2026 OFC Professional League

Last updated
OFC Professional League
Season2026
Dates17 January – May 2026
2027 →

The 2026 OFC Professional League will be the inaugural season of the OFC Professional League, a men's professional football league in the Oceania region. It is organized by the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) and features eight clubs from seven nations, competing in a circuit series format across various Pacific locations. The league champion will qualify for the 2026 FIFA Intercontinental Cup and provide a pathway to the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Contents

Clubs

Oceania laea location map.svg
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Locations of clubs competing in the 2026 season.

Clubs and locations

TeamCity
Flag of New Zealand.svg Auckland FC Auckland
Flag of Fiji.svg Bula FC Suva
Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg PNG Hekari Port Moresby
Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg Solomon Kings Honiara
Flag of New Zealand.svg South Island United Christchurch
Flag of Australia (converted).svg South Melbourne Melbourne
Flag of French Polynesia.svg Tahiti United Pīraʻe
Flag of Vanuatu.svg Vanuatu United Port Vila

Personnel and kits

ClubManagerCaptainKit manufacturerShirt sponsor
Flag of New Zealand.svg Auckland FC Flag of Australia (converted).svg Luke Casserly [8]
Flag of Fiji.svg Bula FC Flag of Guadeloupe (local).svg Stéphane Auvray [9]
Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg PNG Hekari Flag of Brazil.svg Marcos Gusmão [10]    
Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg Solomon Kings     
Flag of New Zealand.svg South Island United Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Rob Sherman [11] [12]    
Flag of Australia (converted).svg South Melbourne Flag of Australia (converted).svg Siniša Cohadzić [13]    
Flag of French Polynesia.svg Tahiti United Flag of French Polynesia.svg Samuel Garcia [14] Flag of French Polynesia.svg Teaonui Tehau [15]   
Flag of Vanuatu.svg Vanuatu United Flag of Germany.svg Lars Hopp [16]

Foreign players

ClubPlayer 1Player 2Player 3OFC player 1OFC player 2OFC player 3
Flag of New Zealand.svg Auckland FC
Flag of Fiji.svg Bula FC
Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg PNG Hekari Flag of Brazil.svg  Erick Joe [17]   Flag of Brazil.svg Kaue Silva [17] Flag of Brazil.svg Rafael Chaves [17] Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg John Orobulu [18] Flag of Vanuatu.svg John Alick [18]
Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg Solomon Kings
Flag of New Zealand.svg South Island United
Flag of Australia (converted).svg South Melbourne  
Flag of French Polynesia.svg Tahiti United
Flag of Vanuatu.svg Vanuatu United Flag of Australia (converted).svg Matt Acton [19] Flag of Australia (converted).svg Hassan Ramazani [20] Flag of the United States.svg William Cardona [21] Flag of New Zealand.svg Otto Ingham [22] Flag of New Zealand.svg Owen Smith [23] Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg Raymond Diho [24]

Format

The competition features five circuit series rounds followed by two playoff groups (Leaders and Challengers) before the semi-finals and final. [25]

Venues

The round-robin matches will be played in Auckland, Port Moresby, Melbourne, Honiara, Lautoka and Suva (in Fiji). [26]

Auckland Lautoka Suva
Eden Park Churchill Park HFC Bank Stadium
Capacity: 50,000Capacity: 18,000Capacity: 15,446
2023 Women's World Cup Semifinal Game (53150759107).jpg ChurchillPark-Ltka.jpg ANZ Stadium Fiji.jpg
Port Moresby Melbourne Honiara
PNG Football Stadium Lakeside Stadium National Stadium
Capacity: 14,800Capacity: 12,000Capacity: 10,000
NFS, PORT MORESBY, PNG..jpg Lakeside November 2021.jpg Image not available.png

Circuit Series

League table

PosTeamPldWDLGFGAGDPtsQualification
1 Flag of New Zealand.svg Auckland FC 00000000Qualification for Leaders play-off group
2 Flag of Fiji.svg Bula FC 00000000
3 Flag of Papua New Guinea.svg PNG Hekari 00000000
4 Flag of the Solomon Islands.svg Solomon Kings 00000000
5 Flag of New Zealand.svg South Island United 00000000Qualification for Challengers play-off group
6 Flag of Australia (converted).svg South Melbourne 00000000
7 Flag of French Polynesia.svg Tahiti United 00000000
8 Flag of Vanuatu.svg Vanuatu United 00000000
First match(es) will be played: 17 January 2026. Source: Oceania Football Confederation
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head to head; 5) Head to head goal difference; 6) Head to head goals scored; 7) Disciplinary record; 8) Coin toss [27]

