Auckland FC celebrate a goal by Neyder Moreno. Photo / Photosport
Auckland FC and the Wellington Phoenix will both chase a place in the new Oceania Professional League, a competition backers hope will transform football in the wider region.
The ambitious venture, which is being backed by millions of dollars from Fifa, is set to kick off next January and run until May. It will involve eight clubs - seven from Oceania and one invited team from Australia. It’s expected there will be two New Zealand clubs, and in the future there is a possibility a team from Hawaii will join.
In a briefing on Tuesday, where details of the format, the draw and criteria for entry were outlined, Oceania Football Confederation general secretary Franck Castillo described the OFC Pro League as a “revolution” for the sport.
OFC will invest US$40 million ($70m) over the next four years, which covers all airfares and accommodation for the competing clubs, aside from the Australian entry given they are not part of the confederation.
Aside from offering professional opportunities for players and coaches across Oceania and driving improvement in standards, there is one carrot above all others. The winner of the regional league will qualify for Fifa’s club competitions, including the annual Fifa Intercontinental Cup and the new quadrennial Club World Cup, which is set to offer massive prizemoney.
That is a huge incentive to all prospective clubs but particularly Auckland FC and Wellington Phoenix, as they currently have no access to such Fifa competitions. Even if the Black Knights win the A-League this season, they would not be eligible to enter the Asian Champions League - as is usually the case with A-League champions - because they are a New Zealand-based franchise.
Both A-League clubs have been part of meetings over the past six months, along with teams from around the country competing at regional or national league level.
“We are interested in being part of it and finding out more about it,” Auckland FC chief executive Nick Becker told the Herald.
Phoenix general manager David Dome had a similar view.
“We want to be in those discussions,” Dome said. “We are keen to be part of that conversation…if we can make it work.”
How it will work is the biggest question, given their existing A-League commitments. There would be a need for a significant number of players, coaches and staff, though there would be some crossover. As an example, it is expected that players who have played more than seven A-League games in a particular season won’t be eligible to feature in the Pro League.
“There will be some kind of restrictions,” Castillo confirmed.
The quest for spots has caused considerable conjecture domestically. Some of the biggest clubs at the next level of the pyramid – like Auckland City, Wellington Olympic and Christchurch United – see this as their next step and wonder if the A-League clubs should be allowed to “double dip”.
OFC Pro League general manager Stuart Larman has an open mind.
“We want the strongest possible clubs,” Larman told the Herald. “But any clubs that are participating will have to add value and also buy into the values of the competition, including promoting football around the region.”
Larman said organisers would be wary of competitive balance, especially in the first two seasons.
Twelve New Zealand clubs attended the latest workshop two weeks ago and OFC expect at least four applications from this country. It’s a rigorous process. Prospective teams have more than 150 documents to submit and are assessed across 40 different criteria, with the final decisions made by an independent panel. Competition licences, which will be valid for four years, will be issued to successful clubs in September.
The league will run a circuit series model, loosely based on rugby sevens. There will be rounds across five cities in the Pacific before semifinals and a final, with each team guaranteed a minimum of 17 games. Squads will have 20-23 players, with no more than six non-domestic players and a maximum of three from outside Oceania.
Castillo hopes the league can be a gamechanger for the region, offering pathways for players – particularly in the Islands – where previously there has been virtually none. He also expects national teams around the region to get stronger and compete with the All Whites for the new automatic qualifying spot into the Fifa World Cup.
It will also drive investment, both from governments and private backers. It’s understood there has already been interest from a European club – in a big footballing nation – in one of the new island clubs. It could also be complementary to a multi-club model.
The Pro League has been Castillo’s prized project since 2018, when the idea was conceived after discussions with OFC president Lambert Matlock. Castillo acknowledges the massive challenges – particularly around logistics, travel and lack of infrastructure - but is adamant it will work.
“We know the challenges,” Castillo said. “They are big in this region. Even New Zealand doesn’t have capacity to have a professional league. But we have no choice.
“This is the only way to develop football and we have to elevate the level – otherwise how can Oceania be significant? For us it is an obligation. And when you see the talent around the region it is a waste that they don’t get opportunities.”
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist since 2005, winning several national awards and covering Olympics, Fifa World Cups and America’s Cup campaigns.