The match schedule for the inaugural OFC Pro League has been confirmed, as the countdown continues until football in the Pacific steps into an exciting new era.
Following on from last month’s historic launch event held at Eden Park in Auckland, we now know who will be playing who and when, as the action kicks off on Saturday January 17 in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Round 2 of the circuit series will be played in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, with Round 3 in Australia, Round 4 held in Honiara, Solomon Islands and Round 5 in Ba and Suva, Fiji, before the League returns to New Zealand for the final set of fixtures in May.
Vanuatu United FC of Vanuatu and Fiji’s Bula FC will have the honour of playing the first-ever match in the OFC Pro League, when they meet at Eden Park, before Auckland FC take on South Island United, in what promises to be an explosive first chapter in the north versus south New Zealand derby.
The following day, Tahiti United take on Australia’s South Melbourne FC, before a hotly anticipated clash between close neighbours PNG Hekari FC of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Kings FC, as the league kicks into gear.
Sunday, February 1 is one to mark in the diary, with the first trans-Tasman clash scheduled, as South Island United take on South Melbourne.
Teams will play 14 matches each in total during the first phase, before the league splits into two sections – Leaders and Challengers – following the final round of phase one fixtures on April 18.
From there, the stakes rise even further, with phase two – played from May 6-13 – determining who will book their place in the semi-finals.
The single-leg semi-finals will take place on Wednesday, May 20, before the build up begins to the OFC Pro League final, on Sunday, May 24.