Results

Circuit Series


See also

References

  1. ↑ "OFC plans to deliver professional league in 2021". The National. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  2. ↑ Ewart, Richard (December 2022). "OFC Pro League could feature composite Pacific island teams and marquee players from overseas". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  3. ↑ "Preferred clubs announced for historic OFC Professional League". oceaniafootball.com. Oceania Football Confederation. 29 August 2025. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  4. ↑ Monteverde, Marco (29 August 2025). "Australia to be represented in new Oceania professional competition by South Melbourne". news.com.au . Archived from the original on 29 August 2025. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  5. ↑ "New Zealand's newest professional club will compete as South Island United". Friends of Football. 2025-10-07. Retrieved 2025-10-07.
  6. ↑ "Expressions of interest open for inaugural OFC Professional League". Oceania Football Confederation. 2025-02-11. Retrieved 2025-02-13.
  7. ↑ "OFC Professional League Enters Next Stage". Papua New Guinea Post Courier. 24 November 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  8. ↑ "Auckland FC". OFC Pro League. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
  9. ↑ Chand, Simran (24 October 2025). "Auvray, Rodu to lead Bula FC in Pro League". FBC News . Retrieved 24 October 2025.
  10. ↑ "Brazilian imports boost PNG Hekari ahead of OFC Professional League launch". friendsoffootballnz.com. 22 October 2025. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
  11. ↑ "Christchurch United sign coach Rob Sherman". NZ Sports Wire. 2 October 2025. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
  12. ↑ "South Island United to play in new pro football league". Otago Daily Times. 8 October 2025. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
  13. ↑ "South Melbourne FC". OFC Pro League. Retrieved 30 October 2025.
  14. ↑ "Tahiti United FC". OFC Pro League. Retrieved 30 October 2025.
  15. ↑ "Le Tahiti United FC dans les starting-block de l'OFC Pro League 2026 !" [Tahiti United FC is ready to go for the OFC Pro League 2026!]. Tahiti United (in French). 3 November 2025. Retrieved 12 November 2025– via Instagram.
  16. ↑ "Lars Hopp Appointed as Head Coach of the Vanuatu Men's National Team and Vanuatu United FC". Vanuatu Football Federation. 17 October 2025. Retrieved 25 October 2025.
  17. 1 2 3 "Brazilian imports boost PNG Hekari ahead of OFC Professional League launch". Friends of Football NZ. 22 October 2025. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  18. 1 2 Chandar, Reginald (13 November 2025). "Orobulu and Alick join PNG's Hekari for Pro League". Fiji Live. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
  19. ↑ Molivakoro, Vourie (31 October 2025). "Vanuatu United FC signs first player". Daily Post Digital. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  20. ↑ Molivakoro, Vourie (6 November 2025). "Vanuatu United FC signs second foreign player". Daily Post Digital. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  21. ↑ Molivakoro, Vourie (14 November 2025). "Vanuatu United FC signs Jordy Tasip". Daily Post Digital. Retrieved 14 November 2025.
  22. ↑ "Vanuatu United FC adds two more players". Daily Post Digital. 13 November 2025. Retrieved 13 November 2025.
  23. ↑ Molivakoro, Vourie (15 November 2025). "19-year-old PNG defender joins Vanuatu United FC". Daily Post Digital. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
  24. ↑ "Vanuatu United FC Signs PNG Young Defender Raymond Diho". Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation. 14 November 2025. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
  25. ↑ "Expressions of interest open for inaugural OFC Professional League". Oceania Football Confederation. 2025-02-11. Retrieved 2025-10-24.
  26. ↑ friendsoffootballnz_irqgpj (2025-10-26). "Saudi tourism body to invest almost NZ$35 million in new OFC Pro' League". Friends of Football. Retrieved 2025-10-28.
  27. ↑ "OFC Professional League Competition Regulations" (PDF). Oceania Football Confederation. Retrieved 24 October 2025.
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