OFC Professional League
Across the globe, football is played from grassroots to professional. From the less economically developed nations to the most, there is almost always a connection with the beautiful game. At the very top of the game, we find the usual suspects: Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, and so on. Outside of Europe, we find the giants of South America with Boca, River Plate and Flamengo. Africa can boast of the Egyptian giants, and Morocco can bring forward their teams from Casablanca.
CONCACAF steps into the ring with representatives from Mexico and the United States, while Asia promotes the Japanese, Korean, and Middle Eastern teams. But what about Oceania? Since the beginning of the beautiful game, Oceania has been behind the other continents in terms of footballing progress. The shining light of the Oceania Football Confederation was Australia; however, they have since moved to the Asian Football Confederation to pursue tougher challenges, which they believe will help their nation succeed.
The Beginning Of The Journey
So, with Australia gone, the onus falls onto the successors to the throne, New Zealand. Since the departure of their Aussie neighbours, the Kiwis have dominated the footballing landscape with little to no room for competitors to challenge them. Perhaps, though, times are beginning to change. The OFC have announced the introduction of the OFC Professional League.
The last continent (excluding Antarctica) to have a professional league has finally put the plan into motion, with the competition to kick off in early January of 2026. The difficulty for the region is primarily the cost. It is very difficult to travel between the various Pacific island nations. This is reflected in the OFC Professional League, with the league being capped to just eight teams from seven different nations.
The OFC Professional League has not simply come out of thin air. The original plan was made back in 2019 but was eventually delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In late 2022, the OFC Executive Committee agreed to move forward with a 2025 start date, but this was pushed back a further year to allow the clubs participating the time to turn professional and meet the restrictions for the league.
The Representatives
The big-name club that has had its application accepted into the OFC Pro League are Auckland FC. The club that finished top of the Australian A-League in the past season. Surely, this would be hugely unfair to some teams that are being formed for this new competition. The OFC agree with this and has therefore put an age cap on Auckland as they try to level the playing field.
New Zealand is the only nation with two representatives, with Auckland’s fellow competitors being Christchurch United. Unlike Auckland, Christchurch competes in the New Zealand football league system and performs relatively well. Winning the Southern League in two of the last three attempts and eventually finishing 3rd in the National League in 2023. With New Zealand being one of the stronger nations, we likely see Christchurch as one of the favourites for the league, particularly with Auckland being age-restricted.
Moving away from the colossus of New Zealand, we begin the journey into, in the eyes of many, the unknown. Some smaller nations that make up the Oceania region have decided to put their eggs into one basket. New teams have been formed that will represent the nations in the OFC Pro League.
The Smaller Nations
Fiji will be represented by the Bula Boys. A new team was brought together for the Pro League. Not to be confused with the national team that uses ‘Bula Boys’ as its nickname. Bula Boys FC are a separate entity. The Fijian FA have stated they will assist in the start-up of the club to help them represent the island in the Pro League, but the club will have its own independent board members and staff running the club. It is probably fair to say that the nations that have been accepted and applied for the pro league are the stronger nations in the region. Fiji are a strong Oceanic nation, whereas, for example, Samoa are not. Fiji and the Bula Boys will be very competitive.
Another new club entering the OFC Pro League will be the Solomon Kings from the Solomon Islands. An interesting concept behind this club. The main purpose of the club is to play in this new Pro League, but they also have one eye on the development of their players. In 2025, the club created a partnership with the Aussie side Wynnum Wolves. The idea is to use the Australians to help assist the progress of their homegrown players. The Solomon Islands are a rich footballing nation and one that can boast a couple of professional players. Notably, Raphael Lea’I, who spent time in Bosnia & Herzegovina with Velež Mostar. Not only will the Solomon Kings benefit from their partnership, but the Wynnum Wolves also share a link with Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund after signing a five-year development deal. Perhaps the Solomon Kings are the dark horses.
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Moving over to French Polynesia (Tahiti) next, and once again, we find another new club. Tahiti United FC will be representing the French overseas territory. A strong football nation from this region. Uniquely Tahitian clubs participate in the Coupe de France every season, and just last year AS Dragon reached the eighth round. Tahiti United was born out of fellow club AS Venus as they attempted to win a place in the Pro League. A successful bid was made with the tag line marketed as ‘a club for all Polynesian’s’. With the French connection, this is not a club to take for granted.
The last club to be newly formed for the OFC Pro League is Vanuatu United FC. Of course, from Vanuatu. Again, a club that has been created to represent a whole nation. Historically, one of the weaker nations that have been accepted to the Pro League, but in recent times, they have quickly improved. During the 2024 OFC Nations Cup, Vanuatu reached the final. Eventually losing out to perennial winners, New Zealand, 3-0.
Possibly the most decorated club that has entered the Pro League are PNG Hekari FC from Papua New Guinea. A powerhouse in the domestic league for years. It’s hard to argue, particularly after winning eight league titles straight from 2006-2014. Papua New Guinea have struggled with keeping a structured league in place for several years now, with Hekari FC moving between the National Premier League and the National Soccer League. Re-elections on the board caused disruptions, but Hekari FC came out the other side and were always a force, no matter what obstacles were in their way. At the top of their achievements is the OFC Champions League in the 2009-10 season. Overcoming Kiwi opponents on the way to becoming the only PNG side to win the tournament. Definitely, one of the stronger teams in the Pro League.
The Controversial Side
The final side to be accepted into the OFC Pro League is somewhat controversial. In the sense that they are not even from a nation that participates in the OFC. South Melbourne United of Australia enter as the final team in the Pro League. The OFC have called it a way to show solidarity between the OFC and Australia since their departure. Many think this is a political decision or even a monetary decision, with the Aussie side being accepted ahead of clubs from the OFC. Perhaps Melbourne has the advantage of being from the strongest footballing nation, but they will perhaps be seen as the enemy to most of the OFC clubs.
The surprising decisions include the lack of ambition from Auckland City FC, the dominant force over the years in the OFC Champions League. An amateur club that drew with the giants of Boca Juniors at the latest Club World Cup. It is a surprise that they had no interest in the Pro League, instead stating they prefer to focus on their own domestic leagues. The other surprise is the rejection of the Wellington Phoenix. The Phoenix feel let down by the OFC after stating in press conferences that they were very interested in becoming a founding member of the Pro League. It is difficult to argue too, they have long been the driving force behind Kiwi football and perhaps should feel aggrieved after seeing Auckland FC, who have only been a club for one season, have a team accepted.
Anyway, that’s the list of teams that will start a new era for Oceanic football. Will the giants of New Zealand come out on top, or will it be a smaller island club such as the Solomon Kings or PNG Hekari? Or maybe even the Aussie Imposters, South Melbourne United. Who knows? 2026 is bringing new light to Oceania football and fast-forwarding the sport into the modern era. Even if that, unfortunately, includes the planned use of VAR.
Written and Researched by BSc Cavan Campbell
