Host country Papua New Guinea Venue(s) 2 (in 1 host city) Third place Papua New Guinea City Port Moresby Goals scored 149 | Dates 3–17 July 2015 Runners-up Tahiti Start date 2015 Teams 8 Matches played 19 | |
Champions New Caledonia (7th title) Other Instances 2007 Pacific Games, 1966 South Pacific Games, 1963 South Pacific Games, Outrigger canoeing at the 201, Women's football at the 2015 | ||
The 2015 Pacific Games men's football tournament was the 14th edition of the Pacific Games men's football tournament. The men's football tournament was held in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea between 3–17 July 2015 as part of the 2015 Pacific Games. The tournament was age-restricted and open to men's under-23 national teams only.
Contents
- Teams
- Eligibility status
- Group stage
- Olympic Qualifying knockout stage
- Olympic Qualifying semi finals
- Olympic Qualifying final
- Pacific Games knockout stage
- Goalscorers
- References
The tournament also doubled as the 7th edition of the OFC Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament, the quadrennial international tournament organised by the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) to determine which men's under-23 national teams from Oceania qualify for the Olympic football tournament. A separate qualifying tournament was initially set to take place at Tonga between 2–12 December 2015. However, it was later decided to absorb the qualifying tournament into the Pacific Games, as the New Zealand team participated for the first time in the Pacific Games men's football tournament.
As some of the participating teams are not members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and thus ineligible for the Olympics, there were two separate knockout stages, one for Olympic qualifying where the winner qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics men's football tournament, and another for determining the Pacific Games medalists.
New Caledonia won the Pacific Games gold medal, while Fiji qualified for the Olympic football tournament for the first time after winning the OFC Olympic qualifying tournament.
Teams
A total of eight teams participated in the tournament.
Eligibility status
The teams are eligible for one or both knockout stages depending on their affiliation.
Group stage
The draw was held on 1 June 2015 at the OFC Headquarters at Auckland. The eight teams were drawn into two groups of four.
For the OFC Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament, only the five teams (Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu) which are FIFA and IOC members were eligible. The top two IOC member teams of each group advanced to the Olympic Qualifying semi-finals.
For the Pacific Games Men's Football Tournament, the top two teams of each group advanced to the Pacific Games semi-finals with the exception of New Zealand, who were not eligible as they are not a Pacific Games Council member.
All times UTC+10.
Olympic Qualifying knockout stage
Only the five teams (Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu) which are FIFA and IOC members were eligible.
Olympic Qualifying semi-finals
New Zealand advanced to the Olympic Qualifying final, however were replaced by Vanuatu on the day of the final after the Oceania Football Confederation found that they had fielded an ineligible player, Deklan Wynne, in the semi-final and the match was declared a 3–0 victory for Vanuatu. New Zealand were unable to appeal before the final was played and have subsequently announced they would appeal. On 23 October 2015, the OFC announced that New Zealand's appeal had been rejected, meaning New Zealand's only chance to overturn the decision would be to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. On 13 November 2015, New Zealand Football confirmed that they would not appeal.
Olympic Qualifying final
Fiji qualified for 2016 Summer Olympics. This was the first time a team from OFC other than Australia or New Zealand qualified for the Olympics.
Pacific Games knockout stage
New Zealand were not eligible as they are not a Pacific Games Council member.