Cook Islands national football team

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Cook Islands

Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)	Soka Kuki Airani
Association	Cook Islands Football Association
Confederation	OFC (Oceania)
Head coach	Tuka Tisam
Captain	Grover Harmon
Most caps	Tony Jamieson (22)
Top scorer	Taylor Saghabi (7)
Home stadium	Avarua Tereora Stadium
FIFA code	COK
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	188 Increase 2 (3 April 2025)[1]
Highest	166 (October 2015)
Lowest	207 (April–July 2015)
First international
Papua New Guinea 16–1 Cook Islands   (Papeete, Tahiti; 11 September 1971)
Biggest win
Cook Islands 3–0 American Samoa   (Papeete, Tahiti; 12 June 2000)  Cook Islands 4–1 Tuvalu   (Apia, Samoa; 1 September 2007)  Cook Islands 3–0 Kiribati   (Boulari, New Caledonia; 1 September 2011)  Tonga 0–3 Cook Islands   (Nukuʻalofa, Tonga; 31 August 2015)
Biggest defeat
Tahiti 30–0 Cook Islands   (Papeete, Tahiti; 13 September 1971)
OFC Nations Cup
Appearances	2 (first in 1998 )
Best result	Group stage (1998, 2000)
Pacific Games
Appearances	5 (first in 1971 )
Best result	Sixth place (1971)
Polynesia Cup
Appearances	2 (first in 1998 )
Best result	Runners-up (1998, 2000)

The Cook Islands men's national football team is the men's football team that represents the Cook Islands in international competition since 1971. It is governed by the Cook Islands Football Association which is part of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) and FIFA.

The nation has participated in seven FIFA World Cup qualification attempts since their first attempt back in 1998. They have qualified for the OFC Nations Cup twice in 1998 and 2000 OFC Nations Cup with both appearances seeing no wins from their four games that they have played.

Despite being absent from the first three editions of the South Pacific Games, the geographical proximity of the Cook Islands with French Polynesia, host of the 1971 South Pacific Games, allowed the Cookian team to take part in the tournament. In the first round they were defeated 16–1 by Papua New Guinea and 30–0 by Tahiti, while in the match for fifth place, they fell to Fiji 15–1.

They next played a match in 1995 when proximity allowed them to participate again in the 1995 South Pacific Games. During the tournament they earned their first win, a 2–1 win over Wallis and Futuna, but lost their other four clashes resoundingly.

The Cook Islands qualified for their first OFC 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.

In finishing 2nd at the 2000 Polynesia Cup, the Cook Islands also qualified for the 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 previous 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 OFC 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.

They next entered qualification for the 2004 tournament however they lost all four matches and failed to progress.

They returned to the South Pacific Games for the 2007 competition where they could only beat Tuvalu 4–1. Four years later, at Nouméa 2011, they defeated Kiribati 3–0, but lost their other three meetings; while in 2012 OFC Nations Cup qualification they drew with American Samoa and fell to Samoa and Tonga.

In the 2016 OFC Nations Cup qualifiers, they beat Tonga 3–1 and Samoa 1–0, but fell in the last game against American Samoa 2-0, which relegated the Cook Islands to third place, surpassed on goal difference by both Samoas.

In March 2022, the Cook Islands played their first match in seven years when they lost 2–0 to the Solomon Islands in qualifying for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. However, they had to withdraw from their remaining matches due to a COVID-19 outbreak.^{[3] [4]}

On 28 August 2023, Cook Islands resumed their international matches playing against Tahiti but suffered a 9–1 heavy defeat to Tahiti at the Stade Pater Te Hono Nui in Pirae.

Kit supplier	Period
Germany Adidas	2002–2004
Italy Lotto	2007–2012
New Zealand Onu Football	2015–2020
Australia KPI Sports	2020–

Source:^{[5] [6]}

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixture

The following players were called up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification match window in September 2024.^[9]

Caps and goals are correct as of 9 September 2024, after the match against American Samoa.

