| Founded | 1980 |
|---|---|
| Country | Tuvalu |
| Confederation | OFC |
| Number of teams | 8 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Domestic cup(s) | NBT Cup Independence Cup Christmas Cup Tuvalu Games |
| Current champions | Nauti FC (2023) |
| Most championships | Nauti FC (26) |
| Current: 2023 Tuvalu A-Division | |
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 competition. Niulakita is the only island that has no football club. Some clubs have two teams competing. The competition takes place at the 1,500-capacity Tuvalu Sports Ground[1] in Funafuti, this is the only football field in Tuvalu. The football clubs are based on the communities of the 8 major islands of Tuvalu, with the rivalry between these 8 teams being maintained by each having a ‘home’ island.
The Tuvalu A-division has no relegation rule. The B-Division is the competition for the B teams of each club. The same applies for the C-Division. The competition was founded in 2001.
The major titles in Tuvalu are the Independence Cup (held to recognise the independence of Tuvalu), the NBT Cup, the Christmas Cup, and the football competition at the Tuvalu Games.[2]
Taganoa Cup
Within the Tuvalu A-division competition is another tournament; the Taganoa Cup. It was a gift of Nauti FC from Auckland, New Zealand and started in 2006. The winner defend in every game it is playing the Cup, until they lose it, where the winning team on their turn have to defend it, and this goes on until the end of the NPF League Tournament. The team then holding the Cup at that moment, won't earn a prize, but is carrier of this prestigious title, and will defend it the next year.
Clubs (2021)
Tofaga were the champions in 2021.
| Club | Island |
|---|---|
| Lakena United | Nanumea |
| Manu Laeva | Nukulaelae |
| Ha'apai United | Nanumanga |
| Nauti | Funafuti |
| Tamanuku | Nukufetau |
| Tofaga | Vaitupu |
| Vaoloa | Nui |
| Niutao | Niutao |
Previous winners
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Source[5]
By numbers of wins
| Wins | Club | Winning Years |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | Nauti FC | 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2000, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023 |
| 3 | FC Niutao | 2001, 2002, 2003 |
| 2 | Lakena United | 2004, 2006 |
| 2 | FC Manu Laeva | 2017 |
| 1 | F.C. Tofaga | 2021 |
| 1 |  Tuvalu national football team |
2018 |
Goalscorers statistics
All top goalscorers
| Pos. | Player | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Lepaio |
30 |
| 2 | Alopua Petoa |
19 |
Top goalscorers by season
| Season | Player | Team | Goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Starzle | Manu Laeva | 6 |
| Siopepa Tailolo | Lakena United | ||
| Lutelu Tiote | Tofaga | ||
| 2012 | Alopua Petoa |
Tofaga | 10 |
| 2013 | Mase Tumua | Nauti A | 4 |
| 2019 | James Lepaio |
Tofaga | 15 |
| 2020 | Hosea Sente | Nauti A1 | 8 |
| 2021 | Alopua Petoa |
Tofaga | 5 |
| James Lepaio | |||
Hat-tricks
| Player | For | Against | Score | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matakai Alesana4 | Tofaga | Nui A | 4–1 | 4 February 2012 |
| Alopua Petoa4 | Tofaga | Lakena United | 6–0 | 3 March 2012 |
| Alopua Petoa6 | Tofaga | Niutoa | 7–1 | 17 March 2012 |
| Alopua Petoa[6][7] | Tofaga | Vaoloa | 0–24 | 9 May 2020 |
| Eric Tealofi[6] | Tofaga | Vaoloa | 0–24 | 9 May 2020 |
| Sueni Founuku[6] | Tofaga | Vaoloa | 0–24 | 9 May 2020 |
| James Lepaio[6] | Tofaga | Vaoloa | 0–24 | 9 May 2020 |
| Fata Filemoni[6] | Tofaga | Vaoloa | 0–24 | 9 May 2020 |
| Katepu Iosua[6] | Tofaga | Vaoloa | 0–24 | 9 May 2020 |
| Felo Feoto[6] | Tamanuku | Ha'apai United | 2–6 | 16 May 2020 |
| Nathan Josh[6] | Nauti | Vaoloa | 10–0 | 16 May 2020 |
| Hosea Sente[6] | Nauti | Vaoloa | 10–0 | 16 May 2020 |
| Alopua Petoa5 | Tofaga | Niutao | 16-0 | 3 April 2021 |
| James Lepaio5 | ||||
External links
References
- ↑ "Tuvalu - Stadiums". Prepared and maintained by Carlos Santos for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
- ↑ "Tuvalu - List of Cup Winners". Prepared and maintained by Carlos Santos for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 14 October 2023. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
- ↑ "Tuvalu 2012 – A Division (Men)". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 16 April 2013.
- ↑ "Tuvalu 2013 – A Division (Men)". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 31 August 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
- ↑ Schoggl, Hans (22 Apr 2021). "Tuvalu– List of Champions; Division A (Men)". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 8 Apr 2022.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Tuvalu 2020". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. 5 August 2021. Retrieved 8 Apr 2022.
- ↑ "Tuvalu - List of Cup Winners". Prepared and maintained by Carlos Santos for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved 8 November 2023.