The Solomon Islands National U16 men’s futsal team, Junior Kurukuru will kick off their 2026 FA National Futsal Championship campaign today – Tuesday 13th January in Gold Coast, Australia.
The side will face Football West U16 in their opening match this morning at 9:30am at the Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre, with head coach Stanley Puairana saying his side will take the tournament one game at a time.
“The boys have settled in very well since we arrived and are fully focused on our first game,” Puairana told Star Sports.
The squad, made up of 10 players and three officials, departed the country on Sunday following months of intensive preparation.
“Every team in the competition has the aim of going all the way, so for us to achieve that goal we must take one game at a time and always remain positive,” he said.
Puairana also highlighted the importance of the championship in helping the young players gain valuable futsal knowledge and experience at a high level.
However, he acknowledged several challenges during the team’s buildup, including the late withdrawal of two players who were unable to travel due to personal reasons.
“Another challenge we faced during our preparations was the lack of training for nearly a week during the festive season due to the unavailability of venues. As a result, we pushed hard in our final week of preparation before travelling,” he added.
Following today’s opener, the Junior Kurukuru will take on Football NSW Thunder U16 on Wednesday before closing their group fixtures against Queensland’s Football QLD U16 on Thursday.
“To our families and futsal supporters back home, please keep us in your prayers and continue supporting our future futsal generation. To the Solomon Islands community here in Brisbane, please come out and cheer for the team, your support will really boost the morale of these young players,” Puairana said.
The championship features various age groups from across Australia and is being held at the Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre and Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium from Tuesday, January 13 to Saturday, January 17, 2026.
By TIMOTHY INIFIRI JNR
Solomon Star, Honiara