No.	Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1GK	Tahiri Elikana	(1988年09月14日) 14 September 1988 (age 36)	13	0	Cook Islands Nikao Sokattak
1GK	Ngereine Maro	(2005年03月20日) 20 March 2005 (age 20)	5	0	New Zealand Western Suburbs
2DF	Paavo Mustonen	(1989年11月10日) 10 November 1989 (age 35)	18	0	Cook Islands Tupapa Maraerenga
2DF	Emiel Burrow	(1992年05月17日) 17 May 1992 (age 32)	10	0	New Zealand Oratia United
2DF	Orin Ruaine-Prattley	(1997年11月03日) 3 November 1997 (age 27)	9	0	New Zealand Brooklyn Northern United
2DF	Dwayne Tiputoa	(1997年12月08日) 8 December 1997 (age 27)	8	1	Cook Islands Tupapa Maraerenga
2DF	Tamaiva Mateariki	(1999年02月05日) 5 February 1999 (age 26)	2	0	Cook Islands Tupapa Maraerenga
2DF	John Noovao	(2004年09月18日) 18 September 2004 (age 20)	1	0	Cook Islands Tupapa Maraerenga
3MF	Grover Harmon	(1989年08月09日) 9 August 1989 (age 35)	18	1	Cook Islands Tupapa Maraerenga
3MF	Tremaine Rimene-Albrett	(2002年01月01日) 1 January 2002 (age 23)	6	1	New Zealand Douglas Villa
3MF	Thane Beal	(1997年03月26日) 26 March 1997 (age 28)	5	0	Australia Westvale Olympic
3MF	Oscar Wichman	(2005年07月01日) 1 July 2005 (age 19)	3	0	Cook Islands Tupapa Maraerenga
3MF	Ngametua Tuakana	(2005年02月28日) 28 February 2005 (age 20)	2	0	Cook Islands Tupapa Maraerenga
3MF	Taci Kumsuz	(1999年01月06日) 6 January 1999 (age 26)	1	1	Australia St George City
3MF	Kerim Kumsuz	(1992年08月27日) 27 August 1992 (age 32)	0	0	Cook Islands Tupapa Maraerenga
4FW	Taylor Saghabi	(1990年12月25日) 25 December 1990 (age 34)	19	7	Cook Islands Tupapa Maraerenga
4FW	Josh Karika	(1989年09月15日) 15 September 1989 (age 35)	7	0	Cook Islands Matavera
4FW	Siaosi Kaufononga	(1995年02月20日) 20 February 1995 (age 30)	3	1	Cook Islands Tupapa Maraerenga
4FW	Tupaia Ringi	(2003年03月14日) 14 March 2003 (age 22)	2	0	Australia Canberra Olympic

The following players have also been called up to the Cook Islands squad within the last twelve months.

Pos.	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club	Latest call-up
DF	Sunai Joseph	(1998年02月20日) 20 February 1998 (age 27)	5	0	Cook Islands Tupapa Maraerenga	v.  Tonga ; 26 March 2024
DF	Nuku Mokoroa	(2004年05月15日) 15 May 2004 (age 20)	0	0	Cook Islands Nikao Sokattak	v.  Tonga ; 26 March 2024
MF	Lee Harmon Jr.	(2001年10月23日) 23 October 2001 (age 23)	7	0	Cook Islands Tupapa Maraerenga	v.  Tonga ; 26 March 2024

As of 9 September 2024^[10]

Players in bold are still active with Cook Islands.

Rank	Name	Caps	Goals	Career
1	Tony Jamieson	22	0	2000–2011
2	John Pareanga	20	2	1998–2011
3	Taylor Saghabi	19	7	2011–present
4	Grover Harmon	18	1	2009–present
	Paavo Mustonen	18	0	2007–present
6	Joseph Chambers	14	0	1996–2004
7	Tahiri Elikana	13	0	2011–present
	Mark Jamieson	13	1	2000–2004
	Christian Tauira	13	0	1998–2004
10	Stenter Mani	12	2	1996–2001
	Joseph Miitamariki	12	0	2007–2011
	James Nand	12	0	1996–2001
	Daniel Shepherd	12	1	2000–2007
	Nikorima Te Miha	12	2	1998–2011

Rank	Name	Goals	Caps	Ratio	Career
1	Taylor Saghabi	7	19	0.37	2011–present
2	Joseph Ngauora	3	8	0.38	2009–2011
	Campbell Best	3	11	0.27	2009–2015
4	Teariki Mateariki	2	6	0.33	2004–2007
	Stenter Mani	2	12	0.17	1996–2001
	Nikorima Te Miha	2	12	0.17	1998–2011
	John Pareanga	2	20	0.1	1998–2011

