Mataiasi Stark 
[ Source: Friends of Football / Website]
FIFA Vice President and Vanuatu Football Federation President Lambert Maltock will arrive in Christchurch on Tuesday to formalise a landmark partnership with Christchurch United Football Club.
His visit marks a significant step forward for football development in the Pacific, aimed at opening international pathways for emerging Vanuatu players.
Coinciding with his trip, two of Vanuatu’s promising attackers, Jordy Tasip and Walter Leoru, will begin trials with Christchurch United, a New Zealand National League club. Tasip, a 24-year-old forward with 10 international caps, famously scored against the All Whites during World Cup qualifiers in 2023.
He recently returned to Ifira Black Bird after a season with Auckland City.
Leoru, 23, comes from a remote village on Malekula Island and rose to prominence through his performances with Police FC, where he helped secure three regional titles and earned the 2024 VFF Champions League Golden Boot.
Delays in passport processing had previously prevented his national team debut during the World Cup qualifiers.
The agreement between VFF and Christchurch United will also see two additional players, Jean Patriano Natou and Thomas Maliwan, join the club’s Residential Football Academy. Both players are considered among Vanuatu’s top prospects, with Natou already making his international debut and Maliwan captaining the U19 national team.
Christchurch United General Manager Ryan Edwards visited Vanuatu last week to help finalise the deal and scout talent. The partnership also includes a commitment from VFF to send its U14 national side annually to compete in the Christchurch International Cup.
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