The Futsal Whites have been confirmed to take part in the upcoming Continental Futsal Championship, taking place in Nonthaburi, Thailand, in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region, from 29 July to 3 August 2025. 

Aotearoa New Zealand have been drawn in Group A of the seven-team tournament alongside the hosts, Thailand (FIFA rank 11), and Chinese Taipei (FIFA rank 82).

They will kick off the tournament on Thursday 31 July at 1am NZT (Wednesday 30 July at 8pm local) against Chinese Taipei, before facing Thailand on Friday 1 August at 1am NZT (Thursday 31 July at 8pm local).

Group B features Belarus (FIFA rank 30), Saudi Arabia (FIFA rank 50), Australia (FIFA rank 52), and Zambia (FIFA rank 87).

The top two teams in each group will progress to the tournament semi-finals, with the third-placed teams facing off in a 5th/6th place play-off match. 

All games will be played at Nonthaburi Gymnasium Stadium, with every match streamed live on the Thailand FA YouTube channel.

The tournament marks the Futsal Whites’ return to international action following their debut at the FIFA Futsal World Cup last year in Uzbekistan.

Head Coach Marvin Eakins is looking forward to kicking off a new cycle for the team:

“It’s great to have these fixtures locked in, they’re a perfect opportunity to test ourselves against some top teams from around the world.

“Our debut FIFA Futsal World Cup campaign last year was an incredible experience, but now it’s about taking the next step and getting results on that stage.

“The focus now is on qualifying again and getting the team in a position to do that.

“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 to see what they can do at international level, while continuing to build towards qualifying for the 2028 FIFA Futsal World Cup.”

Follow NZF Futsal on social media (Facebook & Instagram) to keep up to date with the Futsal Whites’ campaign.

Match Info:

Chinese Taipei vs Futsal Whites

Continental Futsal Championship – Group A

Thursday 31 July at 1am NZT (Wednesday 30 July at 8pm local)

Nonthaburi Gymnasium Stadium, Nonthaburi, Thailand

Futsal Whites vs Thailand

Continental Futsal Championship – Group A

Friday 1 August at 1am NZT (Thursday 31 July at 8pm local)

Nonthaburi Gymnasium Stadium, Nonthaburi, Thailand

Article added: Tuesday 08 July 2025