Kiribati national football team
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|
| Association | Kiribati Islands Football Association |
|---|---|
| Confederation | ConIFA & OFC |
| Most caps | Nabaruru Batiri (8) |
| Top scorer | Lawrence Nemeia (2) |
| Home stadium | Bairiki National Stadium |
| Elo ranking | |
| Current | 231 (15 June 2016) |
| First international | |
 Papua New Guinea 13–0 Kiribati  (Suva, Fiji; 22 August 1979) |
|
| Biggest win | |
| None | |
| Biggest defeat | |
 Fiji 24–0 Kiribati (Suva, Fiji; 24 August 1979) |
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The Kiribati national football team is the national football team of Kiribati and is controlled by the Kiribati Islands Football Association. Kiribati is not a member of FIFA but is an associate member of the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), and is therefore not eligible to enter the FIFA World Cup but may enter the OFC Nations Cup. It became a provisional member of the N.F.-Board on 10 December 2005.
As of April 2012, Kiribati has played only ten games in its history, all at the South Pacific Games, two in 1979, four in 2003, and four in 2011. The biggest win for Fiji was against Kiribati, 24–0. Kiribati have yet to win an international match, and have never played at home, not least because there is no adequate playing ground suitable for an international match. Bairiki National Stadium is a sand pitch rather than a grass field. In ten games, Kiribati has scored four goals and conceded 122.
In 2012, Scotsman Kevin McGreskin became the team's coach, with the aim of improving its results and obtaining recognition from FIFA.
On April 10, 2015, Jake Kewley was officially appointed as the Manager and Ambassador for the Kiribati Islands National Football Team with the remit of liaising with the relevant footballing bodies to advance Kiribati's prior membership applications, with a FIFA application being drafted, finalised and submitted later that year.
On May 6, 2016, Kiribati was formally accepted as the newest member of ConIFA (Confederation of Independent Football Associations), becoming the first ever Oceanic member to join the federation. Kiribati hosted an official visit from ConIFA the following November (2016) for the national football competition in Tarawa - Taiwan Sport Tournament - with ConIFA documenting the tournament whist in the Country.
Kiribati have only ever played 10 International matches up to 28 June 2012. Kiribati's first match took place in Fiji on 22 August 1979 when they played Papua New Guinea, losing 13–0 in a South Pacific Games match. The side have never won a match but came very close when they lost 3–2 to fellow minnows Tuvalu on 30 June 2003 in Pool A of the South Pacific Games in Fiji. Kiribati's only 2 goals in the 2011 Pacific games were scored by Karotu Bakaane versus Papua New Guinea and Erene Bakineti versus Tahiti, but in the 2003 competition both goals against Tuvalu came from Lawrence Nemeia on 26 minutes and 46 minutes.
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