New Caledonia's national football team, nicknamed Les Cagous after the island's iconic kagu bird, represents a French special collectivity in the South Pacific. The Fédération Calédonienne de Football was established in 1928, though the team spent decades competing only in friendly matches and regional tournaments due to its institutional ties with the French Football Federation. That long wait ended in 2004, when New Caledonia was admitted to both FIFA and the OFC as the 205th FIFA member, finally gaining access to full international competition.
Despite the late start on the world stage, the Cagous had already built a strong regional identity. They claimed third place in the first two editions of the OFC Nations Cup in 1973 and 1980, and have since collected seven gold medals at the Pacific Games — a record that speaks to their consistent dominance in Oceanian football. The team's most celebrated continental moment came in 2012, when they defeated New Zealand 2–0 in the OFC Nations Cup semi-finals before finishing as runners-up, a result that also secured their qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup play-off rounds. They had previously been runners-up in 2008 as well.
A defining feature of the team's identity is its fierce rivalry with Tahiti, the other French Pacific collectivity. The two sides have clashed regularly since 1953 across regional and continental competitions, with the head-to-head record remaining closely contested over more than 60 encounters.
In the current decade, New Caledonia has continued to compete in OFC qualifying structures, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup inter-confederation play-offs. Kit supplier Macron has partnered with the team since 2025.