—	[14][15][16]
4	30 June 2003	National Stadium, Suva (N)	Tuvalu	2–3	2003 South Pacific Games	Nemeia (2)	—	[14][15][17]
5	3 July 2003	National Stadium, Suva (N)	Solomon Islands	0–7	2003 South Pacific Games		700	[14][15][17]
6	5 July 2003	Ratu Cakobau Park, Nausori (N)	Fiji	0–12	2003 South Pacific Games		4,000	[14][15][17]
7	7 July 2003	Churchill Park, Lautoka (N)	Vanuatu	0–18	2003 South Pacific Games		2,000	[14][15][17]
8	30 August 2011	Stade Boewa, Boulari Bay (N)	Fiji	0–9	2011 Pacific Games		—	[14][18]
9	1 September 2011	Stade Boewa, Boulari Bay (N)	Cook Islands	0–3	2011 Pacific Games		—	[14][18]
10	3 September 2011	Stade Boewa, Boulari Bay (N)	Papua New Guinea	1–17	2011 Pacific Games	Bakaane	—	[14][18]
11	5 September 2011	Stade Boewa, Boulari Bay (N)	Tahiti	1–17	2011 Pacific Games	Bwakineti	—	[14][18]

Historical kits

1979 South Pacific Games

2003 Home

2011 Home

2011 Away

See also

• Association football portal

• Kiribati national futsal team