Papua New Guinea Hekari FC are currently in Auckland, New Zealand to take part in the inaugural Oceania Professional League competition that kicks off today.
The club’s Brazilian Head Coach Marcos Gusmao said they were ready prior to their departure to New Zealand.
“The OFC pro-league is a big challenge. The team is ready to play this competition,” Gusmao said.
He said they have worked in most areas they need to work on for the team to be ready to play in the professional league.
This include helping the players transform from playing local competition to a professional mindset in working as a team in their various departments in order for them to score goals and win the match.
Hekari will face Solomon Kings in their tournament opener in Eden Park on January 18th, a match that will once again ignite the existing rivalry between the PNG boys and the Solomon Kings but on a different level.
Kings have started their preparation on their home soil before moving abroad to Austria and they are as any other eight teams in the league, heated up for the historic tournament opener.
Vanuatu United FC of Vanuatu and Fiji’s Bula FC were honoured to lace off the tournament with a 2-2 draw at Eden Park, ahead of Auckland FC take on South Island United, in a New Zealand derby.
The following day, Tahiti United take on Australia’s South Melbourne FC, before a Hekari FC and Solomon Kings FC face off.
The match will continue on Sunday, February 1st, 2026 when South Island United take on South Melbourne.
Teams will play 14 matches each in total during the first phase, before the league splits into two sections – Leaders and Challengers – following the final round of phase one fixtures on April 18th.
From there, the stakes rise even further, with phase two – played from May 6th-13th – determining who will book their place in the semi-finals.
The single-leg semi-finals will take place on Wednesday, May 20th, before the buildup begins to the OFC Pro League final, on Sunday, May 24th.
