Tonga national football team
Nickname(s) | Tu’Ulalupe | ||
---|---|---|---|
Association | Tonga Football Association | ||
Confederation | OFC (Oceania) | ||
Head coach | Kilifi Uele | ||
Captain | Hemaloto Polovili | ||
Most caps | Kilifi Uele (26) | ||
Top scorer | Unaloto Feao (7) | ||
Home stadium | Teufaiva Sport Stadium Tonga Football Association Stadium | ||
FIFA code | TGA | ||
| |||
FIFA ranking | |||
Current | 199 (28 November 2024)[1] | ||
Highest | 163 (October 1998–December 1998) | ||
Lowest | 211 (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) |
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.
History
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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.[clarification needed]
Team image
Kit sponsorship
Kit supplier[3] | Period |
---|---|
Lotto | 2007–2013 |
2013–2017 | |
Lotto | 2018– |
Fixtures and results
2023
27 November 2023 2023 Pacific Games | Tonga | 0–4 | Tuvalu | Honiara, Solomon Islands |
13:00 | Stadium: SIFF Academy Field |
30 November 2023 2023 Pacific Games | American Samoa | 2–6 | Tonga | Honiara, Solomon Islands |
10:00 | Stadium: SIFF Academy Field |
2024
20 March 2024 OFC Nations Cup qualification | Tonga | 1–4 | Samoa | Nuku'alofa, Tonga |
14:00 | Kite 90+5' | Report | Stadium: Teufaiva Stadium Attendance: 300 Referee: Luke Gardner (New Zealand) |
26 March 2024 OFC Nations Cup qualification | Cook Islands | 1–0 | Tonga | Nuku'alofa, Tonga |
14:00 | Stadium: Teufaiva Stadium |
6 September 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | Cook Islands | 1–3 | Tonga | Apia, Samoa |
11:00 UTC+13 |
|
[4][5] | Stadium: FFS Football Stadium Attendance: 300 Referee: Calvin Berg (New Zealand) |
9 September 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification | Tonga | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | Samoa | Apia, Samoa |
15:00 UTC+13 |
|
[6][7] | Stadium: National Soccer Stadium Attendance: 500 Referee: Mederic Lacour (New Caledonia) |
Coaching history
- Tongia Nāpa'a (1979)
- Rudi Gutendorf (1981)
- Umberto Mottini (1997–1998)
- Gary Phillips (2001)
- Heinave Kaifa (2002–2003)
- Milan Janković (2003–2005)
- Ben Perry (2005–2006)
- Reece McLaughlin (2006–2007)
- Chris Williams (2011)
- Timote Moleni (2015–2023)
- Kilifi Uele (2024–present)
Players
Current squad
The following players were called up for the 2026 World Cup qualification matches in September 2024.[8]
Caps and goals updated as of 9 September 2024, after the game against Samoa.
Recent call-ups
The following players have been called up within the last 12 months.
Player records
- As of 9 September 2024[9]
- Players in bold are still active with Tonga.
Most appearances
Rank | Name | Caps | Goals | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Kilifi Uele | 26 | 3 | 1996–2017 |
2 | Unaloto Fea'o | 17 | 7 | 2001–2017 |
Hemaloto Polovili | 17 | 4 | 2015–present | |
4 | Lafaele Moala | 16 | 1 | 2003–2015 |
5 | Folio Moeaki | 15 | 0 | 2004–2015 |
Sione Uhatahi | 15 | 1 | 2007–2019 | |
7 | Siu'a Ma'amaloa | 14 | 1 | 2001–2004 |
Kamaliele Papani | 14 | 0 | 2003–present | |
9 | Semisi 'Otukolo | 12 | 0 | 2017–present |
Fineasi Palei | 12 | 0 | 2011–present |
Top goalscorers
Rank | Name | Goals | Caps | Ratio | Career |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Unaloto Fea'o | 7 | 17 | 0.41 | 2001–2017 |
2 | Lokoua Taufahema | 5 | 7 | 0.71 | 2001–2011 |
3 | Hemaloto Polovili | 4 | 17 | 0.24 | 2015–present |
4 | Amone Suli | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2002 |
Amoni Fifita | 3 | 8 | 0.38 | 2023–present | |
Mark Uhatahi | 3 | 11 | 0.27 | 2003–2015 | |
Kilifi Uele | 3 | 26 | 0.12 | 1996–2017 | |
8 | Ma'ake Uhatahi | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2009 |
Petueli Tokotaha | 2 | 6 | 0.33 | 2017–present | |
Pio Palu | 2 | 7 | 0.29 | 2007–2011 | |
Timote Moleni | 2 | 8 | 0.25 | 1996–2001 | |
Filisione Taufahema | 2 | 8 | 0.25 | 2001–2002 |
Competitive record
FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup | Qualification | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Host | Result | Position | Pld | W | D* | L | F | A | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | |
1930 to 1990 | Not member of FIFA | Not member of FIFA | ||||||||||||||
1994 | United States | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
1998 | France | Did not qualify | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 13 | ||||||||
2002 | South Korea Japan |
4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 30 | |||||||||
