OFC confirm Pro League teams, reveals start date

The Oceania Football Confederation have revealed more about the upcoming OFC Professional League.

There have been some name changes since the teams were revealed, but the eight inaugural Pro League teams are the same.

New Zealand, where the league’s first circuit round will be held, have two clubs present – Auckland FC and South Island United (previously Christchurch United)– with Australia’s South Melbourne FC the only non-OFC team to feature.

Fiji’s Bula FC (formerly Bula Boys), Papua New Guinea’s PNG Hekari FC (formerly Hekari United), Tahiti United of Tahiti, Vanuatu United FC (formerly Vanuatu FC) from Vanuatu and Solomon Kings FC from the Solomon Islands, complete the contingent.

Running from January through to the end of May, the OFC Pro League will be played across a series of circuit rounds, with each team playing a minimum of 17 matches, leading to a semi-final and final, to determine the inaugural champion.

The first matches will be played at Eden Park in New Zealand on January 17th.

Additionaly, the Saudi Tourism Authority will invest almost NZ$35 million to help start the new OFC Professional League. The US$20 million STA backing was revealed during the official launch of Fiji’s participating club, Bula FC.

The Pro League have also revealed their trophy: