AAP: VANUATU, Fiji and New Caledonia are among the unlikely nations that could score a first trip to the expanded FIFA World Cup showpiece in 2026.
Dan Hall hasn’t been lured to make his international debut for Fiji in Oceania World Cup qualifying just yet, but the big A-League defender is keeping his options open.
World Cup qualifying resumes in the Pacific region this week with crunch Oceania fixtures in Port Moresby and New Zealand.
There’s added anticipation around these matches because in 2026 – thanks to the expansion of the tournament to 48 nations – an Oceania nation will be guaranteed a World Cup berth for the first time.
Alongside regional powerhouse and favourites New Zealand, Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and New Caledonia will also stake their challenge which would bring life-changing prizemoney and opportunities to players and nations.
But Hall is not among the names heading to Papua New Guinea to pull on the white Fijian shirt.
On form, he would be a game-changing prospect for the Bula Boys.
The 25-year-old is possibly the league’s most in-form centre-back, winning the title last season with Central Coast before switching to Auckland’s Black Knights.
Hall has been pivotal to the expansion side’s perfect start with three wins and not a single goal conceded.
Born in Melbourne to Fijian parents before being adopted, Hall said accepting a Fijian call-up was complicated.
“There’s a lot more than just saying yes, perfect, let’s go, I’ll play tomorrow,” he said.
Hall doesn’t have a Fijian passport and says there are taxing hurdles for adults who were not born in Fiji obtaining one.
But he’s open-minded to tackling the administrative pains.
“It’s definitely not crossed off the bucket list and I definitely wouldn’t say no,” he said.
But for now he’s decided to knuckle down with his new club.
“It’s just strictly focused on playing for Auckland and just seeing where my football takes me after that,” he said, which may even leave open the possibility of a Socceroos call-up.
Fuelled by English Premier League striker Chris Wood, New Zealand remain the raging-hot favourites to make it through OFC qualifying.
With a win over Tahiti already under their belts, they are almost certain to progress from their group after taking on Vanuatu (in Hamilton on Friday) and Samoa (in Auckland on Monday).
The other three nations are likely to compete for second, which brings a place in the final-four knockout tournament next March in New Zealand.
Group A is wide open with Fiji and New Caledonia earning wins over Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea respectively in their opening matches.
Solomon Islands were defeated by New Zealand in the final of the 2024 playoffs and face a tough route back after their 1-0 loss in Suva last month.
“The spirit in the camp is strong, and the players are fully committed to giving their best in these must-win games,” Solomons coach Joshua Smith said.
OCEANIA WORLD CUP QUALIFYING:
GROUP A:
Nov 14 – Port Moresby, PNG: Solomon Islands v New Caledonia – 2pm (all times AEDT), Papua New Guinea v Fiji – 5pm
Nov 17 – Port Moresby, PNG: Fiji v New Caledonia – 2pm, Papua New Guinea v Solomon Islands – 5pm
GROUP B:
Nov 15 – Hamilton, NZ: Samoa v Tahiti – 2pm, New Zealand v Vanuatu – 5.30pm
Nov 18 – Auckland, NZ: Tahiti v Vanuatu – 2pm, Samoa v New Zealand – 7.30pm
(Top two teams in each group progress to semi-finals and final hosted by New Zealand next March. The winner of the final earns direct passage to the FIFA World Cup in USA-Mexico-Canada, and the loser of the final goes to an inter-confederation playoff with another chance at qualifying).
