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Nickname(s) | The Men in Black and Gold | ||
---|---|---|---|
Association | Vanuatu Football Federation (VFF) | ||
Confederation | OFC (Oceania) | ||
Head coach | Joel Rarua | ||
Captain | Brian Kaltak | ||
Most caps | Kensi Tangis (39) | ||
Top scorer | Richard Iwai (20)[1] | ||
Home stadium | Port Vila Municipal Stadium | ||
FIFA code | VAN | ||
| |||
FIFA ranking | |||
Current | 164 ![]() | ||
Highest | 131 (October 2007) | ||
Lowest | 201 (October–November 2015) | ||
First international | |||
![]() ![]() (Nouméa, New Caledonia; 4 October 1951)[3] | |||
Biggest win | |||
![]() ![]() (Lautoka, Fiji; 7 July 2003) | |||
Biggest defeat | |||
![]() ![]() (Nouméa, New Caledonia; 4 October 1951) | |||
OFC Nations Cup | |||
Appearances | 10 (first in 1973) | ||
Best result | Runners-up (2024) | ||
Pacific Games | |||
Appearances | 15 (first in 1963) | ||
Best result | Runners-up (1971) | ||
Melanesia Cup / MSG Prime Minister's Cup | |||
Appearances | 9 (first in 1988) | ||
Best result | Melanesia Cup: Champions (1990) MSG Prime Minister's Cup: Third place (2023) | ||
Wantok Cup | |||
Appearances | 3 (first in 2008) | ||
Best result | Champions (2011) |
The Vanuatu men's national football team (French: équipe du Vanuatu de football) represents Vanuatu in men's international football competitions. The team is governed by the Vanuatu Football Federation, which is currently a member of FIFA and the Oceania Football Confederation.[5]
It was known as the New Hebrides until the New Hebrides became Republic of Vanuatu in 1980. It finished fourth in the OFC Nations Cup in 1973, 2000, and 2002. In the 2004 Oceania Nations Cup, Vanuatu beat New Zealand 4–2, preventing the regional powerhouse from making the final and, consequently, the running for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Vanuatu caused another shock in the 2007 South Pacific Games by knocking out the Solomon Islands for bronze medal and also enable to enter the second stage of qualification for the OFC Nations Cup and consequently a chance with a playoff for the 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa. The last time they had won against Solomon Islands was back in 1998 and had since been on the receiving side of many losses save for one draw against them. In July 2008, Vanuatu faced two national teams from the Solomon Islands during the inaugural edition of the Wantok Cup. Vanuatu lost 1–2 to the Solomons' team A, but defeated their team B by two goals to one.
In 2023, Vanuatu was invited for the 2023 Intercontinental Cup tournament held in India which is the team first tournament outside Oceania. In the first match on 9 June 2023, they would face Lebanon but suffered a 3–1 defeat. In the next match, Vanuatu conceded a late goal losing to host India on a narrow 1–0 lost. On 15 June 2023, Vanuatu found themselves with a bright smiles as they would go on to win Mongolia 1–0 thus earning them the 3 points and finishing in third place.
In 2024, FIFA invited Vanuatu to the 2024 FIFA Series tournament held from 21 to 26 March 2024 in Jeddah where they would face Guinea (CAF) and Brunei (AFC). On 21 March, Vanuatu faced their first ever opponent from the Africa continent, Guinea in a 6–0 lost.
Vanuatu progressed to the final of the OFC Nations Cup for the first time in 2024 and finished as runners-up of the tournament on 30 June 2024 after losing to New Zealand with a 3–0 scoreline.[6][7]
Kit provider[8] | Period |
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2011–2012 |
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2013 |
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2014 |
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2015 |
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2016–2019 |
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2019–2022 |
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2022–2023 |
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2023–2024 |
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2024– |
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
Win Draw Loss Fixture
Position | Name |
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Head coach | ![]() |
Assistant coach | ![]() |
Assistant coach | ![]() |
Team Manager | ![]() |
Goalkeeper coach | ![]() |
Assistant Goalkeeper coach | ![]() |
Physio | ![]() |
New Hebrides
Vanuatu
The following 23 players were called up for the PacificAus Sports Football Series in September 2024.[9]
Caps and goals are correct as of 30 June 2024, after the match against New Zealand.
The following players have also been called up to the national squad in the last twelve months.
