History will be made as the Avatiu women’s football side heads to the OFC Women’s Champions League in Honiara, Solomon Islands, from March 10-23, 2024, after securing their fate with a first-ever Rarotonga Round Cup win.

Yesterday, Terry Piri and Mii Piri-Savage-coached Avatiu were drawn in Pool A of the Champions League alongside host nation’s champions Henderson Eels FC, Papua New Guinea’s Hekari United FC and the Vanuatu representative team.

Fijian champions Labasa Women FC are in Group B and will face New Zealand’s Auckland United FC, Tonga’s Veitongo FC and the yet to be determined representative from New Caledonia.

Avatiu FC manager Aramoana Mataroa said their preparations for the tournament were going well.

“Our Avatiu ladies are preparing well with training sessions three times a week, morning or afternoons that consist of fitness and ball skills, with our coaching duos Terry Piri and Mii Piri-Savage,” Mataroa told Cook Islands News.

“This will be a first experience for the ladies and we are all excited to travel to represent our families, club and our country. We do have a couple of national reps in our team who have experienced the beautiful game at a national level.”

Mataroa said the team bonding between the players was growing and they were all looking forward to this tournament.

“Though we all have our different cliques, this also keeps that bond between our ladies going strong since end of season last week.”

Avatiu Football Club is also holding fundraisers to help fund the team’s trip, Mataroa said.

A Bowling Ambrose will be held on Saturday, January 27 and Mataroa is asking people to show their support by putting a team of four together.

“We would like to say a huge meitaki maata to those who have supported us so far, we are forever grateful.”

Meanwhile five teams competed in the inaugural tournament in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea last year and the growth of women’s football throughout Oceania is reflected in the tournament being expanded to eight teams for this year’s edition.

Six teams have been confirmed for the tournament with the representatives from New Caledonia and Vanuatu yet to be determined.  

The tournament format consists of two groups of four teams, with each team to play each other once in the group stage, with the two highest placed teams from each group advancing to the semi-finals.  

The winner of Group A will play the Runner-up of Group B and the winner of Group B will play the Runner-up of Group A.

The host nation’s champions Henderson Eels FC are in Group A and will play Papua New Guinea’s Hekari United FC, Avatiu FC from the Cook Islands and the Vanuatu representative team. 

Former Football Fern Maia Jackman, who helped conduct the draw said, “It’s exciting for women’s football in the region to build on the momentum created by the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ 2023, which was co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia.”