Solomon Islands face hosts Tahiti in the final of the OFC Beach Soccer Men's Nations Cup 2026 at Aorai Tini Hau in Pirae on Saturday 31 October, with kick-off at 4pm local time.
The two sides are tied on four titles each since the first edition 20 years ago. The Oceania Football Confederation said the winner will qualify for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2027 and become the most successful nation in the history of the competition.
The nations have met in four of the previous eight finals, including each of the last three, and Tahiti have won all four — in 2011, 2019, 2023 and 2024.
Solomon Islands won each of the first four meetings between the sides and took three straight titles between 2006 and 2009. Tahiti have since won the last eight meetings and are on a 17-match unbeaten run at the tournament, dating back to a group-stage loss to Solomon Islands in 2011.
Tahiti won all three of their group matches on home sands, scoring 37 goals and conceding eight, including a 7-4 win over Solomon Islands. The Bilikiki finished with six points and a goal difference of +7 after beating New Caledonia 10-5 and Vanuatu 7-2.
Solomon Islands last won the trophy 13 years ago and have not played at a world cup since 2013. Tahiti are chasing a fourth consecutive title and qualification for a ninth FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.
Tahiti's Heirauarii Salem has scored 12 goals in three matches, including seven against Vanuatu, and is on course to retain the Golden Boot he won in 2024. He recently passed Solomon Islands head coach James Naka as the tournament's all-time leading scorer, taking his tally to 36 after scoring four against New Caledonia.
Max Fa'ari is at his fourth Nations Cup and was Solomon Islands' leading scorer with eight goals in 2023. He scored five in 2024 and one against Vanuatu in this year's group stage.
"We have worked hard and did some extra work to try to step up with our performance against Tahiti in the final," Naka said. "Tahiti beat us in the pool match. We'll bounce back, we'll give everything. This is the last game, it's the final, so we need to step up our performance in the final."
Tahiti player-coach Raimana Li Fung Kuee said his players had shown discipline across the three group matches, and that matches against Solomon Islands were always difficult and competitive, decided by pressure and by which team made the fewest mistakes.
The coaches and captains of both teams met in Papeete on 30 October ahead of the match. The final will be streamed live on the confederation's YouTube channel.