Football excitement returns to the National Stadium on Tuesday night as the Australian Men’s National U17 team, the CommBank Joeys, face the Solomon Islands National U-19 side in a highly anticipated international friendly, kicking off at 6pm.
The match is the first of a two-game series, with the second encounter scheduled for Saturday, 24 January.
The fixtures form part of the 2026 PacificAus Sports Football Tour, which sees the young Joeys play three friendly matches against Fiji’s National U-19 team and two matches against the Solomon Islands U-19s.
The Joeys arrived in Honiara full of confidence after recording a 2–0 win over Fiji on Saturday, while the Solomon Islands U-19 side will be eager to put on a strong performance in front of their home supporters.
The fixtures also mark the return of the CommBank Joeys to the Happy Isles, having last visited in 2024. On that occasion, the Solomon Islands U-19s recorded a memorable 2–1 victory in the opening match before Australia responded with a dominant 4–0 win in the second encounter.
Speaking to the media during a pre-match press conference on Monday, Joeys head coach Carl Veart said his side is looking forward to the challenge ahead.
“Yeah, looking forward to it. The boys put in a good performance in the first game against Fiji, so we’re looking forward to the different challenges now that we’re going to have from Solomon Islands.
“I know the last time the team was here they had two really tough games and some good games as well, so I’m looking forward to it.”
Veart is also no stranger to Solomon Islands football, having made his debut for the Socceroos in Honiara against Solomon Islands in 1992.
“They’ll be really passionate and they play with their hearts. I remember I made my debut for our national team here a long, long time ago. The crowd noise that day was very loud,” Veart recalled.
For Solomon Islands National U-19 coach Franco Ne’e, Tuesday night’s match will be his first since taking over the squad earlier this month, and the first competitive outing for the team under his leadership.
“I think we’ve got a team to compete, and with the support from the home crowd, I am confident that we will match the strength of the young Joeys side,” Ne’e said.
Ne’e also highlighted the importance of the match for his players.
“This is a great experience for the players. Playing against the Joeys will be a big boost for them.
“Some of them have never played on a big stage and have only played in the Solomon Cup and the U-18 leagues, so we are really looking forward to the match,” he said.
Meanwhile, tickets are available at the SIFF Headquarters and at the National Stadium on match day, priced at $5 for kids and $10 for adults.
Kick-off is at 6pm at the National Stadium, with football fans encouraged to come early and support the future stars of the game.
The tour is delivered in partnership with the Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF), Football Australia and the Australian Government.
By TIMOTHY INIFIRI JNR
Solomon Star, Honiara
Photo caption: Team captains Lawrence Samo (Solomon Islands) and Miles Milliner (Australia) during the pre-match photo shoot. Photo Credit: PacificAus Sports
