New Zealand’s Futsal Whites will play off for seventh place at the CFA International Futsal Tournament in China after losing 5-4 to United Arab Emirates.
The Futsal Whites trailed 4-2 at half-time of the match, which decided which teams would progress to the tournament semi-finals, and to the play-off games to decide final placings at the eight-nation event.
New Zealand will meet Cambodia in the decider for seventh place, having beaten them 5-2 in their group game.
The tournament final will be played between Indonesia and Denmark.
Results
Games played on Tuesday September 9, 2025
Play-offs
New Zealand 4 (Thomas Piken 2, Phil Fatialofa, Stephen Ashby-Peckham)
United Arab Emirates 5
China PR 8
Cambodia 1
Semi-finals
Indonesia 3
South Korea 0
Denmark 1
Myanmar 0
CFA International Futsal Tournament
The tournament is being staged at the Shijiazhuang College Sports Venue in Shijiazhuang, China.
New Zealand (FIFA world ranking #40) were drawn in Group B with Myanmar (#56), Cambodia (#126), and Indonesia (#23).
Group A featured the hosts China PR (#85), Korea Republic (#73), United Arab Emirates (#103) and Denmark (#72).
Group placings determined semi-final fixtures, with the semi-final results determining their final play-off matches (1st v 2nd, 3rd v 4th and so on).
Fixtures
Games to be played on Thursday September 11, 2025
Play-off for 7th
New Zealand v Cambodia
Shijiazhuang College Sports Venue, Shijiazhuang, China, 2.30pm (NZT)
Play-off for 5th
United Arab Emirates v China PR
Shijiazhuang College Sports Venue, Shijiazhuang, China, 5.30pm (NZT)
Play-off for 3rd
South Korea v Myanmar
Shijiazhuang College Sports Venue, Shijiazhuang, China, 8.30pm (NZT)
Final
Indonesia v Denmark
Shijiazhuang College Sports Venue, Shijiazhuang, China, 11.30pm (NZT)
New Zealand squad
Here are the Futsal Whites for the CFA International Futsal Tournament in China:
Rahan Ali – Moreland Blues Futsal, Australia
Stephen Ashby-Peckham – Auckland City, New Zealand
Ben Cameron – Canterbury United Dragons, New Zealand
Jordi Ditfort – Unattached
Philip Fatialofa – Capital Futsal. New Zealand
*Corbin Fell – River City Futsal, Australia
Michael Gealogo – Capital Futsal, New Zealand
Hamish Grey – Zambu CFS Pinatar, Spain
Ethan Martin – ZVV Kroeven, Netherlands
Thomas Picken – Black Shorts Futsal Club, Japan
Casey Sharplin – Waikato Rapids, New Zealand
Patrick Steele – Waikato Rapids, New Zealand
*Cooper Wink – Southern United, New Zealand
Logan Wisnewski – Unattached
*Indicates first Futsal Whites call-up
This story was first published on September 10, 2025.
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