Auckland City’s group games at the OFC Champions League in Vanuatu will be played at 1pm and 4pm (NZT) and are likely to be live-streamed.
The schedule for the 13-day tournament in May has allocated games to Luganville, where Auckland City will play, and Port Vila, with games starting at noon and 3pm (local time).
The OFC Champions League will take place in Vanuatu from May 14-27, 2023.
OFC have confirmed the following match schedule for the tournament:
Pool A
- Suva FC (runners-up 2022 Fiji National League)
- Lupe Ole Soaga (third place Samoa National League)
- Auckland City (2022 National League champions)
- Solomon Warriors (2022-23 Solomon Islands S-League champions)
Schedule
Games to be played on Sunday May 14, 2023
Auckland City v Solomon Warriors
Luganville, 1pm (NZT)
Suva FC v Lupe Ole Soaga
Luganville, 4pm (NZT)
Games to be played on Wednesday May 17, 2023
Solomon Warriors v Lupe Ole Soaga
Luganville, 1pm (NZT)
Suva FC v Auckland City
Luganville, 4pm (NZT)
Games to be played on Saturday May 20, 2023
Lupe Ole Soaga v Auckland City
Luganville, 1pm (NZT)
Solomon Warriors v Suva FC
Luganville, 4pm (NZT)
Pool B
- Ifira Black Bird (2022 Vanuatu VFF National Super League champions)
- Hekari United (runners-up 2022 Papua New Guinea National League)
- AS Pirae (2021-22 Tahiti Ligue 1 champions)
- AS Tiga Sport (2022 New Caledonia Super Ligue champions
Schedule
Games to be played on Monday May 15, 2023
AS Pirae v Tiga Sport
Port Vila, 1pm (NZT)
Ifira Blackbird v Hekari United
Port Vila, 4pm (NZT)
Games to be played on Thursday May 18, 2023
Tiga Sport v Hekari United
Port Vila, 1pm (NZT)
Ifira Blackbird v AS Pirae
Port Vila, 4pm (NZT)
Games to be played on Sunday May 21, 2023
Hekari United v AS Pirae
Port Vila, 1pm (NZT)
Tiga Sport v Ifira Blackbird
Port Vila, 4pm (NZT)
Knockout stages
Semi-finals
Games to be played on Wednesday May 24, 2023
Winner Group A v Runner-Up Group B
Port Vila, 12.30pm (NZT)
Winner Group B v Runner-Up Group A
Port Vila, 4pm (NZT)
Final
Game to be played on Saturday May 27, 2023
VFF Freshwater Stadium, Port Vila, 3pm (NZT)
FIFA Club World Cup
The winner of the eight-team tournament will qualify to represent OFC at the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia (December 12-22).
Seven clubs will compete at the Club World Cup — a Saudi team to represent the host nation, and the representatives from six football confederations, UEFA (Europe), CONMEBOL (South America), CONCACAF (North & Central America), CAF (Africa), AFC (Asia) and Oceania.
Japanese club Urawa Red Diamonds, from the J-League, are assured of a place at the tournament after qualifying for the two-legged final of the AFC Champions League (against Al Hilal on April 29 and May 6).
Win or lose, Red Diamonds will take their place at the December tournament.
If they are beaten by Al Hilal, the Saudi team will secure a spot. If Al Hilal fail, their place will be taken by the Saudi Professional League champion club. The current favourites are Al-Nassr whose star player is Cristiano Ronaldo.
More information
The Oceania Football Confederation plans to launch a professional men’s league in 2025, a competition that will replace the current OFC Champions League.
READ MORE: FIFA president pledges support for launch of professional league in Oceania >>>>
READ MORE: Our previous stories about the OFC Champions League >>>>
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