Bolstered by the addition of nine players who recently featured for Solomon Kings FC in the OFC Pro League, Central Coast FC have the talent to go deep at OFC Men’s Champions League 2026.
Without a concentrated preparation ahead of the tournament though, they present an unknown quantity both to their opposition, and their own head coach.
“The S- League has only just started, and we’ve had only one match to see where we are at the moment,” says coach Jacob Moli. They began their domestic title defence with a 1-0 win over Marist FC last Sunday.
Semi-finalists in 2022, they have been drawn into a tough Group A alongside Auckland City FC, AS Vénus, and AS Tiga Sport.
“We’re in the group of death, especially with Auckland City FC in it. But they’re all good sides. We just have to go there and try our best.”
They may not be battle-hardened, but the addition of players with professional experience should surely benefit Central Coast as they look to spring a surprise in Fiji.
History
Central Coast FC have qualified for a third OFC Men’s Champions League, after previous appearances in 2022 and 2025.
They suffered a disappointing group stage exit as tournament hosts last year, but were semi-finalists in 2022, where they lost 0-2 to Auckland City in the last four.
The Coach: Jacob Moli
A former Solomon Islands international during his playing days, Jacob Moli has served as head coach since the club was founded in 2020 and was at the helm for both of their previous Men’s Champions League campaigns.
Under Moli’s guidance, Central Coast FC have won three domestic S-League titles in 2021, 2024, and 2025.
“It’s another privilege to be involved with Central Coast in this edition of the OFC Men’s Champions League,” he says. “It’s another challenge, but we’ll take it head on and try our best.”
The Squad
As mentioned, nine of Moli’s squad recently played for Solomon Kings FC, the Solomon Islands first professional football team, in the inaugural season of the OFC Pro League. They include Rafa Lea’i, Bobby Leslie, Javin Wae, and Junior David.
“I’m glad that they have joined the team because their experience with Solomon Kings has lifted the standard of our training sessions for the other players,” says Moli.
More than half of the squad are also Solomon Islands internationals, and 17 players have at least one OFC Men’s Champions League campaign behind them.
There will be no concern about the experience of their squad, but how they compete in Fiji with limited match fitness under their belt will be intriguing.
Player to Watch: Rafa Lea’i
The golden boy of Solomon Islands football, Rafa Lea’i returned to Oceania for the Pro League earlier in the year, after time playing abroad in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in the Australian NPL. Unfortunately, his Pro League campaign never really hit any great heights though, scoring one goal from 15 appearances for the Solomon Kings.
The 22-year-old forward is still a developing talent, and 14 goals in 26 international caps for the Solomon Islands national team proves he can find the back of the net with regularity. He scored two goals in three games when he played in the OFC Men’s Champions League for the first time as a teenager in 2020 and will be eager to show his added experience now six years later with Central Coast.
Squad List
Match Schedule:
Group A
Monday 10th August, 3pm
Central Coast FC v Auckland City FC
Churchill Park, Lautoka
Thursday 13 August, 3pm
Central Coast FC v AS Vénus
Churchill Park, Lautoka
Sunday 16 August, 3pm
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