Preferred clubs announced for historic OFC Professional League

Following a thorough club licensing process, the preferred eight clubs for the inaugural OFC Professional League have been confirmed. Based on the recommendations of the Independent Club Licensing Committee, the OFC Executive Committee has approved the clubs, which are still subject to the final stages of the licensing and compliance process before full confirmation.

The OFC Professional League – the first-ever professional football league in the Oceania region – will kick off on 10 January 2026, with eight clubs competing in a circuit series format, held across the Pacific. Importantly, the OFC Professional League will also serve as Oceania’s qualifier for the FIFA Club World Cup™ 2029, providing a direct pathway for the region’s clubs onto the global stage.

Seven nations are represented as football in the Pacific embarks on an exciting and groundbreaking new era.

Bula Boys FC (Fiji), Hekari United FC (Papua New Guinea), Solomon Kings FC (Solomon Islands), Tahiti United FC (Tahiti) and Vanuatu FC (Vanuatu) are all confirmed as preferred candidates.

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

OFC General Secretary Franck Castillo said:

“This is a historic moment for Oceania football. 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 eight preferred clubs represent the diversity and passion of our Member Associations, and while there are still final steps to be completed, today marks a major milestone on our journey towards January 2026.”

The first OFC Professional League season will run from January through to May 2026, with each club playing a minimum of 17 matches.

The competition will feature five circuit series rounds, hosted across the Pacific.

After the circuit series phase, teams will be split into two playoff groups: Leaders and Challengers.

The Leaders Playoff Group will see the top four teams battle for three of the four semi-final spots, whilst the Challengers Playoff Group will involve the remaining teams, with the top side earning a playoff match against the fourth-placed team from the Leaders Group to determine the remaining semi-final berth.

The semi-finals and the final will be single-leg knockout matches.

The OFC Professional League will be officially launched at an event held in Auckland, New Zealand, on Wednesday October 29.

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