They may be the only squad in Group A without any players who featured in the inaugural OFC Pro League, but New Caledonian club AS Tiga Sport see this as an opportunity to showcase their talents to the rest of the region.
“One of our key objectives is to highlight the talent of New Caledonian players,” says head coach Léonardo Lopez. “This OFC Men’s Champions League provides an exceptional platform for them.”
“We hope they can attract the attention of scouts and earn opportunities to join an OFC Pro League club from 2027. That would be a fantastic opportunity for them and a major boost for the future of football in New Caledonia.”
AS Tiga Sport are returning to the OFC Men’s Champions League for the third time in four editions, having lost 0-1 to Hekari United FC on a run to the semi-finals in Honiara last year. This time though, they arrive as outsiders to make a splash.
Drawn alongside Auckland City FC, AS Vénus, and Central Coast FC, AS Tiga Sport’s three group opponents feature 23 of the 34 players at the tournament who gained professional experience in the Pro League earlier this year, in comparison to their none.
“We know the standard will be even higher than in previous editions with the way that many clubs have strengthened their squads with players from the OFC Pro League. We expect it to be more competitive than last year.”
“Our ambition is to produce the best performances possible in every match and go as far as we can in the competition. Beyond the results, however, we want to leave a positive impression of AS Tiga Sport, Tiga Island, and New Caledonia, and show that even a club from a small territory can compete with Oceania’s best through hard work, passion, humility, and determination.”
History
AS Tiga Sport will be making their third appearance in the group stage of the OFC Men’s Champions League this year.
They were semi-finalists last year but suffered a group stage elimination on their tournament debut in 2023.
The Coach: Léonardo Lopez
Joining the club in 2023, head coach Léonardo Lopez has led AS Tiga Sport at both of their two previous OFC Men’s Champions League campaigns.
The 45-year-old Frenchman also serves as the head coach of the New Caledonian U-17 national team, who he took to FIFA U-17 World Cup™ 2025 last year, and recently led at OFC U-16 Men’s Championship 2026 in Papua New Guinea
The Squad
They may not have any Pro League players to call upon but AS Tiga Sport still pack some experience, particularly with six New Caledonian internationals in their squad, including both Shene Welepane and Morga Mathelon, who are both in the double digits for international caps.
Eleven of the squad also remain from last year’s run to the semi-final, with eight having played in both of their previous two campaigns.
Player to Watch: Shene Welepane
A veteran of five OFC Men’s Champions League campaigns, and both of AS Tiga’s Sport previous appearances at the competition, the experience of 28-year-old midfielder Shene Welepane will be relied upon heavily.
Welepane also has 24 international caps and six goals for New Caledonia, coming off the bench for a six-minute cameo in their FIFA World Cup 2026™ semi-final play-off against Jamaica earlier in the year.
Squad List:
Match Schedule:
Monday 10th August, 12pm local time
AS Vénus v AS Tiga Sport
Churchill Park, Lautoka
Thursday 13th August, 12pm local time
AS Tiga Sport v Auckland City FC
Churchill Park, Lautoka
Sunday 16th August, 3pm local time
AS Tiga Sport v Central Coast FC
4R Govind Park, Ba
How to Watch
OFC Men’s Champions League 2026 will be taking place in Fiji from 9-22 August. You can watch the action LIVE and FREE on FIFA+ via DAZN HERE