2026 Team of the Season Oscar Mason - Auckland Hassan Ramazani - Vanuatu Utd Jordon Lampard - S. Melbourne Ronan Wynne - Auckland Owen Smith - Vanuatu Utd Daniel Normann - Auckland Sota Higashide - Kings Jez Lofthouse - Kings Yuki Uchida - S. Melbourne Alex Saniel - Vanuatu Utd Jordan Swibel - S. Melbourne
3 Kiwis, 4 Aussies, 2 Japanese, a Norwegian, with only one player born in the Islands (Daniel).
Still early days.
Hassan Ramazani (ex Roar) Aussie born of Congolese descent. I didn't even notice him in the OPL. Can't have watched enough Vanuatu U games. Left footed CB?
coochiee wrote: 3 Kiwis, 4 Aussies, 2 Japanese, a Norwegian, with only one player born in the Islands (Daniel).
Still early days.
Hassan Ramazani (ex Roar) Aussie born of Congolese descent. I didn't even notice him in the OPL. Can't have watched enough Vanuatu U games. Left footed CB?
Must develop local juniors next OFC Pro League season. Crucial. Got to make a better generation of national team players next. Dream of an OFC team winning the intercontinental playoff for World Cup.
FIFA & OFC are apparently to invest $70M into this league. That's a big amount of cash.
Hopefully some of it goes towards helping the 5 clubs based in the Islands setup their own club academy structures, with some decent youth coaches part of that.
A kid in Honiara, Port Vila, Noumea or whereever now knows there is a fully pro team based in their home town. They now need a quality coaching pathway to help them best prepare, and raise overall standards.
It will take time. Might be 5 years plus before any real progress is noticeable. Hopefully the league survives long enough to see the fruits.
coochiee wrote: FIFA & OFC are apparently to invest $70M into this league. That's a big amount of cash.
Hopefully some of it goes towards helping the 5 clubs based in the Islands setup their own club academy structures, with some decent youth coaches part of that.
A kid in Honiara, Port Vila, Noumea or whereever now knows there is a fully pro team based in their home town. They now need a quality coaching pathway to help them best prepare, and raise overall standards.
It will take time. Might be 5 years plus before any real progress is noticeable. Hopefully the league survives long enough to see the fruits.
Or maybe insist that the big Oceania clubs get directly involved in youth development of PI youngsters. Either by running coaching clinics in the islands or by offering academy scholarships to promising youngsters. I think SIU is already started doing this. The Nix have 8 squads, plenty of room for some PI talent.
coochiee wrote: FIFA & OFC are apparently to invest $70M into this league. That's a big amount of cash.
Hopefully some of it goes towards helping the 5 clubs based in the Islands setup their own club academy structures, with some decent youth coaches part of that.
A kid in Honiara, Port Vila, Noumea or whereever now knows there is a fully pro team based in their home town. They now need a quality coaching pathway to help them best prepare, and raise overall standards.
It will take time. Might be 5 years plus before any real progress is noticeable. Hopefully the league survives long enough to see the fruits.
Or maybe insist that the big Oceania clubs get directly involved in youth development of PI youngsters. Either by running coaching clinics in the islands or by offering academy scholarships to promising youngsters. I think SIU is already started doing this. The Nix have 8 squads, plenty of room for some PI talent.
There are issues playing players under 18 in a foreign country - if they've moved for football reasons then they can't be registered with a club. Its why Calvin Harris couldn't play for a 'Nix team until he was 18 but played school football and trained at the academy.
The OFC has just released the 2026 OFC Pro League Club Licensing Regulations. The regulations outline the minimum requirements that must be met by the existing eight clubs of the OFC Pro League to be granted a Club License.
Additionally, the Regulations also introduce the Pathway Certificate, which may be requested by clubs that did not participate in the 2026 edition of the OFC Professional League.
Therefore, if any of the clubs that participated in the 2026 edition of the OFC Professional League do not obtain a license for the 2027 edition, the clubs holding the Pathway Certificate may be invited to participate in the licensing process.
For more information on the rules, deadlines and restrictions for participation in the Pathway Certificate process, please contact the respective OFC Member Association.
The Expression of Interest to participate in the Pathway Certificate process must be submitted to the OFC by June 9, 2026.
The OFC has just released the 2026 OFC Pro League Club Licensing Regulations. The regulations outline the minimum requirements that must be met by the existing eight clubs of the OFC Pro League to be granted a Club License.
Additionally, the Regulations also introduce the Pathway Certificate, which may be requested by clubs that did not participate in the 2026 edition of the OFC Professional League.
