The Hekari United FC is facing a hefty fine for Papua New Guinea Football Association’s doing regarding the “no show” for a finals match in Port Moresby.
The PNG’s football giant was unable to field a team in the third and fourth placing play off against Lae City FC on December 14, 2025.
This is following a notice from PNGFA calling off all third and fourth placing play-offs resulting in Hekari FC sending its players home. This was clarified by PNGFA general secretary Ahmjad Tekwie on Monday.
Tekwie said Hekari will be fined and the PNGFA officials who informed the club without proper consideration will also be dealt with.
“Hekari will be fined. It will most likely be a momentary fine. It will be a heavy one,” Tekwie said.
“Initially what had happened was, when the competition and finance department had their discussion based on a notion that we did not have sufficient funding, they opted to leave out the third and fourth play-off,” Tekwie said.
“That was the communication that went out to the teams earlier in the week. But when I found out on Wednesday December 10, 2025, I applied pressure on them to bring all the teams as per the regulations.
“When we reached out to Hekari they already sent their players’ home so they could not field a team. They (Hekari) wrote to us and said they were not able to turn up due to the reason.
The oversight by the mother body is being pinned to Hekari United FC. The club now awaits the decision from the executive committee to know the fine.
“I’ve brought this to the executive committee and we’ve written officially to Hekari and they have responded. I will provide the response to the executive committee and Hekari will be fined. It will most likely be a momentary fine. It will be a heavy one,” Tekwie added.
The situation also exposed a loop hole in PNGFA’s 2025 Premier Soccer League regulations where “no show” of clubs is not spelt out in the regulations.
However, forfeit is in the regulation book but is only Applicable when a team takes the field and the opponent failed to field a team.
In the recent matter Hekari has notified PNFA prior to the match. However, PNGFA’s competition department brought in Lae City FC to “compel” Hekari to attend the match.
“They (PNGFA COMPETITION DEPARTMENT) thought that if we fly Lae City FC here, it will compel Hekari to turn up. That is our own mistake,” Tekwie said.
Moreover, the matter will not affect the Hekari United FC’s stand in the Oceania Professional League as PSL is a domestic competition.
