Luke returns triumphant from Football Champs

Year 10 football star Luke Carter has returned from the Solomon Islands after helping New Zealand to successfully defend their title at the OFC U16 Men’s Championship.

Playing in intense humidity, the team pushed through to secure a goal-less draw against New Caledonia, a 5-0 win against Samoa and an 8-0 win against the host nation (you can watch the highlights of this game here) in the group stage matches.

In the final, New Zealand faced New Caledonia again and secured a 2–0 win. This victory marked New Zealand's seventh consecutive OFC Under 16 title.

"It was an amazing feeling with all the hard work we had put in together as a team," says Luke. "It definitely felt rewarding and it was really cool with all the locals supporting us, and all the support we got back in New Zealand."

Both finalists, New Zealand and New Caledonia, along with Fiji, earned qualification for the 2026 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar. Luke's determined to work hard to secure his spot on the team so he can represent New Zealand once again on the world stage.

"The feeling of qualifying for the Under 17 World Cup is like no other I've experienced. The World Cup will definitely be a lot tougher but it would be an amazing experience versing the top players from around the world."