About SIFF
The Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) is the body that oversees football affairs in the Solomon Islands. SIFF looks after, initiates and facilitates football competitions and development programs.
SIFF is a member of the international football body FIFA and is also a member of the regional football organisation, Oceania Football Confederation (OFC). Locally SIFF is a member of the National Sports Council (NSC) and the National Olympic Committee of Solomon Islands (NOCSI). View national structure here
SIFF Vision and Mission Statement
Vision: To develop and improve continually the standard of football as the number one sport in the country by encouraging and increasing participation in our sport at all levels of our communities. To ensure that football activities incorporate social responsibilities to ‘build better communities’ whilst at the same time aspire and strive to become a competitive and successful football nation internationally that will bring hope, unity and profile for our country.
Mission Statement: To professionally administer, manage and develop football throughout the country to ensure optimum opportunities for participation in all categories whilst providing a ‘pathway’ for realization of high standards of performance in accordance with the values of the federation
History of SIFF
SIFF was formed in 1979. Originally it was called the Solomon Islands Football Association (SIFA) but this was eventually changed to the current name. From 1979 SIFF started to work towards developing a fully professional institution for managing football development and competitions in Solomon Islands.
The SIFF logo is also decorated with blue, yellow and green, the national colours of Solomon Islands.
Football itself was introduced into Solomon Islands many years prior to the formation of SIFF. Missionaries and colonial administrators are the people credited with bringing football to Solomon Islands. For some reason football continued to thrive after the missionary and colonial days unlike other sports like cricket which was also introduced by the same group of people.
The Honiara Football Association is recognised as one of the first formal oranisations formed to administer football. HFA itself was formed in 1956, a whole 23 years before SIFF was formed. Today HFA remains the strongest Provincial Football Association (PFA) of SIFF, benefitting from its position in the capital city of the country.
One of the most important moments in the history of football in Solomon Islands was when it attained membership in the world football motherbody, the Federation International of Football Associations (FIFA) in 1989. Only after being affiliated to FIFA was the Solomon Islands allowed to host and play FIFA sanctioned matches. The first of these was the iconic match of 1991 when the capital stopped to witness the first ever FIFA match to be played in the country.
In 1999, after many years of borrowing office space from other organisations SIFF opened its first own office. The same year also saw SIFF receive its first allocation of the FIFA Financial Assistance Program (FAP) grant.
In 2000, SIFF sought and recieved funding under FIFA Goal Project I. FIFA Goal Project I was used to fund the upgrade of the Lawson Tama Stadium. The project was completed in 2001. The new look and now international standard Lawson Tama was opened by former England iInternational and Manchester United President, Sir Bobby Charlton. The first match played on the refitted Lawson Tama pitch was between the Solomon Islands National Team and the Honiara All-Stars.
In 2005 SIFF began construction of the Alan Boso Complex which housed the SIFF Academy. Modelled on the Oceania Football Confederation Football Academy in Auckland, the SIFF Academy was completed and opened in late 2005. Funding for the project was provided under FIFA Goal Project II. With the construction of its very own facilities SIFF no longer had problems looking for venues to run technical programs such as coaching and refereeing courses.
Today SIFF continues to strive forward for the development of the world game. The newly introduced codes of football have also taken root and have grown in popularity among Solomon Islanders. Futsal was introduced in 1998 with the first locally held OFC Futsal coaching. Women's football was introduced in 1999 after the FIFA resolution for Member Associations to develop the code. Beach soccer was introduced in 2006 when Solomon Islands attended its first ever OFC Beach Soccer Qualifiers. The legendary team of the year qualified for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Brazil and forever solidified the place of the sport in Solomon Islands.
