GIBRALTAR — Germain Haewegene sports a playful, eager smile as he reflects on his recent achievement. The forward from New Caledonia has just netted the second goal in his team’s 2-0 friendly victory over Gibraltar, yet he’s aware that a long night awaits. A bus will whisk him and his domestic teammates away at 2:30 a.m. for a staggering 30-hour, 12,000-mile return journey, just 72 hours after their previous trip in the other direction for the October 8 friendly.
Standing outside the visitors’ locker room at Gibraltar’s Europa Point Stadium, Haewegene holds a simple apple in hand— eschewing the usual protein shakes or rehydration gels. He is eager to discuss his goal, the pride of representing his South Pacific nation, and why he views the exhausting trek back to the French-controlled archipelago as a small price to pay.
“Playing football is a joy, and scoring a goal is an even greater joy, which I dedicate to my son and my wife,” Haewegene shared with ESPN. “I feel immense pride for my country and my teammates, who worked hard to win this match.”
“We might not have a lot of time before we head home, but we will pack our bags and get to the airport early. It’s no issue. This is the first time New Caledonia has played in Europe, and we won, so we are truly delighted. We’re not concerned about the journey.”
New Caledonia’s significant journey is just beginning, with the ultimate destination—remarkably—potentially the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Known as “Les Cagous” after the indigenous flightless bird endemic to their island nation, New Caledonia secured their path to next March’s FIFA interconfederation playoffs by reaching the Oceania qualification finals, despite a 3-0 defeat to New Zealand earlier this year. However, their semifinal victory against Tahiti had already secured their spot in the playoffs.
“It is always special to beat Tahiti,” midfielder Jekob Jeno remarked. “They are our major rivals.”
Tahiti and New Caledonia are separated by 2,900 miles of ocean, making it one of the longest “local” rivalries in sports. However, while New Zealand clinched Oceania’s only direct World Cup spot, New Caledonia now looks forward to their upcoming interconfederation playoff matches in Guadalajara and Monterrey, knowing they need just two wins to reach the World Cup.
This team primarily includes part-timers from New Caledonia’s 10-team Super Ligue, with several players competing no higher than the fifth tier of French football. Only Jeno, who joined Unirea Slobozia in Romania this summer, plays for a top-level team beyond Oceania. Bolivia has also qualified for the playoffs, which will also feature two Concacaf nations and one each from Asia and Africa. Ranking 150th by FIFA, New Caledonia is fully aware of the uphill battle they face to become the smallest nation to qualify for the World Cup, surpassing Iceland.
“The challenge is significant,” coach Johann Sidaner told ESPN. “We may have only a 1% chance of qualifying for the World Cup. But we will give 100% to achieve it.”
While their dream of World Cup qualification has been years in the making, New Caledonia is relatively new to international football, having joined FIFA in 2004 after receiving permission from the French Football Federation in 2000. As one of France‘s Overseas Territories, its citizens hold French nationality and are eligible to vote in French presidential elections. Despite the great distance, the close ties to France help explain why nearly half of Sidaner’s team plays in the country—and why the 48-year-old left his position at Nantes to become New Caledonia’s coach in 2022.
“It was an easy choice for me,” Sidaner said. “The culture is welcoming, friendly, and they love football. Managing this team is a joy.”
AS Magenta, the reigning champions of the New Caledonia Super Ligue, will participate in this season’s Coupe de France and has already received a home draw in the seventh round in November—this is the same round that teams from Ligue 2 enter, making for an epic road trip for fans of Saint-Etienne, Nancy, or Montpellier.
Nonetheless, the connection to France can present challenges. When Gibraltar announced the friendly against New Caledonia last month, the flags of both nations were displayed side by side on the Gibraltar FA website, resulting in a diplomatic incident.
“UEFA asked us to change the flag [and add France] within 20 minutes of the story being published due to a complaint from New Caledonia,” a Gibraltar source told ESPN. “The New Caledonia flag can only be flown alongside the French tricolor, which led to a quick update!”
