History was made in Springdale as the Marshall Islands men’s national soccer team took the pitch for their first-ever international match at Gerald Williams Bulldog Stadium. The team, representing the last nation in the world without an official soccer squad until now, brought together 21 players from across the Marshallese diaspora. Dressed in blue, white, and orange uniforms, the players were greeted with cheers and waves of Marshallese flags as their national anthem played.
Despite a 4–0 loss to the U.S. Virgin Islands in their debut, dozens of fans stayed to congratulate the team on the milestone, marking a moment of pride for Springdale’s Marshallese community—the largest outside the islands. The inaugural Outrigger Challenge Cup also features Ozark United FC’s U-19 team, which opened with a narrow penalty shootout loss to Turks and Caicos.
Tournament play continues Saturday with the Marshall Islands facing Turks and Caicos at 1 p.m. and Ozark United taking on the U.S. Virgin Islands at 4 p.m. Proceeds from ticket sales benefit Springdale High School soccer.
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