Tuvalu A-Division Explained

Tuvalu A-Division
Pixels:250px
Country:Tuvalu
Confed:OFC
Founded:1980
Teams:8
Levels:1
Domest Cup:NBT Cup
Independence Cup
Christmas Cup
Tuvalu Games
Champions:Nauti FC
Season:2023
Most Champs:Nauti FC (26)
Current:2023 Tuvalu A-Division

The Tuvalu A-Division or The National Provident Fund Championship League (NPF) is the top football division in Tuvalu. The league is organised by the Tuvalu National Football Association. Eight of the nine islands in Tuvalu are represented in the league. Niulakita is the only island that has no football club. Matches are held at the 1,500-capacity Tuvalu Sports Ground in Funafuti,[1] the only football field on the main island.[2]

The league was founded in 2001. There is also the Tuvalu B-Division which is composed of reserve squads from each of the A-Division teams as well as several other teams.[3]

A C-Division has also featured occasionally though have only competed in secondary leagues or knockout competitions such as the NBT cup or MEYS (Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports) Cup and mostly featured B and C teams of A-Division sides.[4] [5] [6]

The major titles in Tuvalu are the Independence Cup (held to recognise the independence of Tuvalu), the NBT Cup (sponsored by The National Bank of Tuvalu), the Christmas Cup, and the football competition at the Tuvalu Games.[7]

Taganoa Cup

Teams in the A-division also compete for the Taganoa Cup. No separate matches are played for this trophy. Instead teams compete concurrently for the trophy during their league matches. For a team to take ownership of the cup, they must defeat the present holders during a league game. They then become the defending holders until they lose a league match themselves. Whichever team is in possession of the trophy at the end of the season is crowned champions. The first Taganoa Cup competition was held in 2021 and was won by FC Tofaga.

Clubs

As well as having squads in the Tuvalu B-Division, many A-Division teams also have a women's team which plays in the A-Division Women's League and other competitions.[8] In 2019, FC Tofaga and Nauti FC entered an 'A1 and 'A2' team into the A-Division league.[9] Nauti did this again in 2020.[10]

Club Island
Nanumea
Nanumaga
Funafuti
Vaitupu
NuiNui

Previous winners

Tuvalu League Tournament
YearWinnerIsland
1980 Nauti FCFunafuti
1981 Nauti FCFunafuti
1982 Nauti FCFunafuti
1983 Nauti FCFunafuti
1984 Nauti FCFunafuti
1985 Nauti FCFunafuti
1986 Nauti FCFunafuti
1987 Nauti FCFunafuti
1988 Nauti FCFunafuti
1989 Nauti FCFunafuti
1990 Nauti FCFunafuti
1991–1997 not held
1998 Unknown
1999
2000
Tuvalu A-Division
YearWinnerIsland
FC NiutaoNiutao
FC NiutaoNiutao
FC NiutaoNiutao
Lakena UnitedNanumea
Nauti FCFunafuti
Lakena UnitedNanumea
Nauti FCFunafuti
Nauti FCFunafuti
Nauti FCFunafuti
Nauti FCFunafuti
Nauti FCFunafuti
Nauti FCFunafuti
2013Nauti FCFunafuti
Nauti FCFunafuti
Nauti FCFunafuti
Nauti FCFunafuti
FC Manu LaevaNukulaelae
FC Manu LaevaNukulaelae
Nauti FCFunafuti
Nauti FCFunafuti
F.C. TofagaVaitupu
Nauti FCFunafuti
Nauti FCFunafuti

Number of wins

WinsClubWinning Year(s)
26Nauti FC2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023
3FC Niutao2001, 2002, 2003
2Lakena United2004, 2006
2FC Manu Laeva2017
1F.C. Tofaga2021
Source[11]

Goalscorer statistics

Top goalscorers

Pos.PlayerGoals
1 James Lepaio30
2 Alopua Petoa19

Top goalscorers by season

SeasonPlayerTeamGoals
2011 StarzleManu Laeva6
Siopepa TailoloLakena United
Lutelu TiuteTofaga
2012 Alopua PetoaTofaga10
2013 Mase TumuaNauti4
2019 James LepaioTofaga15
2020Hosea SenteNauti8
2021 Alopua PetoaTofaga5
James Lepaio

Multiple hat-tricks

Key
(4)Player scored 4 goals
(5)Player scored 5 goals
(6)Player scored 6 goals
Note: The source of the following information (rsssf.com) does not state goalscorers in some seasons. Therefore, this list is almost certainly not exhaustive.
PlayerForAgainstScoreDateRef.
Matakai Alesana(4)TofagaNui4–14 February 2012
Alopua Petoa(4)TofagaLakena United6–03 March 2012
Alopua Petoa(6)TofagaNiutao7–117 March 2012
TupouManu LaevaNauti A24-120 April 2019
Meauma Petaia(4)TamanukuNiutao5-3
EliataLakena UnitedTofaga A21-13
Alopua Petoa(4)TofagaNui0–249 May 2020
Eric Tealofi
Sueni Founuku(4)
James Lepaio(5)
Fata Filemoni
Katepu Iosua
Felo FeotoTamanukuNanumaga2–616 May 2020
Nathan JoshNautiNui FC10–016 May 2020
Hosea Sente(4)
Alopua Petoa(5)TofagaNiutao16-03 April 2021
James Lepaio(5)

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 9 December 2021 . Tuvalu - Stadiums . 29 October 2023 . Prepared and maintained by Carlos Santos for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation .
  2. Web site: Passion and commitment drive football in tiny Tuvalu . 2024-03-07 . www.fifa.com . en.
  3. Web site: 2020-05-18 . Football in Tuvalu . 2024-03-07 . Young Pioneer Tours . en.
  4. Web site: Tuvalu 2021 . 2024-03-07 . www.rsssf.org.
  5. Web site: Tuvalu 2022 . 2024-03-07 . www.rsssf.org.
  6. Web site: Tuvalu 2023 . 2024-03-07 . www.rsssf.org.
  7. Web site: Tuvalu - List of Cup Winners. Prepared and maintained by Carlos Santos for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 14 October 2023. 29 October 2023.
  8. Web site: Tuvalu - List of Women Cup Winners . 2024-03-07 . www.rsssf.org.
  9. Web site: Tuvalu 2019 . 2024-03-07 . www.rsssf.org.
  10. Web site: Tuvalu 2020 . 2024-03-07 . www.rsssf.org.
  11. Web site: Tuvalu - List of Champions . 2024-03-07 . www.rsssf.org.