Auckland, New Zealand - The preliminary competition for the 2005 OFC Club Championship starts this week in Auckland. New Caledonia club champions - AS Magenta is to play Cook Islands club champions - Nikao FC on 10th and 12th February 2005. The matches were to be played in the Cook Islands but with difficulty in flights and the recent cyclone in Rarotonga meant the matches have been moved to Auckland at the last minute. The match details are as follows:

Thursday 10th February - OFC Academy Grounds - Penrose at 18.00pm

Saturday 12th February - OFC Academy Grounds - Penrose at 14.00pm

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In other news the OFC Emergency Committee met in Auckland last weekend and despite the earlier decision by OFC that all clubs had to be named by 31st March, the OFC Emergency Committee has allowed the Football Federation of Australia to name their club champion by the 15th May 2005. The Committee noted that:

- Australia had formed a new national league which would not start until September 2005

- Australia was automatically seeded and was not part of the preliminary competition which had to be completely by 31st March

- This was going to be a one-off exception for the FFA as their club champions in future OFC Championships will be known by 31st March each year

- The Tahiti Football Federation (as the Local organising committee) was not inconvenienced by having the Australian club named by 15th May

- OFC is mindful to ensure all national associations have the opportunity to submit their best team for this competition

This has meant that all the other clubs that qualify for the final round of the 2005 OFC Club Championship will have until 15th May 2005 to transfer players for their respective teams.

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In another decision by the OFC Emergency Committee last weekend, the club side from American Samoa has been withdrawn from the tournament and the 2004/2005 club champion from New Zealand will not be required to play a preliminary round but will automatically qualify for the final round of the 2005 OFC Club Championship in Tahiti. The Committee made this decision after noting the current problems in the American Samoa Football Association administration and the fact that America Samoa could not guarantee the facilities and infrastructure to host an international match.

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