Cook Islands national football team

Cook Islands

Association	Cook Islands Football Association
Confederation	OFC (Oceania)
Head coach	Drew Sherman
Home stadium	National Stadium
FIFA code	COK
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	169 3 (5 November 2015)
Highest	166 (October 2015)
Lowest	207 (April 2015 – July 2015)
First international
Tahiti 30–0 Cook Islands (Papeete, Tahiti; 2 September 1971)
OFC Nations Cup
Appearances	2 (First in 1998)
Best result	Round 1, 1998 & 2000

The Cook Islands national football team is the national team of the Cook Islands and is controlled by the Cook Islands Football Association. With a population of around 24,000 people it remains one of the smallest FIFA teams.

World Cup record

• 1930 to 1994 – Did not enter
• 1998 to 2018 – Did not qualify

Oceania Nations Cup record

Main article: Cook Islands national football team results

OFC Nations Cup record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1973 to 1996	Did not enter
1998	Group Stage	6th	2	0	0	2	0	19
2000	Group Stage	6th	2	0	0	2	1	22
2002	Withdrew
2004 to 2016	Did not qualify
Total	Group Stage	2/9	4	0	0	4	1	41

Performance at the 1998 Oceania Nations Cup

The Cook Islands qualified for their first Oceania Nations Cup after finishing second in the 1998 Polynesia Cup, which they hosted. They faced Australia and Fiji in Group B, in what proved to be a tough draw. Australia crushed the Cook Islands 16–0 in their first match, scoring eight goals either side of the interval. In their next match against Fiji, however, the Cook Islands acquitted themselves much better, losing only 3–0, but with two defeats from two matches they failed to make the semi-finals.

Performance at the 2000 Oceania Nations Cup

In finishing 2nd at the Polynesia Cup for the second tournament running, the Cook Islands also qualified for their second successive OFC Nations Cup. They were drawn in Group A along with the Solomon Islands, and again, Australia. After their heavy defeat at the hands of Australia in the 1998 tournament, the Cook Islands hoped to avoid a repeat performance. However, they were powerless to prevent their opponents from running rampant, this time to the tune of 17–0. The Solomon Islands were up next, and in this game the Cook Islands had the consolation of scoring their first goal at the Oceania Nations Cup–the only bright spot in an otherwise bleak 5–1 defeat. After two defeats, then, the Cooks Islands again went out at the group stage.

South Pacific Games record

Pacific Games record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1963 to 1969	Did not enter
1971	Group Stage	6th	3	0	0	3	2	61
1975 to 1991	Did not enter
1995	Group Stage	7th	4	1	0	3	2	37
2003	Did not enter
2007	Group Stage	8th	4	1	0	3	4	9
2011	Group stage	9th	4	1	0	3	4	15
2015	N/A – tournament was U23
Total		0/13	15	3	0	12	12	122

Results and Fixtures

2015

Tonga v Cook Islands

31 August 2015 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – OFC First Round	Tonga	0–3	Cook Islands	Nuku'alofa
13:00 UTC+13			Saghabi  38', 53', 60'	Stadium: Loto-Tonga Soka Centre Referee: Ravitesh Behari (Fiji)

Cook Islands v Samoa

2 September 2015 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – OFC First Round	Cook Islands	1–0	Samoa	Nuku'alofa
13:00 UTC+13	Saghabi  39'			Stadium: Loto-Tonga Soka Centre Referee: Robinson Banga (Vanuatu)

American Samoa v Cook Islands

4 September 2015 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – OFC First Round	American Samoa	2–0	Cook Islands	Nuku'alofa
15:00 UTC+13	Mitchell  58' J. Manao  67'			Stadium: Loto-Tonga Soka Centre Referee: Ravitesh Behari (Fiji)

Current Squad

Players selected to compete in the First Round of the 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Samoa, Tonga and American Samoa.
Caps and goals updated as of 5 September 2015.

0#0 Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club 1 1GK Iona Lupena (1984-05-03) 3 May 1984 2 0 Manukau City 20 1GK Tahiri Elikana (1988-09-14) 14 September 1988 9 0 Avatiu 3 2DF Miitamariki Joseph (1988-08-14) 14 August 1988 11 0 Tupapa Maraerenga 4 2DF Tyrell Baringer-Tahiri (1994-04-20) 20 April 1994 3 0 Southern United 5 2DF Paavo Mustonen (1986-01-13) 13 January 1986 10 0 Tupapa Maraerenga 13 2DF Nathan Tisam (1988-07-06) 6 July 1988 8 0 Avatiu 17 2DF Sunai Joseph (1998-02-20) 20 February 1998 0 0 Tupapa Maraerenga 2 3MF Grover Harmon (1989-08-06) 6 August 1989 10 1 Yagoona Lions 6 4FW Arus Sem (1993-03-08) 8 March 1993 1 0 Western Springs 7 3MF Gichin Fuhiniu (1988-08-20) 20 August 1988 5 0 Manukau City 8 3MF Legend Pareta (1996-09-08) 8 September 1996 3 0 Metro 11 3MF Taylor Saghabi (1990-12-25) 25 December 1990 9 4 West Ryde Rovers 14 3MF Josh Karika (1989-09-15) 15 September 1989 3 0 Manukau City 15 3MF Jake Stuart (C) (1991-11-20) 20 November 1991 3 0 West Ryde Rovers 16 3MF Alex McGregor (1987-08-27) 27 August 1987 2 0 Eastern Suburbs 9 4FW Campbell Best (1986-03-12) 12 March 1986 10 3 Tupapa Maraerenga 10 4FW Harlem Simiona (1992-03-09) 9 March 1992 3 0 Ngongotaha 12 4FW Emiel Burrows (1992-05-17) 17 May 1992 3 0 Oratia United 18 4FW Ishak Mohammed (1991-09-26) 26 September 1991 2 0 Manukau City

Recent call up's

0#0 Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club 1GK Tony Jamieson (1977-04-07) 7 April 1977 31 0 Tupapa Maraerenga 1GK Keegan Inia (1997-03-20) March 20, 1997 0 0 Central United 2DF Paul van Eijk (1986-03-16) 16 March 1986 7 0 Nikao Sokattack 2DF Teriiahoroa Framhein (1993-09-30) 30 September 1993 1 0 Tupapa Maraerenga 3MF Roger Manuel (1988-11-10) 10 November 1988 2 1 Tupapa Maraerenga 3MF Takuina Tararo (1996-06-17) June 17, 1996 0 0 Free agent 3MF Tuka Tisam (1986-07-08) 8 July 1986 10 0 Nikao Sokattack 3MF John Michael Quijano (1990-09-02) 2 September 1990 2 0 Nikao Sokattack 4FW Joseph Ngauora (1989-06-30) 30 June 1989 5 1 Picton Rangers 4FW Paavo Mustonen (1986-01-13) 13 January 1986 7 0 Nikao Sokattack 4FW Twin Tiro (1994-02-25) 25 February 1994 0 0 Tupapa Maraerenga

Coaches

• Alex Napa (1996–1998)
• Alan Taylor (2000–2001)
• Luigi McKeown (2001–2004)
• Tim Jerks (2004–2010)
• Shane Rufer (2011)
• Paul Farrell-Turepu (2011–2014)
• Drew Sherman (2014–present)

External links

• Cook Islands Football Association
• Oceania Football Federation
• Cook Islands at FIFA.com
• Pictorial History of Cook Island Football Kits