The Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) and Australian Government today announced that Brisbane Roar’s Isuzu UTE A-League men’s squad will travel to Honiara to take part in the inaugural PacificAus Sports Challenge from 1 October to 5 October.
The trip, delivered in collaboration with SIFF, the Australian Government, Football Australia, and Brisbane Roar, and co-funded by SIFF and the Australian Government, will see the men’s squad engage in a number of community activities, as well as face off against the Solomon Islands senior national team at the National Stadium in Honiara.
The historic match against Solomon Islands’ senior national team will be played at the National Stadium on Saturday October 4, with kick-off set for 6pm.
Tickets will be priced at $5 SBD for children and $10 SBD for adults and will be available to purchase from:
- Lawson Tama Stadium (on regular match days)
- Honiara City Council
- Solomon Islands Football Federation
The match will also be broadcast live on Brisbane Roar’s YouTube channel.
The community activities will see the travelling squad interact with White River Community High School students as well as time spent with the Men’s S-League at Lawson Tama Stadium and SIFF Youth Leagues at the National Academy.
Here, the playing group will hold skills sessions with students and players along with holding motivational talks to inspire the next generation in attendance.
Furthermore, throughout the trip, the SIFF coaching staff will be immersed amongst the Brisbane Roar football department, allowing them to gain valuable experience and skills that can be transferred into their day-to-day roles.
Speaking on Brisbane Roar attending the PacificAus Sports Challenge, Brisbane Roar’s Chief Operations Officer, Zac Anderson said “as a football club, we are honoured to be invited to the PacficAus Sports Challenge.
“Solomon Islands is country who live and breathe the world game and to be able to engage with both them and the Australian High Commission in Honiara is a privilege.
“We look forward to what will be an incredible trip for our playing squad who will no doubt play in front of a passionate set of fans at the National Stadium which will continue to aid our preparations ahead of the new season.
“Lastly, we thank the Australian Government, SIFF and Football Australia for their support in making this trip possible.”
Solomon Islands national team head coach, Joshua Smith said “the partnership between the Solomon Islands Football Federation, Brisbane Roar and the Australian Government represents an important step forward for our game.
“It provides our national team players with the challenge of competing against professional opposition while also strengthening ties that will create valuable pathways and opportunities for future generations of Solomon Islands footballers.”
Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands, His Excellency Rod Hilton said “we are excited to partner with the Solomon Islands Football Federation to welcome an Isuzu UTE A-League team to Solomon Islands for this historic visit.”
“Through our PacificAus Sports program, Australia has made a four- year SBD18.4 million (AUD3.5 million) investment to support the development of football throughout the Pacific, strengthening high performance pathways for Pacific athletes, providing increased opportunities for teams to train and compete at the highest levels, and for our nations to come together through a shared love of sport,” High Commissioner Hilton said.
Football Australia Interim CEO, Heather Garriock said “Football Australia is proud to be supporting the PacificAus Sports Challenge between the Solomon Islands National Team and Brisbane Roar FC this October.
“Australia’s relationship with Solomon Islands is crucial and this tour is another step forward in establishing football as a key feature of the partnership between both countries.
“This will be the fifth occasion, since 2022, where an Australian team has played a Solomon Islands national team, and the third time an Australia team has toured the Solomon Islands since 2024.
“Football continues to be the conduit between Australia to the greater region, and through our partnership with the Australian Government we will continue to support the development of Pacific football through footballing initiatives and capacity-building projects such as these.”