2025 MSG Prime Minister's Cup – Men's tournament

2025 MSG Prime Minister's Cup
Tournament details
Host country Papua New Guinea
CityPort Moresby
Dates11–23 November
Teams4 + 1 (from 1 confederation)
Venue2 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions Vanuatu (1st title)
Runners-up Papua New Guinea
Tournament statistics
Matches played8
Goals scored17 (2.13 per match)
Top scorer(s) Raymond Gunemba

Pala Paul
Alex Saniel

(2 Goals)
← 2024
2026 →

The 2025 MSG Prime Minister's Cup men's tournament was held from 11–23 November. Papua New Guinea hosted the competition and were the defending champions from 2024, but lost in the final against Vanuatu. For the first time, a women's tournament was held in addition to the men's tournament.[1][2]

The Host Organising committee confirmed that no MSG Prime Minister's Cup games would be played at the Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium in Lae, after the venue failed to meet FIFA standards.

New Caledonia withdrew from the competition before the first match.[3] Papua New Guinea was represented by both its senior national team, "PNG Gold", and a development team, "PNG Red".[4]

History

Papua New Guinea offered to host the 2025 edition of the Prime Minister's Cup at the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) Sport Committee Meeting in September 2022 to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the country's independence. Papua New Guinea confirmed its desire to host at the committee's meeting in December 2024.[5][6] The official host agreement was signed by the nation and MSG on 10 April 2025.[7][8] The dates for the tournament were set as 4–18 October by summer 2025. The MSG Secretariat’s Programme Manager for Sports, Bill Henry, stated at that time that the group was looking to expand the teams in the competition and that it could feature teams from other confederations, notably the Confederation of African Football (CAF).[9]

Squad

2025 MSG Prime Minister's Cup – Men's team squads

Group Stage

All times given as local time (UTC+10)

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Papua New Guinea Gold (H) 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1 3 Semifinals
2  Solomon Islands 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1 0
Source:
(H) Hosts
Papua New Guinea Gold 1–0 Solomon Islands
  • Paul 75'
 Report

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Vanuatu 2 1 1 0 3 1 +2 4 Semifinals
2  Fiji 2 1 0 1 1 2 −1 3
3  Papua New Guinea Red (H) 2 0 1 1 1 2 −1 1
Source:
(H) Hosts
Papua New Guinea Red 1–1 Vanuatu
  • Moses 73'
 Report
Papua New Guinea Red 0–1 Fiji
Report
Vanuatu 2–0 Fiji
  • K. Kaltack 50'
  • Iawak 62' (pen.)
 Report


Knockout Stage

Bracket

Semi-finalsFinal
20 November – Port Moresby
 Papua New Guinea Gold2
23 November – Port Moresby
 Fiji0
 Papua New Guinea Gold2 (4)
20 November – Port Moresby
 Vanuatu (p)2 (5)
 Vanuatu2
 Solomon Islands1
Third place play-off
22 November - Port Moresby
 Fiji1
 Solomon Islands1

Semi-finals

Papua New Guinea Gold 2–0 Fiji
 Report
Vanuatu 2–1 Solomon Islands
  • Andrew 32'
  • Loloa 40'
 Report
  • Supa 44'

Third place playoff

Fiji Abandoned (1–1) Solomon Islands
 Report

Final

Papua New Guinea Gold 2–2 Vanuatu
 Report
Penalties
4–5

References

  1. ^ Willie, Adele. "First-Ever Men's & Women's Teams to Compete in MSG PM's Cup 2025". VBTC. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  2. ^ "PNG to Host MSG Prime Minister's Cup Football Tournament in November". Papua New Guinea Today. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  3. ^ "New Caledonia withdraws from MSG Cup". National Broadcasting Corporation of Papua New Guinea. 10 November 2025. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  4. ^ Temar, Matt (18 November 2025). "FULL MATCH: Vanuatu vs Fiji – MSG Prime Minister's Cup 2025". Vanuatu Football Federation. Retrieved 23 November 2025.
  5. ^ "10th MSG Sports Committee Meeting (SCM) Agenda" (PDF). MSG Sports Committee. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  6. ^ Chand, Simran. "PNG to host next MSG Prime Minister's cup". Fiji Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  7. ^ "PAPUA NEW GUINEA TO HOST 4th MSG PRIME MINISTER'S CUP TOURNAMENT". Vanuatu Ministry of Justice, Youth, and Community Services. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  8. ^ Toara, Ezra. "Agreement signed for PNG to host MSG PM Cup". Vanuatu Daily Post. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  9. ^ "Football fever builds as Fiji confirms teams for MSG Prime Minister's Cup in PNG". Vanua Daily Post. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
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