Four clubs remain in contention for Oceania’s oldest continental club football prize as OFC Men’s Champions League 2026 enters its final days of action in Fiji.
Defending champions Auckland City FC, tournament hosts Rewa FC, Galaxy FC and Central Coast FC have all emerged from the group stage to contest the semi-finals.
Group A winners Auckland City will meet Group B runners-up Rewa, before Group B winners Galaxy face Group A runners-up Central Coast, at 4R Stadium Govind Park in Ba tomorrow.
The winners will meet in Saturday’s final, where the champions of the 24th edition of the OFC Men’s Champions League will be crowned. You can watch both semi-finals live and free on FIFA+ via DAZN.
Auckland City FC v Rewa FC
3pm, Wednesday 19th August | 4R Stadium Govind Park, Ba
Watch live and free on FIFA+ via DAZN HERE
It’s been no easy ride for the 13 times champions from New Zealand, who relied on late goals to win all three of their matches at the tournament and top Group A, coming from behind in two of them.
Depth has been the key theme for Rudy Mozr’s side so far, consistently relying on his bench to turn the tide in their three matches. Five of their seven goals at the tournament so far have come in the last fifteen minutes.
Despite their at times unconvincing form though, they remain clear favourites for the title given their pedigree at the OFC Men’s Champions League. The Navy Blues are now on a 30-match unbeaten run at the competition, have never lost to a Fijian club, and haven’t lost at the tournament since a defeat to AS Magenta in the semi-finals of the 2019 edition.
The meeting between these two clubs was tipped as a potential final prior to the tournament, but Rewa FC have underwhelmed slightly in the Group stage with the players at their disposal and will take on Auckland City a round earlier instead.
The tournament hosts started with a heavy 4-1 defeat to Galaxy FC but have since rebounded with wins over Tupapa Maraerenga FC and Lae City FC to reach the knockout stage of the competition for a second time in five appearances. They lost 4-2 to Tahitian side AS Pirae in their only previous semi-final two years ago.
Rewa can at least take heart from having lost just one of their three previous meetings with Auckland City, having held the perennial champions to two consecutive draws in each of the last two tournaments. Backed on by a home crowd, they have the talent to push Auckland City all the way, if they can click into gear.
What the teams have said:
“I would like to see us put the game away earlier. We’ve been dominant in the last two games, but the key for us will be to not have to come from behind again. Rewa are a good team and present another challenge, and I’m hoping they bring their fans to the stadium.”
– Rudy Mozr, Auckland City FC head coach
“This is a huge match for me, and the club. We started the tournament poorly, but managed to turn things around to make the semi-finals. We always had hope, and our teamwork and resillience has been key to turning things around.”
– Tevita Waranaivalu, Rewa FC player/coach
Galaxy FC v Central Coast FC
7pm, Wednesday 19th August | 4R Stadium Govind Park, Ba
Watch live and free on FIFA+ via DAZN HERE
Only a month ago, these two teams prepared for the tournament with a friendly match in Honiara, Central Coast FC winning 2-0. Now they meet in the semi-finals of the OFC Men’s Champions League with the continental title in sight.
Galaxy FC striker Willian Dos Santos Medina has been the player on everyone’s lips at the tournament so far, becoming the first player to score three consecutive hat-tricks in the 39-year history of the OFC Men’s Champions League.
Combining well with his Brazilian compatriot Roberson Dos Santos Ribeiro, the pair propelled Galaxy FC to top spot in Group B with three comfortable wins. The reward is a place in the last four of the competition for the first time, in the club’s third campaign.
In his second stint in charge as head coach, former Solomon Islands international Batram Suri will be going up against his fellow countrymen in the semi-finals, alongside goalkeeper Michael Laulae and defender Aengari Gagame. The familiarity between the two Melanesian clubs adds another layer of intrigue to tomorrow evening’s contest.
In contrast, Central Coast FC have experienced this stage before, reaching the semi-finals on their OFC Men’s Champions League debut in 2023. They have made amends this year for a disappointing group stage exit on home soil in 2025, buoyed by the reinforcement of eight players with OFC Pro League experience.
Head coach Jacob Moli voiced his concerns around the team being undercooked leading into the tournament, but their match fitness has improved as the tournament has gone on, and they secured second place in Group A with some impressive football.
It’s been 12 years since a club from Vanuatu last reached the final of the OFC Men’s Champions League, but a further 17 years since a club from the Solomon Islands did so. One of those lengthy droughts will end tomorrow night in Ba, in what is expected to be a tightly fought contest between the two Melanesian rivals.
What the teams have said
“It will be special playing against a club from my country. Business is business though, and I coach Galaxy, so I am Vanuatuan now. It’s been a while since Tafea and Amicale were in the final, so this is a huge chance for Galaxy and Vanuatu football.”
– Batram Suri, Galaxy FC head coach
“We respect Galaxy FC. They have been one of the teams to watch at this tournament and impressed during the group stage. We have to go back to the training ground and make sure we prepare well for the semi-final.”
– Jacob Moli, Central Coast FC head coach
Photo credit: OFC Media via Phototek