BY LESLEY FOINAGWA – ISLES MEDIA FREELANCER
Preparations are well underway for the West Are’Are Christmas Sports Tournament 2025 in Malaita province, which will kick off on December 26 at the Kiu Masina Ruru Playing Field in the Kiu community.
The West Are’Are Christmas Tournament continues to be a major sporting highlight in the region, promoting unity, youth engagement, and sports development across Malaita Province.
The annual festive tournament will feature a variety of sports, including soccer, netball, and volleyball, bringing together teams and supporters from across the West Are’Are region.
According to one of the local organizing committee members who spoke to Raw Sports, more than 20 teams from West Are’Are have already confirmed their participation. However, all interested teams must complete their confirmation before the end of November 2025, as those who fail to do so will not be allowed to take part in the competition.
The official draw for the tournament will be conducted in Honiara once all team confirmations are finalized. Organizers say the draw will depend largely on the total number of teams confirmed by the November deadline.
Each participating team is required to pay a registration fee of $3,500, and payments must be made on time—no late payments will be accepted, the committee has emphasized.
Speaking on behalf of the West Are’Are Football Association (WAAFA) and also representing the Malaita Football Association (MFA) within the organizing committee, interim WAAFA president Clifford Huta confirmed that preparations are progressing smoothly.
“Everything is on track for this year’s tournament, which will officially commence on December 26, 2025,” Huta said. “We look forward to an exciting competition that will unite our communities through sports during the festive season.”
