The Vanuatu men's national football team () represents Vanuatu in men's international football competitions. The team is governed by the Vanuatu Football Federation, which is currently a member of FIFA and the Oceania Football Confederation.
History
Early years (1951–2022)
It was known as the New Hebrides until the New Hebrides became Republic of Vanuatu in 1980. It finished fourth in the OFC Nations Cup in 1973, 2000, and 2002. In the 2004 Oceania Nations Cup, Vanuatu beat New Zealand 4–2, preventing the regional powerhouse from making the final and, consequently, the running for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Vanuatu caused another shock in the 2007 South Pacific Games by knocking out the Solomon Islands for bronze medal and also enable to enter the second stage of qualification for the OFC Nations Cup and consequently a chance with a playoff for the 2010 FIFA World Cup held in South Africa. The last time they had won against Solomon Islands was back in 1998 and had since been on the receiving side of many losses save for one draw against them. In July 2008, Vanuatu faced two national teams from the Solomon Islands during the inaugural edition of the Wantok Cup. Vanuatu lost 1–2 to the Solomons' team A, but defeated their team B by two goals to one.
Recognition of the team efforts (2023–present)
In 2023, Vanuatu was invited for the 2023 Intercontinental Cup tournament held in India which is the team first tournament outside Oceania. In the first match on 9 June 2023, they would face Lebanon but suffered a 3–1 defeat. In the next match, Vanuatu conceded a late goal losing to host India on a narrow 1–0 lost. On 15 June 2023, Vanuatu found themselves with a bright smiles as they would go on to win Mongolia 1–0 thus earning them the 3 points and finishing in third place.
FIFA Series tournament
In 2024, FIFA invited Vanuatu to the 2024 FIFA Series tournament held from 21 to 26 March 2024 in Jeddah where they would face Guinea (CAF) and Brunei (AFC). On 21 March, Vanuatu faced their first ever opponent from the Africa continent, Guinea in a 6–0 lost.
First Oceanian final
Vanuatu progressed to the final of the OFC Nations Cup for the first time in 2024 and finished as runners-up of the tournament on 30 June 2024 after losing to New Zealand with a 3–0 scoreline.
Vanuatu then won the 2025 MSG Prime Minister's Cup.
Team image
Kit sponsorship
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left;"
|-
! Kit provider
! Period
|-
|align="Left"| Lotto ||2011–2012
|-
|align="left"| Veto || 2013
|-
|align="Left"| Nike||2014
|-
|align="left"| Best Promotions || 2015
|-
|align="Left"| Pasifika||2016–2019
|-
| KPI Sports
|2019–2022
|-
| Macron
|2022–2023
|-
| Lotto
|2023–2024
|-
| Cikers
| 2024–
|}
Results and fixtures
The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.
2025
Coaching staff
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!style="color:#1B9E5E;background:#FFFF00"|Position
!style="color:#1B9E5E;background:#FFFF00"|Name
|-
| Head coach || Lars Hopp
|-
| Assistant coach || Pinto Duro
|-
| Assistant coach || François Sakama
|-
| Team Manager || Peter Takaro
|-
| Goalkeeper coach || Jimmy Obed
|-
| Assistant Goalkeeper coach || Jean Yves Galinie
|-
| Physio || Albert Lata
|}
Coaching history
New Hebrides
- P. Reichert (1973–1987)
Vanuatu
- Terry O'Donnell (1987–1993)
- Saby Natonga (1996)
- Alwyn Job (1998)
- Juan Carlos Buzzetti (2000–2004)
- Joe Szekeres (2004–2007)
- Robert Calvo (2007–2008)
- Willian Malas (2008)
- Jorge Añón (2009)
- Saby Natonga (2011–2012)
- Percy Avock (2012–2015)
- Moise Poida (2015–2017)
- Etienne Mermer (2017–2018)
- Paul Munster (2019)
- Etienne Mermer (2019–2022)
- George Amos (2022)
- Juan Carlos Buzzetti (2022)
- Emerson Alcântara (2022)
- Etienne Mermer (2022–2023)
- Emerson Alcântara (2023–2024)
- Juliano Schmeling (2024–2025)
- Joel Rarua (2025)
- Richard Iwai (2025)
- Lars Hopp (2025–)
Players
Current squad
The following 23 players were called up for the PacificAus Sports Football Series in September 2024.
