20 Sep 2007

Fiji is FIFA's top side in Oceania

10:28 am on 20 September 2007

Fiji is Oceania's top football side.

In the wake of the recent South Pacific Games, where the football competition doubled as a preliminary FIFA World Cup qualifier, beaten finalist, Fiji ,has moved up 51 places to be ranked 119 in the world.

The latest FIFA rankings has the Solomon Islands,a shock omission from the upcoming stage one Oceania World cup qualifying, two places back, up 40 placings.

Gold medal winner in Samoa, New Caledonia, is ranked at 124.

Vanuatu, who upset the Solomon Islands for bronze and a spot in the next round of World Cup qualifying, has moved up 34 places to be ranked 133 with Samoa 147.

New Zealand, which will start its World Cup qualifying next month against Vanuatu, has been displaced as Oceania's best team, dropping 7 points to be ranked 156