North Wellington FC is proud to celebrate a special milestone for one of our own, as Men’s First Team player Phil Fatialofa has earned selection to the Futsal Whites squad for the upcoming Continental Futsal Championship in Thailand.

The tournament, held from 29 July to 3 August 2025 in Nonthaburi, just north of Bangkok, sees the Futsal Whites drawn in Group A alongside hosts Thailand (FIFA rank 11) and Chinese Taipei (FIFA rank 82). It marks New Zealand’s return to international futsal following their debut appearance at the FIFA Futsal World Cup last year in Uzbekistan.

The Futsal Whites will open their campaign against Chinese Taipei on Thursday 31 July at 1am NZT (Wednesday 30 July at 8pm local time), before taking on hosts Thailand on Friday 1 August at 1am NZT (Thursday 31 July at 8pm local).

All matches will be played at the Nonthaburi Gymnasium Stadium and streamed live on the Thailand FA YouTube channel, allowing fans back home to cheer on Phil and the team as they chase a place in the knockout stages.

Head Coach Marvin Eakins spoke of the importance of this tournament as the Futsal Whites begin building toward qualification for the 2028 FIFA Futsal World Cup:

“This is the start of a new cycle, and these matches are a great chance to broaden our squad by giving some fresh faces an opportunity,” Eakins said.“It’s a perfect opportunity to test ourselves against top teams from around the world.”

Phil’s call-up is a testament to his hard work and versatility on the court and pitch alike, and reflects the growing calibre of talent within our club environment. We’re thrilled to see him earn this opportunity on the international stage, and know the entire North Wellington FC community will be behind him every step of the way.

Phil now joins a proud legacy of North Wellington players who have worn the fern. Check out our full list of club internationals on our Club History page.

Match Info:

Thursday 31 July – 1:00am NZT Futsal Whites vs Chinese Taipei📍 Nonthaburi Gymnasium Stadium

Friday 1 August – 1:00am NZT Futsal Whites vs Thailand📍 Nonthaburi Gymnasium Stadium

Article added: Tuesday 15 July 2025