Caps and goals are correct as of 30 June 2024, after the match against New Zealand.
Recent call-ups
The following players have also been called up to the national squad in the last twelve months.
Player records
:Players in bold are still active with Vanuatu.
Most appearances
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
!width="30"|Rank
! style="width:150px;"|Name
!width="50"|Caps
!width="50"|Goals
! style="width:100px;"|Career
|-
|1
|align=left|Kensi Tangis
|38
|9
|2011–present
|-
|2
|align=left|Richard Iwai
|34
|20
|2000–2011
|-
|3
|align=left|Etienne Mermer
|33
|15
|1998–2008
|-
|4
|align=left|Brian Kaltak
|32
|5
|2011–present
|-
|5
|align=left|Bong Kalo
|31
|4
|2015–present
|-
|rowspan=2|6
|align=left|Alex Saniel
|30
|3
|2017–present
|-
|align=left|Fedy Vava
|30
|2
|2000–2012
|-
|rowspan=3|8
|align=left|John Alick
|29
|2
|2017–present
|-
|align=left|Lexa Bibi
|29
|2
|2000–2004
|-
|align=left|Seimata Chilia
|29
|9
|2000–2011
|-
|}
Top goalscorers
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
!width="30"|Rank
! style="width:150px;"|Name
!width="50"|Goals
!width="50"|Caps
!width="50"|Ratio
! style="width:100px;"|Career
|-
|1
|style="text-align: left;"|Richard Iwai
|20
|34
|
|2000–2011
|-
|rowspan=2|2
|style="text-align: left;"|Tony Kaltack
|15
|16
|
|2016–2019
|-
|style="text-align: left;"|Etienne Mermer
|15
|33
|
|1998–2008
|-
|rowspan=3|4
|style="text-align: left;"|Seule Soromon
|10
|10
|
|2007–2011
|-
|style="text-align: left;"|Jean Kaltack
|10
|11
|
|2011–present
|-
|style="text-align: left;"|Azariah Soromon
|10
|24
|
|2017–present
|-
|rowspan=2|7
|style="text-align: left;"|Seimata Chilia
|9
|29
|
|2000–2011
|-
|style="text-align: left;"|Kensi Tangis
|9
|38
|
|2011–present
|-
|rowspan=4|9
|style="text-align: left;"|Bill Nicholls
|6
|8
|
|2015–2019
|-
|style="text-align: left;"|Mitch Cooper
|6
|10
|
|2019–present
|-
|style="text-align: left;"|François Sakama
|6
|12
|
|2007–2015
|-
|style="text-align: left;"|Robert Tasso
|6
|12
|
|2011–2016
|-
|}
Competitive record
FIFA World Cup
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
! colspan="10" |FIFA World Cup record
! width="1" rowspan="26" |
! colspan="6" |FIFA World Cup qualification record
|-
! Year
! Host
! Result
! Position
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
|-
|colspan=2|1930 to 1986
|colspan=8|Not a FIFA member
|colspan=6|Not a FIFA member
|-
|1990||align=left|
|colspan=8|Did not enter
|colspan=6|Did not enter
|-
|1994||align=left|
|Rowspan=7 Colspan=8|Did not qualify
|4
|0
|0
|4
|1
|18
|-
|1998||align=left|
|2
|0
|1
|1
|2
|3
|-
|2002||align=left|<br>
|4
|1
|0
|3
|11
|21
|-
|2006||align=left|
|9
|4
|1
|4
|21
|11
|-
|2010||align=left|
|12
|5
|1
|6
|30
|19
|-
|2014||align=left|
|3
|1
|0
|2
|8
|9
|-
|2018||align=left|
|3
|1
|0
|2
|3
|8
|-
|2022||align=left|
| colspan="8" |Withdrew
| colspan="6" |Withdrew
|-
|2026||align=left|<br><br>
| colspan="8" |Did not qualify
|3
|1
|0
|2
|5
|11
|-
|2030||align=left|<br><br>
| colspan="8" rowspan=2 |To be determined
| colspan="6" rowspan=2 |To be determined
|-
|2034||align=left|
|-
!colspan=2|Total
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!40
!13
!3
!24
!81
!100
|}
OFC Nations Cup
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!colspan=10|Oceania Cup / OFC Nations Cup record
!rowspan="2"|
!colspan=6|Qualification record
|-
!Year
!Round
!Position
!