FIFA World Cup									Qualification
Year	Host	Round	Pld	W	D	L	F	A	Pos.	Pld	W	D	L	F	A
1930 to 1994		Not a FIFA member								Not a FIFA member
1998	France	Did not qualify								First round	2	0	0	2	1	4
2002	South Korea  Japan									First round	4	0	0	4	2	25
2006	Germany									First round	4	0	0	4	1	17
2010	South Africa									First round	4	1	0	3	4	9
2014	Brazil									First round	3	0	1	2	4	6
2018	Russia									First round	3	2	0	1	4	2
2022	Qatar	Withdrew								Withdrew
2026	Canada  Mexico  United States	Did not qualify								First round	1	0	0	1	1	3
2030	Morocco  Portugal  Spain	To be determined								To be determined
2034	Saudi Arabia
Total		–	–	–	–	–	–	–	0/7	21	3	1	17	17	66

Oceania Cup / OFC Nations Cup record										Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	Squad	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
New Zealand 1973	Did not enter									Did not enter
New Caledonia 1980
Pacific Community 1996
Australia 1998	Group stage	6th	2	0	0	2	0	19	Squad	4	2	1	1	8	11
French Polynesia 2000		6th	2	0	0	2	1	22	Squad	4	3	0	1	8	5
New Zealand 2002	Withdrew									Withdrew
Australia 2004	Did not qualify									4	0	0	4	1	17
Pacific Community 2008										4	1	0	3	4	9
Solomon Islands 2012										3	0	1	2	4	6
Papua New Guinea 2016										3	2	0	1	4	2
Fiji Vanuatu 2024										2	1	0	1	1	1
Total	Group stage	2/11	4	0	0	4	1	41	—	24	9	2	13	20	51

Pacific Games record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
1963 to 1969	did not enter
French Polynesia 1971	Group Stage	6th	3	0	0	3	2	61
1975 to 1991	did not enter
French Polynesia 1995	Group stage	7th	4	1	0	3	2	37
Fiji 2003	did not enter
Samoa 2007	Group stage	8th	4	1	0	3	4	9
New Caledonia 2011		9th	4	1	0	3	4	15
Papua New Guinea 2015	N/A – tournament was U23
Samoa 2019	did not enter
Solomon Islands 2023 [n 1]	Group stage	8th	2	1	0	1	2	9
Total	Group stage	5/16	17	4	0	13	14	131

Polynesia Cup record
Year	Round	Position	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA
Samoa 1994	did not enter
Cook Islands 1998	Runners-up	2nd	4	2	1	1	8	11
French Polynesia 2000	Runners-up	2nd	4	3	0	1	8	5
Total	2/3	0 Titles	8	5	1	2	16	16

Up to matches played on 5 September 2024.

Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	WPCT
American Samoa	4	2	1	1	8	6	+2	50.00
Australia	2	0	0	2	0	33	−33	0.00
Fiji	4	0	0	4	2	26	−24	0.00
Kiribati	1	1	0	0	3	0	+3	100.00
New Caledonia	4	0	0	4	0	28	−28	0.00
New Zealand	1	0	0	1	0	2	−2	0.00
Papua New Guinea	2	0	0	2	1	20	−19	0.00
Samoa [a]	7	3	1	3	9	9	0	42.86
Solomon Islands	5	0	0	5	2	37	−35	0.00
Tahiti	10	0	0	10	1	76	−75	0.00
Tonga	11	5	2	4	16	15	+1	45.45
Tuvalu	1	1	0	0	4	1	+3	100.00
Vanuatu	1	0	0	1	1	8	−7	0.00
Wallis and Futuna	1	1	0	0	2	1	+1	100.00
Total	54	13	4	37	49	262	−213	24.07

• Polynesia Cup
  • Runners-up (2): 1998, 2000

• Cook Islands national under-20 football team
• Cook Islands national under-17 football team
• Cook Islands women's national football team
• Cook Islands women's national under-17 football team

• "Cook Islands and Vanuatu out of FIFA World Cup qualifiers". 19 March 2022.

• Cook Islands Football Association
• Cook Islands at OFC
• Cook Islands at FIFA
• Pictorial History of Cook Island Football Kits

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