There’s only one country in the world that has never played international football, and now their small team is getting ready to host their very first home game!
Only one country in the world has never played a full 11-a-side football match since the Marshall Islands made their international debut last year. They are excited to host their very first home game in 2027.
In August 2025, the Marshall Islands, a small island nation with about 42,000 people, traveled to Arkansas, USA, to join the four-team Outrigger Challenge Cup. They got there thanks to over £20,000 raised from crowdfunding and selling team shirts. Their first game ended in a 4-0 loss against the US Virgin Islands, a team ranked 206th globally. However, Josiah Blanton and Aaron Anitok-Brokken scored the Marshall Islands’ first-ever goals in a close 3-2 loss to the Turks & Caicos Islands, who play in CONCACAF Nations League C.
A year after that first match, the Marshall Islands have officially announced they’ll play on home ground for the first time in 2027. To help make this happen, they’re selling a new home shirt for £49.99. This jersey features traditional Marshallese tattoo designs and supports the Marshall Islands Soccer Federation’s activities. Since they don’t have a local football league or government support, every bit helps.
Now that the Marshall Islands have started playing internationally, only one country remains without a men’s 11-a-side international football match: Nauru, the world’s smallest island nation. Nauru, with just 12,000 people, is better known for rugby but has a long football history. They almost played matches in 1994 and 2014 against visiting teams, but nothing official yet.
Recently, Nauru has stepped up its efforts to join international football. In 2023, Charlie Ponroy was hired to lead the project, soon joined by former Premier League striker Dave Kitson as head coach and ambassador. Kitson’s involvement brought attention to Nauru’s football dreams, especially after releasing an official team kit designed with Stingz and sponsored by Giordano and Young Pioneer Tours. The jersey’s bold look reminded many of the famous Boca Juniors shirts.
Despite that progress, Nauru still hasn’t raised enough money to play internationally. Life on the island is tough—about 70% of adults struggle with obesity, and 40% have type 2 diabetes. Many locals have turned to Aussie Rules football, with 30% playing, to stay active.
Nauru will have a big moment in 2028 when they host the Micronesian Games, a multi-sport event featuring football. This is a great chance for the island to boost its profile through sport.
As Charlie Ponroy told BBC Sport, “They want to change their image and be involved in more sports—football, Aussie Rules, rugby, basketball, cricket, weightlifting. It’s all about building a healthier Nauru. As a football lover, I want to help through football.”
One major challenge for Nauru is finding space to play. Most of the land is privately owned or hard to use. Volunteer Tyrone Deiye hopes to turn some family land into more pitches, which would be a huge step toward hosting their own international matches and growing the game on the island.