Rank | Name | Caps | Goals | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kensi Tangis | 39 | 9 | 2011–present |
2 | Richard Iwai | 34 | 20 | 2000–2011 |
3 | Etienne Mermer | 33 | 15 | 1998–2008 |
Brian Kaltak | 33 | 5 | 2011–present | |
Bong Kalo | 33 | 5 | 2015–present | |
6 | Fedy Vava | 30 | 2 | 2000–2012 |
John Alick | 30 | 2 | 2017–present | |
8 | Lexa Bibi | 29 | 2 | 2000–2004 |
Seimata Chilia | 29 | 9 | 2000–2011 | |
10 | Pita David Maki | 28 | 2 | 2000–2008 |
Rank | Name | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Richard Iwai | 20 | 34 | 0.59 | 2000–2011 |
2 | Tony Kaltack | 15 | 16 | 0.94 | 2016–2019 |
Etienne Mermer | 15 | 33 | 0.45 | 1998–2008 | |
4 | Seule Soromon | 10 | 10 | 1 | 2007–2011 |
Jean Kaltack | 10 | 11 | 0.91 | 2011–present | |
Azariah Soromon | 10 | 26 | 0.38 | 2017–present | |
7 | Seimata Chilia | 9 | 29 | 0.31 | 2000–2011 |
Kensi Tangis | 9 | 39 | 0.23 | 2011–present | |
9 | Bill Nicholls | 6 | 8 | 0.75 | 2015–2019 |
François Sakama | 6 | 12 | 0.5 | 2007–2015 | |
Robert Tasso | 6 | 12 | 0.5 | 2011–2016 | |
Mitch Cooper | 6 | 12 | 0.5 | 2019–present |
FIFA World Cup record | FIFA World Cup qualification record | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Host | Result | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
1930 to 1986 | Not a FIFA member | Not a FIFA member | ||||||||||||||
1990 | ![]() |
Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
1994 | ![]() |
Did not qualify | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 18 | ||||||||
1998 | ![]() |
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||
2002 | ![]() ![]() |
4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 11 | 21 | |||||||||
2006 | ![]() |
9 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 21 | 11 | |||||||||
2010 | ![]() |
12 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 30 | 19 | |||||||||
2014 | ![]() |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 9 | |||||||||
2018 | ![]() |
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8 | |||||||||
2022 | ![]() |
Withdrew | Withdrew | |||||||||||||
2026 | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Did not qualify | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 11 | ||||||||
2030 | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||
2034 | ![]() | |||||||||||||||
Total | 0/10 | 40 | 13 | 3 | 24 | 81 | 100 |
Oceania Cup / OFC Nations Cup record | Qualification record | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
as ![]() | ||||||||||||||||
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Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 10 | Squad | No qualification | ||||||
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Group stage | 7th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 9 | — | |||||||
as ![]() | ||||||||||||||||
1996 | Did not qualify | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 12 | |||||||||
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Group stage | 5th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 13 | Squad | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 6 | |
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Fourth place | 4th | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 8 | Squad | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 7 | |
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Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 6 | Squad | Qualified automatically | ||||||
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Group stage | 6th | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 9 | Squad | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 16 | 2 | |
2008 | Fourth place | 4th | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 13 | Squad | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 25 | 6 | |
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Group stage | 5th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 9 | Squad | Qualified automatically | ||||||
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7th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8 | Squad | ||||||||
![]() ![]() |
Runners-up | 2nd | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8 | Squad | |||||||
Total | Runners-up | 10/11 | 40 | 10 | 2 | 28 | 44 | 93 | — | 22 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 66 | 33 |
Pacific Games record | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | GF | GA |
as ![]() | ||||||||
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Group stage | 6th | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
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Bronze medal | 3rd | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 14 |
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Group stage | 5th | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 13 | 13 |
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Silver medal | 2nd | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 12 |
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Group stage | 5th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
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Fifth place | 5th | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 6 |
as ![]() | ||||||||
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Group stage | 6th | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 |
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Fourth place | 4th | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 13 |
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Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 8 |
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Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 9 |
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Bronze medal | 3rd | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 3 |
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Bronze medal | 3rd | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 25 | 6 |
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Group stage | 6th | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 7 |
![]() |
See Vanuatu national under-23 football team | |||||||
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Group stage | 5th | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 25 | 2 |
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Semi-finals | 4th | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 6 |
Total | 15/15 | 0 Titles | 64 | 28 | 10 | 26 | 189 | 117 |
Melanesia Cup[edit]
|
Wantok Cup[edit]
|
Up to matches played on 15 November 2024.
Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | WPCT |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 1 | +38 | 100.00 |
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4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 7 | −7 | 0.00 |
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1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 0.00 |
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1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | +7 | 100.00 |
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1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 0.00 |
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37 | 11 | 7 | 19 | 41 | 83 | −42 | 29.73 |
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3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | +14 | 100.00 |
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1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | −6 | 0.00 |
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1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 0.00 |
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1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | −6 | 0.00 |
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1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | +18 | 100.00 |
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1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 0.00 |
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1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 100.00 |
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40 | 8 | 7 | 25 | 45 | 101 | −56 | 20.00 |
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15 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 11 | 73 | −62 | 6.67 |
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23 | 9 | 5 | 9 | 33 | 29 | +4 | 39.13 |
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6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 2 | +38 | 100.00 |
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36 | 7 | 7 | 22 | 38 | 78 | −40 | 19.44 |
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26 | 5 | 3 | 18 | 28 | 64 | −36 | 19.23 |
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5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 2 | +31 | 100.00 |
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4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 1 | +21 | 100.00 |
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2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 1 | +9 | 100.00 |
Total | 214 | 68 | 29 | 117 | 384 | 463 | −79 | 31.78 |
Senior Competition | ![]() |
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Total |
---|---|---|---|---|
OFC Nations Cup | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Total | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 1987 Home
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 1992 Home
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![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() 2024 Home
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