Papua New Guinea national soccer team

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Papua New Guinea women's national soccer team.

Papua New Guinea
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Kapuls (Cuscus)
AssociationPapua New Guinea Football Association
ConfederationOFC (Oceania)
Head coachWarren Moon
CaptainRonald Warisan
Most capsEmmanuel Simon (36)
Top scorerRaymond Gunemba, Reggie Davani (13)
Home stadiumHubert Murray Stadium
FIFA codePNG
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 168 Decrease 3 (18 July 2024)[1]
Highest153 (June 2017)
Lowest206 (October–November 2015)
First international
 Fiji 3–1 Papua and New Guinea
(Suva, Fiji; 29 August 1963)[2]
Biggest win
 Papua New Guinea 20–0 American Samoa 
(Nouméa, New Caledonia; 15 December 1987)
Biggest defeat
 Malaysia 10–0 Papua New Guinea 
(Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia; 20 June 2023)
OFC Nations Cup
Appearances5 (first in 1980)
Best resultRunners-up (2016)
Medal record
Pacific Games
Bronze medal – third place 1969 Port Moresby Team
Bronze medal – third place 1987 Nouméa Team
Bronze medal – third place 2015 Port Moresby Team

The Papua New Guinea national soccer team is the men's national soccer team of Papua New Guinea and is controlled by the Papua New Guinea Football Association. Its nickname is the Kapuls,[4][5] which is Tok Pisin for Cuscus.

Papua New Guinea's highest ever FIFA ranking was 153, in June 2017. As of April 2024, the country was ranked 166 out of 211 countries. This was a drop of 1 place from February 2024.[6] Papua New Guinea had previously left the FIFA rankings, having not competed in a match between July 2007 and August 2011. Their matches at the 2015 Pacific Games saw them return to the rankings, and they competed in the 2016 OFC Nations Cup in June 2016; they reached the final, but lost to New Zealand 4–2 on penalties after the score was tied at 0–0 after extra time.

  1. ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking". FIFA. 18 July 2024. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Papua New Guinea International Matches". Archived from the original on 29 September 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  3. ^ Elo rankings change compared to one year ago. "World Football Elo Ratings". eloratings.net. 6 September 2024. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
  4. ^ "Strikers To Play Papua New Guinea". Steve Pitman, Brisbane Strikers. 30 May 2011. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  5. ^ "Farina's PNG aiming to defy odds". Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). 18 May 2012. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
  6. ^ FIFA/Coca-Cola-World-Rankings, FIFA/Coca-Cola-World-Rankings. "FIFA/Coca-Cola-World-Rankings". Men's Ranking. Retrieved 23 April 2024.