The OFC Champions League in 2017 is set to come to the shores of New Caledonia, New Zealand and Tahiti following the successful bids of four clubs.
OFC Competitions Director Chris Kemp said the federations and clubs put forward some impressive bid documents which made the final decision difficult in some cases.
“We received some very professional and well considered bids from the clubs,” Kemp said.
Group A will be hosted in New Caledonia’s capital Noumea, where AS Magenta will be welcoming Hekari United, AS Central United and the runners-up from the Qualifying Stage.
New Caledonia will also be the base for Group B, this time it will be Champions League debutants Hienghene Sport hosting in the northern city of Kone. The 2016 runners-up Team Wellington will be joined there by the winners of the Qualifying Stage and the Fiji champions.
In Group C, eight-time champions Auckland City FC will host the champions from Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands runners-up along with Papua New Guinea club Lae City Dwellers, who make their second consecutive appearance in this competition.
Finally Group D will see the Solomon Islands champions and the runners-up from Fiji and Vanuatu hosted by Fédération Tahitienne de Football’s club champions AS Tefana in Papeete.
Kemp said there were several key areas which the OFC Competitions Department considered when analysing the bids.
“In New Caledonia and Tahiti especially, the support of the federation and the experience and expertise they have committed helped elevate the respective clubs’ bids.
“With the unsuccessful bids we have been able to outline to club management the exact reasons why they weren’t successful this time around, and hopefully they can make improvements between now and the next edition to put themselves in contention to host.”
Group A
Noumea, New Caledonia
AS Magenta (NCL)
Hekari United (PNG)
AS Central United (TAH)
Qualifying Stage Runner-Up
Group B
Kone, New Caledonia
Team Wellington (NZL)
Fiji Winner (FIJ)
Hienghene Sport (NCL)
Qualifying Stage Winner
Group C
Auckland, New Zealand
Auckland City FC (NZL)
Vanuatu Winner (VAN)
Lae City Dwellers (PNG)
Solomon Islands Runner-Up (SOL)
Group D
Papeete, Tahiti
AS Tefana (TAH)
Solomon Islands Winner (SOL)
Fiji Runner-Up (FIJ)
Vanuatu Runner-Up (VAN)
Additional Information:
The OFC Champions League is the Confederation’s premier international club competition and brings together the top teams from around the Pacific to compete for the crown of regional club champion.
The 2017 tournament will be the 15th edition of this prestigious event which offers a much coveted prize – qualification to the FIFA Club World Cup.
Defending champions Auckland City FC will be chasing their ninth regional title, in a competition that has largely been dominated by themselves and Waitakere United.
Papua New Guinea club Hekari United became the first club outside of New Zealand or Australia to claim the prize with their 2010 victory, while Sydney FC, Wollongong Wolves and South Melbourne also have their place in the history books.