The new Ofc Pro League will start on 17 January 2026 from Auckland: eight teams from seven countries on the continent are ready to compete
A never-before-seen soccer league is poised to change the fate of ocean ball. It’s called Ofc Pro League (Oceanian Football Confederation) and will start on January 17, 2026 from Eden Park, Auckland. It is the region’s first fully professional competition, and was officially unveiled before Pacific football leaders last night. Eight clubs and seven countries represented will give life to a tournament that promises to rewrite local history. “From here on the landscape of our football will change,” president Lambert Maltock said proudly, opening the ceremony.
the competition
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The format is clear: traveling competition, structure of six blocks of three matches before the final phase, at least 17 matches for each team, semi-finals and final in May (again at Eden Park). After the first 14 races the split between the top four and bottom four will begin. In addition to New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands will also host stops. And the baptism of the calendar could immediately propose the internal derby between Aotearoa, Auckland FC-South Island United.
the Arab influence
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But who finances this revolution? Secretary General Franck Castillo explained that the economic details are still “being closed”, assuring however that the funds are “guaranteed”. Meanwhile, Fiji federation president Rajesh Patel revealed that the Saudi Tourism Authority would be ready to invest $20 million over four years. At the same time, Ofc would have allocated around 40 million to cover the league’s costs (excluding player and staff salaries), with FIFA ready to support the project.
Club World Cup 2029
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Speaking of FIFA, the stakes are high: the champion team will enter the Intercontinental Cup, while the best team of the first three editions will win a place in the 2029 Club World Cup. This is the piece that links the push of the organization led by Gianni Infantino to the growth path of the Pacific clubs, in a parallel that inevitably brings to mind the African Super League, which then ended up off the radar after just one edition. Will Oceania manage not to repeat the same parable? The task is ambitious: build solid foundations and a project that will last over time. The only certainty, for now, is in the kick-off. The countdown has started in Auckland: now it’s up to the pitch, the fans and the numbers.
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