Tonga national football team

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.

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Tonga women's national football team.

Tonga
Nickname(s)Tu’Ulalupe
AssociationTonga Football Association
ConfederationOFC (Oceania)
Head coachKilifi Uele
CaptainHemaloto Polovili
Most capsKilifi Uele (26)
Top scorerUnaloto Feao (7)
Home stadiumTeufaiva Sport Stadium
Tonga Football Association Stadium
FIFA codeTGA
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 200 1 (20 June 2024)[1]
Highest163 (October 1998–December 1998)
Lowest211 (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)

History

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.

Team image

Kit sponsorship
Kit supplier[2] Period
Lotto2007–2013
2013–2017
Lotto2018–

Fixtures and results
Main article: Tonga national football team results

2023
18 November 2023 2023 Pacific Games New Caledonia  7–0  Tonga Honiara, Solomon Islands
16:00
Report Stadium: SIFF Academy Field
Referee: Norbert Hauata (Tahiti)
21 November 2023 2023 Pacific Games Tonga  1–2  Cook Islands Honiara, Solomon Islands
16:00 Stadium: SIFF Academy Field
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
  • Tumua 11' (pen.)
  • Viliamu 45+1', 60'
  • Stowers 89'
 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

Current squad

The following players were called up for the 2023 Pacific Games.[3]

Caps and goals updated as of 30 November 2023, after the game against American Samoa.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Semisi ‘Otukolo (1999-06-23) 23 June 1999 9 0 Veitongo
21 1GK David-John Tuamoheloa 2 0 Manukau United
20 1GK Justin Toetu’u 1 0 Longolongo
2 2DF Petelo Naniseni (2003-12-20) 20 December 2003 4 0 Navutoka
3 2DF Kulisitofa Kite (2003-01-17) 17 January 2003 3 0 Lavengatonga
4 2DF Nicolas Vea (2003-10-31) 31 October 2003 4 0 Navutoka
5 2DF Sione Tu’ifangaloka (1999-04-24) 24 April 1999 6 0 Veitongo
17 2DF Ta’u Tupou 1 0 Vava'u
18 2DF Fakaofo Tonga (2004-10-29) 29 October 2004 3 0 Navutoka
6 3MF Petueli Tokotaha (2004-03-25) 25 March 2004 3 2 Longolongo
7 3MF Tau’aika Sonasi 4 0 Marist
8 3MF Christopher Kefu (2003-02-11) 11 February 2003 4 0 Veitongo
9 3MF Taniela Vaka’uta 2 0 Folaha
15 3MF Petueli Tokotaha (2000-09-10) 10 September 2000 6 2 Navutoka
16 3MF Mohammed Rajani (1999-04-19) 19 April 1999 4 1 Rockdale Ilinden
10 4FW Amoni Fifita (2004-06-26) 26 June 2004 4 2 Makave
11 4FW Elias Kendler 3 1 Haʻamoko United Youth
12 4FW Hemaloto Polovili (1997-07-27) 27 July 1997 14 3 Veitongo
13 4FW Nuku ‘Esau 3 0 Navutoka
14 4FW Feki Tufi (2000-04-11) 11 April 2000 2 0 Veitongo

Player records
As of 20 March 2024[4]
Players in bold are still active with Tonga.

Most appearances
Rank Name Caps Goals Career
1 Kilifi Uele 26 3 1996–2017
2 Unaloto Feao 17 7 2001–2017
3 Lafaele Moala 16 1 2003–2015
4 Folio Moeaki 15 0 2004–2015
Sione Uhatahi 15 1 2007–2019
Hemaloto Polovili 15 3 2015–present
7 Siu'a Ma'amaloa 14 1 2001–2004
8 Kamaliele Papani 11 0 2003–2019
Mark Uhatahi 11 3 2003–2015
10 Kava Huihahau 10 0 2003–2007
Viliami Taufahema 10 0 1996–2003

Top goalscorers
Rank Name Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Unaloto Feao 7 17 0.41 2001–2017
2 Lokoua Taufahema 5 7 0.71 2001–2011
3 Amone Suli 3 1 3 2002
Amoni Fifita 3 5 0.6 2023–present
Mark Uhatahi 3 11 0.27 2003–2015
Hemaloto Polovili 3 15 0.2 2015–present
Kilifi Uele 3 26 0.12 1996–2017
8 Ma'ake Uhatahi 2 2 1 2009
Petueli Tokotaha 2 3 0.67 2017–2019
Pio Palu 2 7 0.29 2007–2011
Timote Moleni 2 8 0.25 1996–2001
Filisione Taufahema 2 8 0.25 2001–2002

Coaching staff

Coaching history

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		 To be determined To be determined
2030 Morocco
 Portugal
 Spain
2034 Saudi Arabia
Total — 0/8 – – – – – – 22 7 1 14 23 82

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 200215
Total — 0/10 – – – – – – 31 7 3 21 34 90

Pacific Games

Head-to-head record

Up to matches played on 26 March 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 10 3 2 5 12 15 −3 30.00
 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[lower-alpha 1] 12 2 3 7 10 25 −15 16.67
 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[lower-alpha 2] 5 0 0 5 2 33 −31 0.00
 Wallis and Futuna 2 1 0 1 1 3 −2 50.00
Total 68 15 6 47 78 262 −184 22.06
Source: Results
Notes:
  1. Includes results as Western Samoa.
  2. Includes results as New Hebrides.

Honours

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:[5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17]

See also

References
  1. "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking". FIFA. 20 June 2024. Retrieved 20 June 2024.
  2. "Antigo(a) Tonga camisas de futebol". Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  3. "Tuʻulalupe Squad". Face. Tonga Football.
  4. "Tonga". National Football Teams.
  5. "2001".
  6. "2001".
  7. "2009".
  8. "2009".
  9. "2011".
  10. "2011".
  11. "2015".
  12. "2015".
  13. "2017".
  14. "2017".
  15. "2019".
  16. "2019".
  17. "2023".
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