Returning after four years away from the OFC Men’s Champions League, Lae City FC of Papua New Guinea bring a youthful look to the tournament in 2026.
Only three of the 23-man squad have featured in the group stages of the tournament before, and seven are teenagers who have impressed at international youth level for Papua New Guinea in recent OFC competitions.
“We’ve got a talented squad with some exciting young talent,” says head coach Valentine Nelson. “Our players are eager to test themselves against the region’s best, and this tournament is a great opportunity for them to showcase their talent.”
Lae City FC will be making their seventh appearance in the group stage of the tournament, having last featured in 2022, and have been drawn into Group B alongside Rewa FC, Galaxy FC, and Tupapa Maraerenga FC.
“Our preparation has been built around intensity, discipline and creating a strong team identity. “We want to represent Papua New Guinea with pride, make our supporters proud and show that Lae City can compete with the best clubs in Oceania.”
History
Lae City FC have progressed past the group stage twice before, both times when the competition was an expanded 16-team tournament, reaching the quarterfinals back-to-back in 2018 and 2019.
Their last campaign in 2022 was a disappointing one though, finishing bottom of Group B with just a single point.
The Coach: Valentine Nelson
Club stalwart Valentine Nelson will take the reins for Lae City FC at OFC Men’s Champions League 2026, having played in five of their six previous campaigns.
“Those experiences helped shape me both as a player and as a person,” he says. “Playing against the best clubs in the region taught me the importance of discipline, teamwork, and maintaining high standards on and off the field.”
Nelson is also a former Papua New Guinea international, collecting 8 caps, 3 of which came during FIFA World Cup™ 2014 qualifying.
The Squad
Goalkeeper Ronald Warisan, and defenders Phillip Steven and Langarap Samol are the only three players in Nelson’s squad to have played at an OFC Men’s Champions League before, all three of whom are also Papua New Guinea internationals, and will be relied upon heavily.
The average age of Lae City’s squad is 22.7, making them the second-youngest squad at the tournament, only above AS Vénus.
U-16 national team captain Matthew Sopo and teammate Bomcege Basananuc are two that recently impressed at OFC U-16 Men’s Championship 2026 but will have to bridge the gap in experience.
Player to Watch: Ronald Warisan
Of the three to have played at the tournament before, 36-year-old goalkeeper Ronald Warisan is the most experienced, and has played in all six of Lae City’s previous OFC Men’s Champions League campaigns.
He doesn’t have the number one jersey for the 2026 edition but will be key anywhere he steps around the Lae City camp. Warisan also 32 international caps for Papua New Guinea and was an OFC Men’s Nations Cup runner-up in 2016.
Squad List
Match Schedule
Sunday 9th August, 12pm local time
Lae City FC v Tupapa Maraerenga FC
Churchill Park, Lautoka
Wednesday 12th August, 7pm local time
Lae City FC v Galaxy FC
4R Govind Park, Ba
Saturday 15th August, 3pm local time
Rewa FC v Lae City 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