Cook Islands national football team

The Cook Islands men's national football team is the men's football team that represents the Cook Islands in international competition since 1971. It is governed by the Cook Islands Football Association which is part of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) and FIFA.

The nation has participated in seven FIFA World Cup qualification attempts since their first attempt back in 1998. They have qualified for the OFC Nations Cup twice in 1998 and 2000 OFC Nations Cup with both appearances seeing no wins from their four games that they have played.

History

Beginnings (1971–1995)

Despite being absent from the first three editions of the South Pacific Games, the geographical proximity of the Cook Islands with French Polynesia, host of the 1971 South Pacific Games, allowed the Cookian team to take part in the tournament. In the first round they were defeated 16–1 by Papua New Guinea and 30–0 by Tahiti, while in the match for fifth place, they fell to Fiji 15–1.

They next played a match in 1995 when proximity allowed them to participate again in the 1995 South Pacific Games. During the tournament they earned their first win, a 2–1 win over Wallis and Futuna, but lost their other four clashes resoundingly.

The two OFC Nations Cup (1996–2001)

The Cook Islands qualified for their first OFC Nations Cup after finishing second in the 1998 Polynesia Cup, which they hosted. They faced Australia and Fiji in Group B, in what proved to be a tough draw. Australia crushed the Cook Islands 16–0 in their first match, scoring eight goals either side of the interval. In their next match against Fiji, however, the Cook Islands acquitted themselves much better, losing only 3–0, but with two defeats from two matches they failed to make the semi-finals.

In finishing 2nd at the 2000 Polynesia Cup, the Cook Islands also qualified for the OFC Nations Cup. They were drawn in Group A along with the Solomon Islands, and again, Australia. After their heavy defeat at the hands of Australia in the previous tournament, the Cook Islands hoped to avoid a repeat performance. However, they were powerless to prevent their opponents from running rampant, this time to the tune of 17–0. The Solomon Islands were up next, and in this game the Cook Islands had the consolation of scoring their first goal at the OFC Nations Cup – the only bright spot in an otherwise bleak 5–1 defeat. After two defeats, then, the Cooks Islands again went out at the group stage.

Decline (2002–present)

They next entered qualification for the 2004 tournament however they lost all four matches and failed to progress.

They returned to the South Pacific Games for the 2007 competition where they could only beat Tuvalu 4–1. Four years later, at Nouméa 2011, they defeated Kiribati 3–0, but lost their other three meetings; while in 2012 OFC Nations Cup qualification they drew with American Samoa and fell to Samoa and Tonga.

In the 2016 OFC Nations Cup qualifiers, they beat Tonga 3–1 and Samoa 1–0, but fell in the last game against American Samoa 2-0, which relegated the Cook Islands to third place, surpassed on goal difference by both Samoas.

In March 2022, the Cook Islands played their first match in seven years when they lost 2–0 to the Solomon Islands in qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. However, they had to withdraw from their remaining matches due to a COVID-19 outbreak.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

On 28 August 2023, Cook Islands resumed their international matches playing against Tahiti but suffered a 9–1 heavy defeat to Tahiti at the Stade Pater Te Hono Nui in Pirae.

Kit sponsorship

Kit supplier	Period
Template:Flagicon Lotto	2001
Template:Flagicon Adidas	2002–2007
Template:Flagicon Lotto	2007–2012
Template:Flagicon Onu Football	2016–2022
Template:Flagicon KPI Sports	2022–2024
Template:Flagicon Lotto Sport Italia	2024–

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Results and fixtures

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

Coaches

• Template:Flagicon Alex Napa (1996–1998)
• Template:Flagicon Cormac Gallen-Willcocks (2001–2004)
• Template:Flagicon Tim Jerks (2004–2010)
• Template:Flagicon Shane Rufer (2011)
• Template:Flagicon Paul Farrell-Turepu (2011–2014)
• Template:Flagicon Drew Sherman (2015–2017)
• Template:Flagicon Kevin Fallon (2018–2020)
• Template:Flagicon Alan Taylor (2022)
• Template:Flagicon Jess Ibrom (2023-)

Players

Current squad

The following players were called up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification match window in September 2024.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Caps and goals are correct as of 9 September 2024, after the match against American Samoa.

Recent call-ups

The following players have also been called up to the Cook Islands squad within the last twelve months.

Player records

Template:Updated<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Players in bold are still active with Cook Islands.