Therefore, if any of the clubs that participated in the 2026 edition of the OFC Professional League do not obtain a license for the 2027 edition, the clubs holding the Pathway Certificate may be invited to participate in the licensing process.
For more information on the rules, deadlines and restrictions for participation in the Pathway Certificate process, please contact the respective OFC Member Association.
The Expression of Interest to participate in the Pathway Certificate process must be submitted to the OFC by June 9, 2026.
One hopes they have done given their stated intention to have a team in this league. There are one or two clubs struggling to comply to there could be a real opportunity for another club to enter.
Interesting stat from NZF's FAQ for the new National League format:
On the men’s side, the growth of professional football in the region is changing the landscape, with a significant number of Dettol National League players moving into the two professional clubs, the OFC Pro League, and Australia's National Premier Leagues (NPL). While this rapid rise in professional opportunities for Kiwi footballers is a welcome development, more than 50 players left the Dettol National League between 2024 and 2025. It is therefore imperative that the Dettol National League maintains its high quality from the available player base.
They make clear that it's not just the OPL behind this, but they've obviously noticed the impact.
Noah4thenix wrote: tbf players leaving for the NPL is more a symptom of the diaspora to Australia, so not much NZF could do there
I've heard from a few sources that good players in the NPL can earn as much as yr average A league players. Sometimes they find players a cushy job to get that up.
No wonder some of the NPL clubs roll over some of the A league sides.
South Melbourne have announced they're ready to enter talks with mind to entering the A-Leagues - but they would like to stay in OFC Pro League.image.png1.54 MB
about 2 months ago· edited about 2 months ago· History
Good to see.
Would be interesting to know what the money pot was that was given to the teams by OFC at the end of the last season.
I know that most received 10 per cent by way of participation and by winning it that AFC received 25 per cent of it but can’t see any disclosure of what “it” was.
All 8 sides have got their license approved for 2027 season
So no expansion? Therefore no opportunity for the Nix to join the money pool?
Yeah back in June there was a piece on ABC radio in Aus (linked a couple of pages back) where the competition manager mentioned there was no budget to expand the league.
And then a few days later the OFC released expressions of interest for a 'pathway certificate' for clubs who were interested in joining IF one of the current 8 clubs failed to meet requirements to get a licence for season 2.
Now that all 8 clubs have been successful in renewing their licence - there are no spots to fill for season 2
Not representing somewhere new and not based in NZ's biggest city.
SIU provide the new footballing opportunities the OPL made its mission statement. Rejecting them for a reserves side would look hypocritical.
Auckland are based in Auckland, which the OPL wanted as a key host city.
OPL had a 2 teams per country rule (1 for non-OFC). So long as the SIU bid was decent, Nix were never getting in.
Hopefully they add the Nix in the near future though as the competitive balance is terrible (Auckland & SM clear everyone else) and won't be fixed without a brake on Auckland (that SIU can't provide).
So its no expansion to the OPL this season and an Oceania official saying there is no budget for expansion. Time for the Nix to swallow their pride and approach SIU about some kind of working arrangenent that aids both setups. SIU need to recruit players in a much more competitive market. The Nix have academy players that would benefit from a season in the OPL. Its a win win situation for both setups. Im not sure on the legalities of loaning players but Im sure with the help of NZF it can be made to work
austin111 wrote: So its no expansion to the OPL this season and an Oceania official saying there is no budget for expansion. Time for the Nix to swallow their pride and approach SIU about some kind of working arrangenent that aids both setups. SIU need to recruit players in a much more competitive market. The Nix have academy players that would benefit from a season in the OPL. Its a win win situation for both setups. Im not sure on the legalities of loaning players but Im sure with the help of NZF it can be made to work
I agree but it is worth a thought what the overlap will be with the new full season National League in NZ. It would have been great this year but part of me wonders if there will be a significant enough gap in quality between the OPL and the new National League to justify the Phoenix sending their players on loan to another clubs setup.
If anything it's the travel and experience in a higher pressure environment that could help, but I could understand if the Nix were not sold given the comparative levels of football. Additionally, they'll want to perform better in the National League than they have been in recent years.
I think being able to loan out scholarship players who aren't playing (like a Jayden Smith) could definitely be useful, but just as important is showing the Nix we will consider signing top SIU players. At the very least give a few a trial and see if anybody looks up to it.
It would simultaneously give SIU better recruiting ability as a way to put yourself into the shop window for an A-League spot, while giving the Nix a better ability to try scouting good players before Auckland.