2006 | Germany | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 17 | |||||||||
2010 | South Africa | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 10 | |||||||||
2014 | Brazil | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | |||||||||
2018 | Russia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | |||||||||
2022 | Qatar | Withdrew | Withdrew | |||||||||||||
2026 | Canada Mexico United States |
Did not qualify | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | ||||||||
2030 | Morocco Portugal Spain |
To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||
2034 | Saudi Arabia | |||||||||||||||
Total | — | 0/8 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 24 | 8 | 1 | 15 | 27 | 85 |
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 | |
1973 | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
1980 | |||||||||||||||
1996 | Did not qualify | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||
1998 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 9 | |||||||||
2000 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 15 | |||||||||
2002 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 18 | |||||||||
2004 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 17 | |||||||||
2008 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 10 | |||||||||
2012 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | |||||||||
2016 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 8 | |||||||||
2024 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 5 | |||||||||
Total | — | 0/11 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 31 | 7 | 3 | 21 | 34 | 90 |
Pacific Games
|
Pacific Mini Games
Polynesia Cup
|
Head-to-head record
Up to matches played on 6 September 2024.
Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | WPCT |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
American Samoa | 10 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 34 | 12 | +22 | 80.00 |
Australia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 22 | −22 | 0.00 |
Cook Islands | 11 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 15 | 16 | −1 | 36.36 |
Micronesia | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | +7 | 100.00 |
Fiji | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 17 | −16 | 0.00 |
New Caledonia | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 43 | −41 | 0.00 |
Papua New Guinea | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 20 | −18 | 0.00 |
Samoa[a] | 13 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 27 | −16 | 15.38 |
Solomon Islands | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 31 | −31 | 0.00 |
Tahiti | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 28 | −27 | 0.00 |
Tuvalu | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 13 | −7 | 0.00 |
Vanuatu[b] | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 33 | −31 | 0.00 |
Wallis and Futuna | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 50.00 |
Total | 70 | 16 | 6 | 48 | 82 | 265 | −183 | 22.86 |
Notes:
Honours
Regional
- Polynesia Cup
- Runners-up (1): 1994
Historical kits
2001 Home
|
2001 Away
|
2009 Home
|
2009 Away
|
2011 Home
|
2011 Away
|
2015 Home
|
2015 Away
|
2017 Home
|
2017 Away
|
2019 Home
|
2019 Away
|
2023 Home
|
2023 Away
|
Sources:[10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22]
See also
- Tonga national under-23 football team
- Tonga national under-20 football team
- Tonga national under-17 football team
- Tonga women's national football team
- Tonga women's national under-20 football team
References
- ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking". FIFA. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 28 November 2024.
- ^ Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 16 December 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
- ^ "Antigo(a) Tonga camisas de futebol". Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
- ^ "Cook Islands vs Tonga". Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
- ^ "Cook Islands vs Tonga". Oceania Football Confederation. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
- ^ "Tonga vs Samoa". Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
- ^ "Tonga vs Samoa". Oceania Football Confederation. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
- ^ "Tuʻulalupe Squad". Facebook. Tonga Football.
- ^ "Tonga". National Football Teams.
- ^ "2001".
- ^ "2001".
- ^ "2009".
- ^ "2009".
- ^ "2011".
- ^ "2011".
- ^ "2015".
- ^ "2015".
- ^ "2017".
- ^ "2017".
- ^ "2019".
- ^ "2019".
- ^ "2023". YouTube. 18 November 2023.