The group stages of the OFC Champions League 2020 will get underway next week with some intriguing games.
Group A will be contested in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea across matchdays on February 16, 19 and 22.
Group B will be played at Luganville Soccer City Stadium in Vanuatu, marking the first time the city on the island of Espiritu Santo has hosted Champions League fixtures. Matchdays will take place on February 15, 18 and 21.
All teams will be chasing a spot in the top two of their group to advance to the quarter-finals, which are scheduled to be played from April 4-5.
The semifinals are due to be played between April 25-26 with the final set down for May 16.
Group A
New Zealand’s Eastern Suburbs AFC will make their OFC Champions League debut this year on the back of winning their maiden national league title last season.
They’ll be joined by Galaxy FC who won the Top Four Super League in Vanuatu to earn their spot in the Champions League.
Papua New Guinea’s Hekari United – who in 2009/2010 became the first team outside of Australia or New Zealand to reign supreme as the club champions of Oceania – will also be in the mix.
Defending champions Hienghène Sport, from New Caledonia, round out what promises to be a strong group.
Group B
Solomon Islands club Henderson FC, who made the quarter-finals of last year’s Champions League, will open their group stage campaign against Papua New Guinea’s national league champions Lae City FC.
They’ll be joined in the group by Fijian side Lautoka FC and hometown heroes Malampa Revivors FC.
Lautoka have qualified for this stage of the Champions League for the past two years, while the Revivors are making their third appearance across the past four editions.
Group C will play their matches in New Caledonia between March 1-7, while Tahiti will host Group D across the same dates.
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