!
!
!
!
!
!Squad
!
!
!
!
!
!
|-
!colspan=17|as
|-
| style="background:LemonChiffon;"| 1973
| style="background:LemonChiffon;"|Fourth place
| style="background:LemonChiffon;"|4th
| style="background:LemonChiffon;"|5
| style="background:LemonChiffon;"|1
| style="background:LemonChiffon;"|1
| style="background:LemonChiffon;"|3
| style="background:LemonChiffon;"|5
| style="background:LemonChiffon;"|10
| style="background:LemonChiffon;"|Squad
!rowspan="2"|
|rowspan=2 colspan=6|No qualification
|-
| 1980
|Group stage
|7th
|3
|0
|0
|3
|6
|9
|
|-
!colspan=17|as
|-
|1996
|colspan=9|Did not qualify
!rowspan="26"|
|4
|0
|1
|3
|5
|12
|-
| 1998
|Group stage
|5th
|2
|0
|0
|2
|2
|13
|Squad
|4
|2
|1
|1
|8
|6
|- style="background:LemonChiffon;"
| 2000
|Fourth place
|4th
|4
|1
|0
|3
|5
|8
|Squad
|4
|2
|0
|2
|12
|7
|- style="background:LemonChiffon;"
| 2002
|Fourth place
|4th
|5
|2
|0
|3
|2
|6
|Squad
|colspan=6|Qualified automatically
|-
| 2004
|Group stage
|6th
|5
|1
|0
|4
|5
|9
|Squad
|4
|3
|1
|0
|16
|2
|- style="background:LemonChiffon;"
|2008
|Fourth place
|4th
|6
|1
|1
|4
|5
|13
|Squad
|6
|4
|0
|2
|25
|6
|-
| 2012
|rowspan=2|Group stage
|5th
|3
|1
|0
|2
|8
|9
|Squad
|rowspan=3 colspan=6|Qualified automatically
|-
| 2016
|7th
|3
|1
|0
|2
|3
|8
|Squad
|- style="background:silver;"
|style="border: 3px solid red"| 2024
|Runners-up
|2nd
|4
|2
|0
|2
|3
|8
|Squad
|-
!Total
!Runners-up
!10/11
!40
!10
!2
!28
!44
!93
!—
!22
!11
!3
!8
!66
!33
|}
Pacific Games
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!colspan=9|Pacific Games record
|-
!Year
!Round
!Position
!
!
!*
!
!
!
|-
!colspan=9|as
|-
| 1963
|Group stage
|6th
|1
|0
|0
|1
|3
|6
|- style="background:#c96;"
| 1966
|Bronze medal
|3rd
|4
|1
|2
|1
|9
|14
|-
| 1969
|Group stage
|5th
|5
|1
|1
|3
|13
|13
|- style="background:silver;"
| 1971
|Silver medal
|2nd
|4
|2
|1
|1
|9
|12
|-
| 1975
|Group stage
|5th
|2
|0
|0
|2
|1
|6
|-
| 1979
|Fifth place
|5th
|6
|4
|0
|2
|19
|6
|-
|-
!colspan=9|as
|-
| 1983
|Group stage
|6th
|1
|0
|0
|1
|0
|6
|- style="background:LemonChiffon;"
| 1987
|Fourth place
|4th
|6
|2
|1
|3
|16
|13
|- style="background:LemonChiffon;"
| 1991
|Fourth place
|4th
|5
|2
|0
|3
|9
|8
|- style="background:LemonChiffon;"
| 1995
|Fourth place
|4th
|5
|2
|0
|3
|10
|9
|- style="background:#c96;"
| 2003
|Bronze medal
|3rd
|6
|3
|3
|0
|23
|3
|- style="background:#c96;"
| 2007
|Bronze medal
|3rd
|6
|4
|0
|2
|25
|6
|-
| 2011
|Group stage
|6th
|5
|4
|0
|1
|18
|7
|-
| 2015
|colspan=8|See Vanuatu national under-23 football team
|-
| 2019
|Group stage
|5th
|4
|2
|1
|1
|25
|2
|- style="background:LemonChiffon;"
| 2023
|Semi-finals
|4th
|4
|1
|1
|2
|9
|6
|-
!Total
!15/15
!0 Titles
!64
!28
!10
!26
!189
!117
|}
Melanesia Cup
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!colspan=9|Melanesia Cup record
|-
!Year
!Round
!Position
!
!
!*
!
!
!
|- style="background:#c96;"
| 1988
|Third place
|3rd
|4
|1
|0
|3
|2
|19
|-
| 1989
|Fifth place
|5th
|4
|0
|0
|4
|2
|12
|- style="background:gold;"
| 1990
|Champions
|1st
|4
|2
|2
|0
|4
|2
|- style="background:LemonChiffon;"
|style="border: 3px solid red"| 1992
|Fourth place
|4th
|3
|0
|0
|3
|1
|6
|-
| 1994
|Fifth place
|5th
|4
|0
|1
|3
|5
|12
|- style="background:silver;"
|style="border: 3px solid red"| 1998
|Runners-up
|2nd
|4
|2
|1
|1
|8
|6
|- style="background:#c96;"
| 2000
|Third place
|3rd
|4
|2
|0
|2
|12
|7
|-
|colspan=9|MSG Prime Minister's Cup
|-
|style="border: 3px solid red"| 2022
|Group stage
|5th
|2
|0
|1
|1
|2
|3
|- style="background:#c96;"
| 2023
|Third place
|3rd
|3
|1
|0
|2
|1
|5
|- style="background:LemonChiffon;"
| 2024
|Fourth place
|4th
|4
|1
|1
|2
|6
|8
|- style="background:gold;"
| 2025
|Champions
|1st
|4
|2
|2
|0
|7
|4
|-
!Total
!11/11
!2 Titles
!40
!11
!8
!21
!50
!84
|}
Wantok Cup
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!colspan=9|Wantok Cup record
|-
!Year
!Round
!Position
!
!
!*
!
!
!
|- style="background:silver;"
| 2008
|Runners-up
|2nd
|2
|1
|0
|1
|3
|3
|- style="background:silver;"
| 2011 (Informal)
|Runners-up
|2nd
|2
|0
|1
|1
|1
|2
|- style="background:gold;"
|style="border: 3px solid red"| 2011 (Informal)
|Champions
|1st
|2
|1
|1
|0
|2
|0
|-
!Total
!3/3
!1 Title
!6
!2
!2
!2
!6
!5
|}
Head-to-head record
Up to matches played on 15 November 2024.
Honours
Continental
- OFC Nations Cup
- Runners-up (1): 2024
Regional
- Pacific Games
- Silver medal (1): 1971
- Bronze medal (3): 1966, 2003, 2007
- Melanesia Cup / MSG Prime Minister's Cup
- Champions (2): 1990, 2025
- Runners-up (1): 1998
- Third place (3): 1988, 2000, 2023
- Wantok Cup
- Runners-up (1): 2008
Summary
{| class="wikitable" width=30% style="font-size:90%; text-align:center;"
|-
!Competition !! !! !! !!Total
|-
|align=left|OFC Nations Cup
|0||1||0||1
|-
!Total!!0!!1!!0!!1
|}
Historical kits
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Sources:
See also
- Vanuatu national under-15 football team
- Vanuatu national under-17 football team
- Vanuatu national under-20 football team
- Vanuatu national under-23 football team
- Vanuatu women's national football team
- Vanuatu women's national under-20 football team
References
Notes
External links
- Vanuafoot – Vanuatu Football Federation Official site
- Vanuatu at OFC
- Vanuatu at FIFA
- Vanuatu Football Federation Official Blog site
- VFFFoot.over-nlog.com