The work to decide the best eight teams to compete in the new Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Professional League begins soon, with 24 registered applications received when the deadline for expressions of interest closed on 28 January.

OFC Professional League manager Stuart Larman said it was a significant response, with the new league set to kick off in January 2026.

The race is now on for clubs to secure a spot in the elite eight-team competition, with the application process continuing through until the end of June.

Larman said the OFC Professional League is set to redefine the football landscape in the region, establishing a competitive and sustainable framework for elite football.

"Over the last few years, a lot of work has gone into structuring a professional league that will accelerate the growth of football across the region, including detailed preparation of the Club Application Process. It is very exciting for all involved that the response shows so many clubs share our vision and passion to develop professional football across Oceania," he said.

With eight premier teams from across the Pacific, the league promises to set new benchmarks for performance, competition, and opportunity for the sport across Oceania.

The 24 expressions of interest include six (6) from New Zealand, four (4) each from Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Australia, two (2) from New Caledonia and one (1) each from Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti and Vanuatu.

There was no interest from Tonga, the Cook Islands and American Samoa but there is possibility that clubs might be offering players from the three OFC members opportunities to also play for them in the league.

The processing timelines will see the conclusion of the club application process at the end of June, before the OFC Club Licensing Committee’s recommendations to the OFC Executive Committee in August, with teams that could be in the eight initial clubs.

The final approval and issuance of licenses to the eight selected clubs will be done by September, giving the clubs time to set up and secure their players.

- RNZ