Solomon Islands Women’s National Football Team head coach Daniel Barrett says the 2025 MSG Prime Ministers Cup has provided invaluable preparation for next year’s OFC Women’s World Cup qualifiers in Honiara, despite his side’s 5–0 semi-final defeat to Papua New Guinea (PNG) on Thursday.
Solomon Islands is set to host Group A matches of next year’s qualifiers which will kick-off in February.
Barrett, who has been in charge of the national squad only since October, said the tournament offered the perfect opportunity to understand his players and identify what the team needs in order to compete on home soil during the 2026 qualifiers.
“Yeah, look, I’ve learned a lot about my team. I’ve only been with them for about four weeks,” Barrett said after the match.
“With World Cup qualifiers on the horizon, it was important I was here to take part in this competition and yeah, I’ve learned what we need to do when we get back in order to prepare.”
He said the tournament setting provided crucial insight he would not have gained in training alone.
“One thing that’s super important is that I know the girls a lot better, which is, you know, the first and foremost, most important thing.
“I also know what I need in and around the squad in order to take the team further. And I wouldn’t have learned that if we didn’t take part in this competition this week.”
Despite the heavy loss, Barrett praised the MSG Prime Ministers Cup as both a cultural and sporting success.
“Yeah, good privilege, honoured to be involved in the competition. I think culturally it’s fantastic,” he said.
Barrett added that meaningful match experience remains vital for Melanesian teams as they prepare for major international competitions.
“An opportunity to play football games before World Cup qualifiers is so important to these Melanesian nations. And like I said, I’ve learned a lot out of this tournament.
“I got a lot of information on my team that I wouldn’t have had if this tournament wasn’t on.”
The 2025 MSG Prime Ministers Cup competition is not over for Barrett and his side as they will now turn their attention to Sunday’s third-place playoff and hoping to finish on a high note.
By TIMOTHY INIFIRI JNR
Solomon Star, Honiara
