Tupapa Maraerenga FC has added firepower with top players from local clubs and three from New Zealand for the OFC Men’s Champions League Qualifying Tournament this month.

The top Cook Islands club will feature in its eighth qualifying tournament from February 17 to 23 in Tonga in a bid to qualify for the OFC Men’s Champions League to be held in May.

Tupapa Maraerenga will take on American Samoa’s Vaiala Tonga FC, Samoa’s Vaivase-Tai FC, and Tonga’s own Veitongo FC. These teams will face off in a round-robin format with the winner heading to the Champions League.

That tournament, featuring eight of the best club sides in Oceania, will have two groups of four teams, representing Fiji, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Solomon Islands Papua New Guinea, Tahiti, Vanuatu and the qualifying tournament winner respectively.

Tupapa Maraerenga coach Mii Joseph said preparations have been going since the festive season with players working hard on their fitness and combinations.

The club held two warm-up matches against the Cook Islands Football Association Academy side, which comprised both national Under-19 and senior men’s team players.

“The warm up matches have given us the opportunity to identify areas where we can improve on and gauge our strength to get us ready for the opening match. It also provides match fitness to our players,” said Joseph, the former Tupapa Maraerenga FC skipper.

The team will feature a majority of their players from the 2023 season, winners of both the Round Cup and Knockout Cup titles.

The side will be led by the likes of veterans Grover Harmon, Paavo Mustonen and Teina Savage.

Joseph said they have recruited some players from local clubs and three from New Zealand – a former national rep and two new players – to bolster their campaign.

Joseph said they expect some tough matches in the qualifiers against American Samoa’s Vaiala Tonga FC, Samoa’s Vaivase-Tai FC, and Tonga’s Veitongo FC.

“We respect them as opponents but we will worry more about how we will play and execute our objectives and mission on the day of our games.”

The team will leave for Auckland on February 12, before heading to Tonga the following day.

The winner of the OFC Men’s Champions League 2024 will represent Oceania at the new FIFA Intercontinental Cup in December. The OFC winner will travel to either Africa or Asia to meet the winner of the CAF Champions League or AFC Champions League in the first round.