The OFC Champions League has undergone a change of format for the 2015 edition and will see 12 of the Pacific’s finest club teams from seven OFC member association countries contest the right to be crowned kings of Oceania from 11 to 26 April in Fiji.
Like last season, the 12 clubs will be divided into three groups of four teams with the group winners along with the best placed runner-up advancing to the semi-finals. The winners of the semi-final will contest the OFC Champions League Final on April 26 at ANZ Stadium, Suva.
Group A will be staged at Govind Park, Ba, and comprises Champions League regulars Ba, last year’s semi-finalists AS Pirae of Tahiti, New Caledonian newcomers FC Gaitcha and Preliminary winners Lupe Ole Soaga of Samoa.
Six-time winners and FIFA Club World Cup bronze medallists Auckland City FC headline Group B where they face a tricky section that includes Vanuatu champions Tafea FC, host club Suva and the yet to be determined champion club of the Solomon Islands. Group B and C will be staged at the impressive ANZ Stadium in Suva.
Making their OFC Champions League debut in arguably the toughest section in the competition are Kiwi outfit and current ASB Premiership table toppers Team Wellington. The Capital Men face two-times runners-up and OFC President’s Cup runner’s up Amicale of Vanuatu while AS Tefana of Tahiti return to the top tier after a three year absence. 2010 OFC Champions League winners Hekari United round off the group.
Both semi-finals and the final will be played at ANZ Stadium in Suva. h
The draw for the 2015 OFC Champions League is as follows.
2015 OFC Champions League
Group Stage
Group A – Govind Park, Ba
Saturday 11 April
AS Pirae v Lupe Ole Soaga 16h30 local time
Ba FC v FC Gaitcha 19h00
Tuesday 14 April
Lupe Ole Soaga v Ba 16h30
FC Gaitcha v AS Pirae 19h00
Saturday 18 April
FC Gaitcha v Lupe Ole Soaga 16h30
AS Pirae v Ba 19h00
Group B – ANZ Stadium, Suva
Saturday 11 April
Auckland City FC v Suva 16h30
Solomon Islands Champions v Tafea FC 19h00
Tuesday 14 April
Suva v Solomon Islands Champions 16h30
Tafea FC v Auckland City FC 19h00
Saturday 18 April
Auckland City FC v Solomon Islands Champions 16h30
Tafea FC v Suva 19h00
Group C – ANZ Stadium, Suva
Sunday 12 April
Amicale v Hekari United 16h30
Team Wellington v AS Tefana 19h00
Wednesday 15 April
Hekari United v Team Wellington 16h30
AS Tefana v Amicale 19h00
Friday 17 April
AS Tefana v Hekari United 16h30
Amicale v Team Wellington 19h00
Semi-Finals – both at ANZ Stadium, Suva
Tuesday 21 April
Best 2nd Place (across three groups) v 1st Group B 15h30
1st Group A v 1st Group C 19h00
Final – ANZ Stadium, Suva
Sunday 26 April
Winner SF 1 v Winner SF 2*
*OFC Champions League winner advances to FIFA Club World Cup 2015.