In terms of international football, the 2026 World Cup is approaching, and a small country with a population of about 295,000 people is almost ready to join the traditional teams, such the defending champions Argentina, England, Brazil, and Spain.
Lionel Scaloni’s team will be hoping to repeat their success after defeating France, led by none other than Kylian Mbappe, on penalties in the 2022 tournament in Qatar. The international showcase will take place in North America in the summer of 2026.
Georges Gope-Fenepej, a 36-year-old centre forward, scored two goals in Friday’s 3-0 Oceania qualifying semi-final victory over Tahiti, putting New Caledonia one step closer to qualifying for the World Cup next summer.
“We’re all obviously football fans, so to see someone like Georges play and the display he put on today is absolutely magnificent and wonderful,” New Caledonia head coach Johann Sidaner remarked following their historic victory.
New Caledonia, which is around 1,120 km east of Australia and is now placed 152 in FIFA’s rankings, has a population of only about 295,000 as of March 2025, according to Worldometer.
The island has never made it to the World Cup, as mentioned. Although they were only granted FIFA membership in 2004, they are now one step closer to creating history and earning a spot in the 23rd installment of the greatest football prize.
The French-speaking country defeated Tahiti in Wellington, overcoming political turmoil back home. Violent conflicts led to the deployment of the French army in May 2024. Consequently, Jekob Jeno, a midfielder, stated:
Our nation is in a difficult condition. With this triumph, we wish to demonstrate that “New Caledonia can give hope to our people, our family, and our children.” We are quite pleased.
The international minnow’s next match is against New Zealand, who are hoping to play in the tournament for the third time. If the minnow wins, they will join the three host countries and Japan in North America.
Chris Wood of Nottingham Forest, who is considered to be among the Premier League’s top attackers, will serve as a warning to World Cup hopes New Caledonia of what to expect when they travel to Auckland’s Eden Park and score a hat-trick against Fiji on Friday.
For the first time ever, one team from @OFCfootball will secure an automatic spot at next year’s @FIFAWorldCup! 🏆
New Caledonia are on the verge of securing their first-ever qualification for the #FIFAWorldCup, while New Zealand are aiming to make their third appearance at the… pic.twitter.com/czR7GTQ8Dd
— FIFA (@FIFAcom) March 21, 2025
New Caledonia will seek to guarantee passage at the first attempt, but the loser of the match will advance to an intercontinental play-off and try to qualify as the Oceania Football Confederation’s second representative at the World Cup.