Most appearances

Rank	Name	Caps	Goals	Career
1	Tony Jamieson	22	0	2000–2011
2	John Pareanga	20	2	1998–2011
3	Taylor Saghabi	19	7	2011–present
4	Grover Harmon	18	1	2009–present
	Paavo Mustonen	18	0	2007–present
6	Joseph Chambers	14	0	1996–2004
7	Tahiri Elikana	13	0	2011–present
	Mark Jamieson	13	1	2000–2004
	Christian Tauira	13	0	1998–2004
10	Stenter Mani	12	2	1996–2001
	Joseph Miitamariki	12	0	2007–2011
	James Nand	12	0	1996–2001
	Daniel Shepherd	12	1	2000–2007
	Nikorima Te Miha	12	2	1998–2011

Top goalscorers

Rank	Name	Goals	Caps	Ratio	Career
1	Taylor Saghabi	7	19	{{#expr:7/19 round 2}}	2011–present
2	Joseph Ngauora	3	8	{{#expr:3/8 round 2}}	2009–2011
	Campbell Best	3	11	{{#expr:3/11 round 2}}	2009–2015
4	Teariki Mateariki	2	6	{{#expr:2/6 round 2}}	2004–2007
	Stenter Mani	2	12	{{#expr:2/12 round 2}}	1996–2001
	Nikorima Te Miha	2	12	{{#expr:2/12 round 2}}	1998–2011
	John Pareanga	2	20	{{#expr:2/20 round 2}}	1998–2011

Competition record

FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup										Qualification
Year	Host	Round	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip		Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip
1930 to 1994		Not a FIFA member								Not a FIFA member
1998	Template:Flag	Did not qualify								First round	2	0	0	2	1	4
2002	Template:Flag Template:Flag									First round	4	0	0	4	2	25
2006	Template:Flag									First round	4	0	0	4	1	17
2010	Template:Flag									First round	4	1	0	3	4	9
2014	Template:Flag									First round	3	0	1	2	4	6
2018	Template:Flag									First round	3	2	0	1	4	2
2022	Template:Flag	Withdrew								Withdrew
2026	Template:Flag Template:Flag Template:Flag	Did not qualify								First round	1	0	0	1	1	3
2030	Template:Flag Template:Flag Template:Flag	To be determined								To be determined
2034	Template:Flag
Total		–	–	–	–	–	–	–	Template:Tooltip	21	3	1	17	17	66

OFC Nations Cup

Oceania Cup / OFC Nations Cup record											Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Squad		Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip
Template:Flagicon 1973	Did not enter										Did not enter
Template:Flagicon 1980
Template:Flagicon 1996
Template:Flagicon 1998	Group stage	6th	2	0	0	2	0	19	Squad		4	2	1	1	8	11
Template:Flagicon 2000		6th	2	0	0	2	1	22	Squad		4	3	0	1	8	5
Template:Flagicon 2002	Withdrew										Withdrew
Template:Flagicon 2004	Did not qualify										4	0	0	4	1	17
Template:Flagicon 2008											4	1	0	3	4	9
Template:Flagicon 2012											3	0	1	2	4	6
Template:Flagicon 2016											3	2	0	1	4	2
Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon 2024											2	1	0	1	1	1
Total	Group stage	2/11	4	0	0	4	1	41	—		24	9	2	13	20	51

Pacific Games

Pacific Games record
Year	Round	Position	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip
1963 to 1969	did not enter
Template:Flagicon 1971	Group Stage	6th	3	0	0	3	2	61
1975 to 1991	did not enter
Template:Flagicon 1995	Group stage	7th	4	1	0	3	2	37
Template:Flagicon 2003	did not enter
Template:Flagicon 2007	Group stage	8th	4	1	0	3	4	9
Template:Flagicon 2011		9th	4	1	0	3	4	15
Template:Flagicon 2015	N/A – tournament was U23
Template:Flagicon 2019	did not enter
Template:Flagicon 2023Template:Refn	Group stage	8th	2	1	0	1	2	9
Total	Group stage	5/16	17	4	0	13	14	131

Polynesia Cup

Polynesia Cup record
Year	Round	Position	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip	Template:Tooltip
Template:Flagicon1994	did not enter
Template:Flagicon 1998	Runners-up	2nd	4	2	1	1	8	11
Template:Flagicon 2000	Runners-up	2nd	4	3	0	1	8	5
Total	2/3	0 Titles	8	5	1	2	16	16

Head-to-head record

{{#lst:Cook Islands national football team results|Record by opponent}}

Honours

Regional

• Polynesia Cup
  • Template:Silver2 Runners-up (2): 1998, 2000

See also

• Cook Islands national under-20 football team
• Cook Islands national under-17 football team
• Cook Islands women's national football team
• Cook Islands women's national under-17 football team

References

• {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}

External links

• Cook Islands Football Association
• Cook Islands at OFC
• Cook Islands at FIFA
• Pictorial History of Cook Island Football Kits

Template:Cook Islands national football team Template:Cook Islands squad 1998 OFC Nations Cup Template:Cook Islands squad 2000 OFC Nations Cup Template:Football in Cook Islands {{#invoke:Navbox|navbox}} Template:National sports teams of the Cook Islands