Auckland United FC head to the Solomon Islands next week as the benchmark side in Oceania, chasing an historic third straight OFC Women’s Champions League title after winning the previous two editions.
The club has also won the New Zealand Women’s National League three years in a row, currently sit atop the NRFL Women’s Premier standings, and pushed Asian champions Wuhan Jiangda to the brink before suffering a narrow 1-0 defeat to a late goal in the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup™ in China. It is a group built on consistency, resilience and a belief that pressure is earned rather than feared.
Co-coaches Jo Dawkins and Craig McGinlay bring valuable tournament experience, with Dawkins having been assistant to former coach Ben Bate in the successful campaigns in Solomon Islands (2024) and Tahiti (2025) while McGinlay was also part of the coaching group last year in Papeete.
Dawkins describes the co-coaching model as a genuine strength, with both coaches’ offering different skill sets and the ability to challenge and sharpen each other’s thinking. That collaborative dynamic has flowed through the squad, helping create strong relationships with players and a structure that has served the team well through the opening stretch of the year.
Mentally, Auckland United’s framing the campaign with a simple mantra: pressure is a privilege. From their perspective, qualifying for the OFC Women’s Champions League is the reward for sustained excellence, not an added burden. The challenge in Honiara will be familiar but still unforgiving: extreme heat, humidity and demanding playing conditions that cannot truly be replicated in New Zealand.
What experience does offer, however, is a better understanding of how to manage the tournament off the field, preserving energy, adapting recovery routines and planning carefully so the team can make another deep run.
If there is a measuring stick in this competition, it is Hekari Women FC, the Papua New Guinea side Auckland United have faced in the last two finals. Dawkins acknowledges the rivalry but speaks with equal respect about a club that continues to improve and now features a squad packed with international quality and greater tournament experience. More broadly, Auckland United expect a stronger field across the Pacific as women’s football continues to develop, with opponents becoming better prepared, more competitive and well suited to the conditions.
Dawkins has identified three players in his side to watch.
Piper O’Neill is one of the club’s most exciting homegrown prospects, having grown rapidly since travelling to the Solomon Islands as a 15-year-old in 2024 and later representing New Zealand at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.
Alaina Granger is rated internally as one of the country’s best ball-playing centre-backs, combining composure in possession with experience from previous OFC campaigns. Whilst in midfield, newcomer Aniela Jensen has added creativity and work rate after returning from the United States college system, giving Auckland United another influential presence in the centre of the park.
Auckland United are in Group B and face Drehu Athletico Club from New Caledonia in their opening match before meeting the Qualifying winner Puaikura FC from the Cook Islands.
Auckland United squad list:
