SUVA – Fiji has fallen three places in the latest FIFA World Rankings and is now placed fourth in the Oceania region. Neighbours New Caledonia (155) and Samoa (156) have surpassed Fiji who is sitting on 160.
National team director Tarunesh Reddy told Times Sport the upcoming Oceania Football Confederation Nations Cup in the Solomon Islands was a chance for Fiji to move back up on the rankings.
He says it is very important that Fiji have a good outing in the tournament so we can improve our ranking.
“The last time Fiji played in an international competition was at the Pacific Games in New Caledonia last year,” Reddy said.
“The ranking is determined by our international performance’s and we have not played any international games since August last year,” he said.
“So it is important we get to a higher stage in the Nations Cup for us to move back up on the ranking.”
New Zealand remains the top team in the region with a ranking of 150 and will be Fiji’s first opponents in the Nations Cup competition.
The other teams in Fiji’s group are hosts Solomon Islands and PNG.
He said the national under-23 side that participated at the recent Olympic qualifiers in New Zealand had set a benchmark for the main national team.
“The U20 side managed to reach the finals where they lost to hosts New Zealand by just 1-0.”