Member Associations Of SIFF
The member associations of SIFF are called Provincial Football Associations . The table below summarises details about the PFAs.
| Member PFA | Regions Administered | Remarks |
Honiara Football Association (HFA) |
Honiara City |
Formed in 1956, HFA is the most well established PFA of SIFF. So far HFA players have dominated almost all SIFF National Teams. It is also the only PFA with a partnership agreement for the sponsorship of its competitions. |
Malaita Football Association (MFA) |
Malaita Province: North Malaita, South Malaita, Auki, Central Malaita and Malaita Outer Islands |
MFA is responsible for football in the most populous province of Solomon Islands. Malaita also boasts the majority of players representing Solomon Islands in international competitions. MFA is the current Solomon Cup championship title holder in the 11-a-side code. |
Western Football Association (WFA) |
Western Province: Marovo, Roviana, Rendova, Kolombangara, Shortland Islands, Gizo, Simbo and Vella La Vella, New Georgia and Noro |
The WFA is tasked with adminstering football in the most geographically spread province of Solomon Islands. All the major regions are islands and all travel has to be done by boat. This often makes administering competitions difficult. |
Guadalcanal Football Association (GFA) |
Guadalcanal Province: All regions on Guadalcanal island (except for Honiara) | GFA is the fourth of the big PFAs of SIFF. GFA were runners up to Malaita in the 2009 Solomon Cup. |
Makira Ulawa Football Association (MUFA) |
Makira Province: San Cristobal, Santa Ana, Three Sister and Santa Catalina | MUFA is one of the provinces known to produce some of the top players in the country. MUFA is currently run by a SIFF appointed Normalising Committee. |
Temotu Football Association (TFA) |
Temotu:Reef Islands, Santa Cruz, Duff Islands, Utupua, Tikopia, Vanikoro, Anuta | TFA is another PFA based in a geographically sparsed province. The small islands and big spans of sea that separate make it a daunting task to run football programs. |
Isabel Football Association (IFA) |
Isabel Province: All regions on the island of Isabel | IFA manages football in the least populated islands in Solomon Islands. Lack of flat land for football pitches has resulted in IFA eyeing futsal and beach soccer as priority codes. |
Central Islands Football Associations (CIFA) |
Central Province: Savo, Florida Islands and the Russell Islands. | CIFA is based in Tulagi, the former capital of Solomon Islands. Futsal is taking hold in the Central Islands especially in Yandina. |
Renbel Football Association (RBFA) |
Rennell and Bellona Province: Rennell Island and Bellona |
RBFA is based in a the province of Solomon Islands where rugby is the most popular sport. The potential for development of women's football is high in Renbel. |
Lauru Football Association (LFA) |
Choiseul Province: All regions on the island of Choiseul |
Adminstrative Structure of SIFF
1. The SIFF Congress
The SIFF Congress is the highest authority within the structure of SIFF. PFAs are represented in the SIFF Congress by 2 members. SIFF Congress is convened once a year. The SIFF Congress is responsible for formulating the SIFF Long Term Development Plan, ammend the SIFF Constitution and most importantly to elect the SIFF Executive Committee.
The last SIFF Congress was held in Gizo, the capital of the Western Province in August, 2009.
2. The SIFF Executive Committee
The SIFF Executive Committee is the body that oversees the daily management of SIFF with respect to policies, plans and requirements set by the SIFF Congress. The Executive Committee represents the Congress in the day to day management of SIFF. Each SIFF Executive Commmittee has a term of 4 years. After these 4 years an election is held to elect new members.
The members of the current SIFF Executive Committee are:
- Martin Alufurai - President
- Robert Riqeo - Senior Vice President
- Stanley Siapu - Vice President
- Aloysio Ma'ahanoa - Treasurer
- Derrick Taka - Ordinary Member
- Lyndon Bako - Ordinary Member
- Atkin Vilaka - Ordinary Member
The current SIFF Executive Committee was voted in at the last SIFF Congress sitting in 2009.
3. The SIFF Secretariat
The SIFF Secretariat is the executing arm of the SIFF responsible for implementing the policies and plans formulated by the SIFF Congress.
The SIFF Secretariat is headed by the General Secretary.
View the structure of the SIFF Secretariat here