OFC Professional League
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The OFC Professional League (OFCPL; also known as the OFC Pro League) is a first fully professional association football league organised by the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC). Debuting in the 2026 season, The champion qualifies for the annual FIFA Intercontinental Cup. The league also serves as a pathway to the quadrennial FIFA Club World Cup.
The Pro League was founded in 2019 as part of efforts to foster professionalism in Oceanian football. It initially planned to commence play in 2021, but was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic in Oceania. Expressions of interest were received ahead of the selection of the league's eight charter clubs in August 2025. Roster concept is primarily built upon Oceanian players, featuring marquee players from other regions.
History
In 2019, the Oceania Football Confederation formed a task force to determine the viability of a professional football league for the Oceania region. The league was initially expected to begin play in 2021. However, progress was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In November 2022 in Doha, Qatar, the OFC Executive Committee voted to move forward with the league, initially targeting a 2025 launch. The launch was later postponed to 2026 to allow clubs time to transition to fully professional status. In January 2024, the OFC announced plans to implement the VAR system for the league's first season. The league's formation and development operated on the following timeline:
- End of June 2025 – Conclusion of the club application process.
- August 2025 – OFC Licensing Committee submits recommendations to the OFC Executive Committee.
- September 2025 – Final approval and issuance of licenses to the eight selected clubs.
On 29 January 2025, the OFC held a meeting at its headquarters in Auckland, New Zealand to discuss the league with potential New Zealand-based clubs. The OFC also opened expressions of interest for clubs across the region to participate in the inaugural season. Additionally, Australian-based clubs were invited to participate. By February 2025, initial interest had been received from clubs in Fiji, Solomon Islands, Australia, and New Zealand. Among the clubs that submitted expressions of interest to the OFC were Eastern United and Sunshine Coast Fire from Australia, Wellington Phoenix and Nelson Suburbs from New Zealand, Bougainville, Port Moresby, and Lae City from Papua New Guinea, and Real Kakamora from the Solomon Islands. The participants in the league's inaugural season were announced in August 2025.
On 29 October 2025, OFC held a launch event for the OFC Pro League, where the competition logo and trophy were announced.
Wellington Phoenix, despite being one of Oceania’s most established professional sides, was notably excluded at the licensing stage. The club considered contesting the decision through legal channels.
Format
The competition runs from January to May. It features five circuit rounds held across various locations in a double round-robin format, with each team playing a minimum of 14 matches.
Following the regular season, teams are split into two playoff groups:
- Leaders Playoff Group – The top four teams compete for three semi-final berths.
- Challengers Playoff Group – The bottom four teams compete for the last semi-final berth.
The semi-finals and grand final are single-leg matches. The league will also serve as Oceania's qualifying pathway for the FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup, apart from South Melbourne (who cannot qualify for other competitions as they are based in Australia, which is part of the Asian Football Confederation).
As part of their inclusion in the competition, Auckland must field an age-restricted side.
Clubs
For its inaugural 2026 season, eight clubs have been selected to compete in the OFC Professional League, including four from Melanesia, three from Polynesia, and one from Australia.
Auckland FC, Christchurch United (to compete under the moniker South Island United), PNG Hekari and South Melbourne were pre-existing clubs, while Bula FC, Solomon Kings, Tahiti United, and Vanuatu United were new clubs created for the competition. South Melbourne, an Australian club under the jurisdiction of the Asian Football Confederation, is a fully-expatriated member, though Solomon Kings is partly owned by another Australian club, Wynnum Wolves.
| Team | City | Country | Home ground | Cap. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Auckland FC | Auckland | New Zealand New Zealand | Eden Park | 50,000 |
| Bula FC | Suva | Fiji Fiji | Buckhurst Park | 15,446 |
| PNG Hekari | Port Moresby | Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea | PNG Football Stadium | 14,800 |
| Solomon Kings | Honiara | Solomon Islands Solomon Islands | National Stadium | 10,000 |
| South Island United | Christchurch | New Zealand New Zealand | Te Kaha | 30,000 |
| South Melbourne | Melbourne | Australia Australia | Lakeside Stadium | 12,000 |
| Tahiti United | Pīraʻe | French Polynesia French Polynesia | Stade Pater | 15,000 |
| Vanuatu United | Port Vila | Vanuatu Vanuatu | Port Vila Municipal Stadium | 10,000 |
Broadcasting
| Region | Broadcaster | Language |
|---|---|---|
| Fiji | FBC | English |
| New Zealand | TVNZ+ | English |
| Papua New Guinea | NBC | English |
| Solomon Islands | TTV | English |
| Tahiti | TNTV | French |
| Vanuatu | VBTC | French |
| Worldwide | FIFA+ | English |
See also
- List of top-division football clubs in OFC countries
- African Football League, a tournament with a similar format for clubs in Africa
- European Super League, a proposed tournament with a similar format for clubs in Europe