So the OPL may have a combined ChCh-Dunedin hub next season. But NZ Rugby's slow release of Super Rugby draw ie which weekends Crusaders will play at Te Kaha making it tricky to organise in advance.
The South Island’s first professional football team wants to play at least one proleague match at Christchurch’s One NZ Stadium next year, but could head to Dunedin instead if it cannot lock in a date fast.
Time is running out to secure a day of international football matches at Christchurch’s new stadium next year as anchor tenants, the Crusaders, await their home game schedule.
New Zealand is in the grip of a football fever as the All Whites sit at the top of their FIFA World Cup grouping following a 2-2 draw against Iran on Tuesday. It has emerged that moves are afoot to encourage the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) to choose Christchurch’s One NZ Stadium as a hub for at least one day of matches in next year’s competition of teams from around the Pacific.
Ryan Edwards, chief executive of South Island United – the South Island’s first professional football team – said it would be akin to rugby’s Super Round. “That would be massive for the city to have a whole football hub here – basically a festival of football with all the island nations,” said Edwards. “I’m confident that you could get 15,000 plus to a game like this with the right marketing [and] with the right build-up.”
Tickets to One NZ stadium have sold out for Crusaders, All Blacks and Warriors matches (the latter two have yet to happen), and a Six60 & Synthony concert, while Matatū has attracted a record-breaking women’s rugby crowd of nearly 12,000.
However, Edwards needs to lock in space at the stadium by the end of this month, or the matches could go to Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin – and the Otago stadium is interested.
The OFC confirmed it was approached by Edwards and is interested in coming to Christchurch, or any other South Island location.
Dunedin Venues, the organisation in charge of Forsyth Barr Stadium, confirmed it had also been approached by Edwards and is game to host. Edwards said he had been “going back and forward” with One NZ stadium over the last six months but it was “proving a little bit more challenging than I would have expected”.
He said the major issue was NZ Rugby had yet to release next year’s Super Rugby schedule, which would determine when the Crusaders played home games. He understands the schedule would be released in August, potentially too late for OFC.
coochiee wrote: So the OPL may have a combined ChCh-Dunedin hub next season. But NZ Rugby's slow release of Super Rugby draw ie which weekends Crusaders will play at Te Kaha making it tricky to organise in advance.
The South Island’s first professional football team wants to play at least one proleague match at Christchurch’s One NZ Stadium next year, but could head to Dunedin instead if it cannot lock in a date fast.
Time is running out to secure a day of international football matches at Christchurch’s new stadium next year as anchor tenants, the Crusaders, await their home game schedule.
New Zealand is in the grip of a football fever as the All Whites sit at the top of their FIFA World Cup grouping following a 2-2 draw against Iran on Tuesday. It has emerged that moves are afoot to encourage the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) to choose Christchurch’s One NZ Stadium as a hub for at least one day of matches in next year’s competition of teams from around the Pacific.
Ryan Edwards, chief executive of South Island United – the South Island’s first professional football team – said it would be akin to rugby’s Super Round. “That would be massive for the city to have a whole football hub here – basically a festival of football with all the island nations,” said Edwards. “I’m confident that you could get 15,000 plus to a game like this with the right marketing [and] with the right build-up.”
Tickets to One NZ stadium have sold out for Crusaders, All Blacks and Warriors matches (the latter two have yet to happen), and a Six60 & Synthony concert, while Matatū has attracted a record-breaking women’s rugby crowd of nearly 12,000.
However, Edwards needs to lock in space at the stadium by the end of this month, or the matches could go to Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin – and the Otago stadium is interested.
The OFC confirmed it was approached by Edwards and is interested in coming to Christchurch, or any other South Island location.
Dunedin Venues, the organisation in charge of Forsyth Barr Stadium, confirmed it had also been approached by Edwards and is game to host. Edwards said he had been “going back and forward” with One NZ stadium over the last six months but it was “proving a little bit more challenging than I would have expected”.
He said the major issue was NZ Rugby had yet to release next year’s Super Rugby schedule, which would determine when the Crusaders played home games. He understands the schedule would be released in August, potentially too late for OFC.
So why not just schedule the OFC Pro League there and don't worry about what NZ Rugby is gonna do? Surely they can just adapt to have the Crusaders away on that particular weekend?
These are stadiums that rely on the rugby as their main product.
One round of OFC is presumably not going to sell a lot of seats or make a lot of difference to the payments due on the loans for the stadiums…so rugby gets to move at its own pace.
Vanautu United getting in early with some new signings. Plus they had those 2 matches against the Mariners. Hopefully the Island teams are better prepared for Season 2.
Vanuatu United have strengthened their squad for their second OFC Pro League campaign after encouraging pre-season wins.
The Chiefs have confirmed the signings of Vanuatu internationals Claude Aru, Jeffrey Tasso and Joe Moses as preparations for the new season gather pace.
Their arrivals follow Vanuatu United’s two victories against men’s A-League club Central Coast Mariners in the PacificAus Sports Challenge at Port Vila.
United won the opening match 3-2 before completing a series sweep with a 1-0 victory three days later at Freshwater Stadium.
Moses (24), who played the matches as a trialist, scored in both victories. The forward has previously played for Galaxy and Suva in Fiji, and represented Vanuatu at the 2024 OFC Nations Cup.
Midfielder Aru (29) also impressed against the Mariners, scoring the deciding goal in the first match before completing his move to United.
Aru’s former clubs include Malampa Revivors, North Efate United, Fiji’s Ba and Galaxy, while he represented Vanuatu at the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Defender Tasso (28) has played for Mauwia, Malampa Revivors and Galaxy, and has also spent time playing in Australia.
He has represented Vanuatu in OFC Nations Cup and FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.
Vanuatu United reached the semi-finals of the inaugural OFC Pro League after topping their Challengers Group and defeating Bula 2-1 in their play-off.
PNG Hekari have appointed experienced Iranian-born American Matt Badiee as head coach for their second season in the OFC Pro League.
Badiee has arrived in Port Moresby with more than four decades of experience in football, including coaching, scouting and coach education roles.
He has worked within the United States development system and has served as a national staff scout and coach educator with U.S. Soccer.
Badiee’s qualifications include USSF and UEFA A licences, as well as coaching credentials gained through the German, Dutch and Brazilian football associations.
Badiee succeeds the coaching team which guided Hekari through the inaugural OFC Pro League season, when Marcos Gusmão departed before Jerry Allen took charge.
The appointment will be Badiee’s first coaching assignment in Oceania, with Hekari giving him about four months to prepare for the 2027 campaign, which is expected to start early next year.
Badiee said he had been impressed by the playing group since arriving in Papua New Guinea.
“I think we have all the ingredients to be one of the top teams in Oceania.”
Badiee said improving players’ tactical awareness would be among his priorities, while promising an attacking approach for the new season.
“The plan is to make sure that we leave nothing to be regretted,” he said.
“I don’t like ifs, buts and excuses and I don’t fear anything.”
Club owner Vonny Kapi Natto welcomed Badiee to Papua New Guinea but told EMTV the club would not disclose details of his contract.
Badiee takes over while Hekari continue their domestic campaign, with the club preparing to represent Papua New Guinea again when the OFC Pro League returns in 2027.
PNG Hekari finished last of the eight clubs in the inaugural season. image.png675.92 KBThe eight clubs to contest second season
Auckland FC (New Zealand), South Island United (New Zealand), South Melbourne (Australia), Bula (Fiji), PNG Hekari (Papua New Guinea), Solomon Kings (Solomon Islands), Tahiti United (Tahiti), Vanuatu United (Vanuatu).
Napier City Rovers goalkeeper William Tønning will return to professional football after signing with OFC Pro League side Vanuatu United.
The Danish goalkeeper will join the Port Vila-based club on November 1, ending his second spell with Central League champions Napier City Rovers.
Tønning’s final appearance for Rovers is scheduled to be their National League home fixture against Wellington Phoenix Reserves on October 25.
The move follows Tønning’s recent trial with Vanuatu United during their two-match series against men’s A-League club Central Coast Mariners in Port Vila.
Tønning joined Napier City Rovers for the 2024 season and was an ever-present member of the side that narrowly missed the National League Grand Final.
He returned to Scandinavia in 2025, signing for Swedish club Ängelholms before joining Icelandic top-flight side KA Akureyri in March.
After a short spell with Swedish club Östersunds FK early this year, Tønning returned to Napier for their successful 2026 Central League campaign.
He has made more than 50 appearances for Rovers, establishing himself as a popular member of the squad during his two spells in Hawke’s Bay.
Rovers say they are disappointed to lose Tønning but support his opportunity to return to the professional game.
Vanuatu United reached the semi-finals of the inaugural OFC Pro League before losing 4-0 to eventual runners-up South Melbourne.
They have been active in recruitment for 2027, adding Tønning alongside several Vanuatu internationals and players recruited from OFC Champions League semi-finalists Galaxy.
The club’s new arrivals include Claude Aru, Jeffrey Tasso, Joe Moses, Andrew Malakai, Bong Kalo, Henry Namatak and Semisi Kaltack as they prepare for their second season.
