Clubs picked for ‘historic’ first Oceania pro football league

Eight clubs were selected Friday for the inaugural OFC Professional League, including from Australia and New Zealand, in what was hailed as a “historic moment” for football in Oceania.

The region’s first-ever professional league is scheduled to kick off on January 10 and will serve as a qualifier for the FIFA Club World Cup in 2029.

Seven nations will be represented with Bula Boys FC (Fiji), Hekari United FC (Papua New Guinea), Solomon Kings FC (Solomon Islands), Tahiti United FC (Tahiti) and Vanuatu FC (Vanuatu) all confirmed as preferred candidates. 

They will be joined by Auckland FC and Christchurch United from New Zealand, with South Melbourne representing Australia as the sole team from outside the OFC region.

The clubs are still subject to the final stages of the licensing and compliance process before full confirmation.

“This is a historic moment for Oceania football,” OFC General Secretary Franck Castillo said in a statement.

“For the first time our region will have a professional league that provides a pathway for players, coaches and clubs to compete at the highest level within the Pacific.”

The opening season will run until May with each club playing a minimum of 17 matches, before being split into two groups comprising the top four and bottom four.

The top teams will battle for three of the four semi-final spots, with the leading side from the bottom tier also earning a playoff match.