As the Cook Islands Football Association gears up to host the 2025 OFC Men’s Champions League Qualifying Stage, one of the visiting teams is determined to win, as they feel at home in Rarotonga.

The tournament, which kicks off tomorrow at the CIFA Complex in Matavera, will feature Cook Islands’ Tupapa Maraerenga FC, American Samoa’s Royal Puma FC and Vaipuna from Samoa.

The two visiting teams, who will be facing each other in the first match tomorrow at 3pm, arrived at Rarotonga International Airport on Wednesday.

Royal Puma FC captain Henry Milo Tiatia said they feel at home in Rarotonga because of the various similarities and the number of Samoans living there.

With this support, they have their eyes on the prize and hope to return home victorious by securing a spot in the next stage of the regional competition.

“The truth is, success is built from the bottom but in my opinion as the captain, I am confident that we can claim victory from this tournament through the strength of our boys,” Tiatia told Cook Islands News.

“The important thing for us is to listen to the coach’s game plan and put your all on the field, and we’re constantly reminded that we’re not just carrying a number but our country and our families.

“Cook Islands’ weather is the same as where we’re from so it feels like home.”

Royal Puma FC’s victory in last year’s American Samoa football league earned them a spot in the 2025 OFC Men’s Champions League Qualifying Stage.

Tiatia said the club has been preparing for this tournament since then.

He said the majority of the players have already competed in this tournament two or three times.

“I believe these are the guidelines for us. Some of the players played in the Pago club in American Samoa, who also came to Cook Islands for another tournament in 2019 and they were placed fourth in the tournament,” Tiatia added.

Royal Puma FC’s confidence is further boosted by the inclusion of some of their veteran players such as Nicky Salapu, who played for the American Samoan national team, and Va’a Otele, who played for the Samoan national team.

Tiatia urged the Samoan community to come together in support of not only them but also their brothers in Samoa.

The tournament promises to be a thrilling spectacle, as each team fights not only for regional glory but for the opportunity to represent the Pacific in the upcoming OFC Champions League Group Stage, to be held in the Solomon Islands from March 30 to April 12, 2025.

With only one spot up for grabs, every match will be crucial.  

The action kicks off on Saturday, with Royal Puma taking on Vaipuna 3pm. On Tuesday, February 11, the competition heats up as Royal Puma faces Tupapa Maraerenga FC, the local pride of the Cook Islands.

The action concludes on Friday, February 14, with a thrilling encounter between Vaipuna and Tupapa Maraerenga FC. This match could be a decisive one, determining who will claim the top spot and secure a place in the OFC Champions League Group Stage.

• Additional reporting by CIFA Media