The sensitivity surrounding the flags also resulted in Gibraltar needing to purchase a new flagpole for the match to accommodate both the French and New Caledonian flags, with strict instructions that the French flag must take precedence. It wasn’t until 2008 that France authorized the football team to use its own anthem, rather than La Marseillaise, which remains New Caledonia’s official anthem. Thus, amid the backdrop of French oversight, New Caledonia’s footballers are literally and figuratively making their presence known.
“Perhaps we can represent New Caledonia through our football,” midfielder Jeno stated. “Our football may not be professional, but it’s still football, and we’re gradually evolving.”
“We understand how important this team is to the people of New Caledonia. We are their passion, and our improvement benefits everyone. I’m lucky to have a career in Europe with a good contract in Romania, but back home, the players have typical jobs, like working in supermarkets, and they train at night.”
“They have to take time off from their families and jobs to come to Gibraltar, but we all do it for New Caledonia.”
Haewegene, the spirited goal scorer, chuckles when asked about the possibility of becoming a full-time professional player in New Caledonia with AS Magenta, revealing his extraordinary “real” job.
“Professional? Ha ha, no!” Haewegene replied. “I play for the largest team in New Caledonia, but we aren’t professional. My job is as a Paralympic coach—I’m a guide for blind or visually impaired sprinters. I assisted the French athletes at the Paralympics last year. I can run 100 meters in 11.3 seconds: I’m fast. Very fast!”
So, how does a national team from the South Pacific, located 1,200 miles east of Sydney, find itself playing one of Europe’s smallest nations in a friendly? This match saw the 200th-ranked team in the world (Gibraltar) compete against a team just 50 spots higher.
Gibraltar’s stadium serves as both a football ground and a cricket pitch, situated near the imposing Rock of Gibraltar, in view of a grand red-and-white lighthouse and the Straits of Gibraltar—the narrow waterway that separates Europe from Africa. New Caledonia hadn’t played since their loss to New Zealand in Auckland in March, and they simply needed a match.
“My job is to coordinate games for national teams, and the New Caledonia coach asked me to find an opponent in Europe for October,” FIFA match agent Gaël Mahé explained to ESPN. “It’s not easy. There aren’t many options, especially with the World Cup qualifiers taking place; larger national teams can secure opponents more easily.”
“For the New Caledonia players, half of whom play in their home country, traveling halfway around the world for 30 hours is exhausting, but Gibraltar was willing to play the match, making it a good arrangement.”
As Sidaner’s team kicks off against Gibraltar at 7 p.m. local time, it’s already 4 a.m. in Noumea, the capital of New Caledonia. Having just arrived on Sunday evening, the jet lag affects the players who are based at home the most. A team room with table tennis and video games is set up at their hotel; some players spend time shopping while coach Sidaner relaxes on the terrace with a beer.
A relaxed atmosphere surrounds the team, yet once the match begins, they display surprising tenacity and energy, catching Gibraltar off guard. New Caledonia plays with speed and liveliness, clinching the victory with second-half goals from Jean-Jacques Katrawa and Haewegene.
“This victory is significant for us because we have defeated a European team for the first time,” coach Sidaner celebrated. “We haven’t played together in a while; this marks a major step in our preparations for the playoffs.”
“We are elevating our standards with these World Cup 2026 qualifying playoffs, and we are just 150 days away from a monumental moment for New Caledonian football. But outcomes like this, and performances like today’s, are precisely why I decided to coach New Caledonia. These moments are special.”
A training camp in France is scheduled for January, with hopes for at least one competitive game before the March trip to Mexico. But after their win against Gibraltar, the players are keen to celebrate. Sitting on the steps outside the stadium post-game, some are on their phones, while others sneak a vape or snap selfies. Afterward, they board the bus, pack their belongings, and prepare for the lengthy return journey.
Their itinerary takes them from Malaga, Spain, to Paris, followed by a connecting flight to Singapore, and finally, back to Noumea—all in coach class. However, joy radiates among the players as they celebrate on the bus.
“Every young boy dreams of playing in a World Cup—it’s a dream,” Haewegene stated. “That is our dream, and we know we have a chance.”