These are the groups for the 2022 OCL.
The eight teams who will battle for continental glory, and with it the chance to represent Oceania at the FIFA Club World Cup 2022, have learned their group stage opposition following the draw for the OFC Champions League 2022.
The group stages and knockout stages of the OFC Champions League will be contested in New Zealand in August, with exact dates and locations to be confirmed shortly, the OFC writes in a press release.
OFC Competitions Director, Chris Kemp, conducted the draw at Auckland’s OFC Home of Football – Te Kahu o Kiwa earlier today, assisted by Henry Fa’arodo, a one-time OFC Champions League winner with Papua New Guinea’s Hekari United in 2009-10.
Following the recent conclusion of the OFC Champions League National Playoffs the draw allocated the eight qualified teams into two groups of four.
In Group A, Tahiti’s AS Vénus have been drawn alongside Vanuatu’s Galaxy FC, Papua New Guinea’s Lae City FC and first-time entrants Central Coast FC.
Group B is made up of the Cook Islands’ representative Nikao Sokattak FC, nine-time winners Auckland City FC, most recent champions Hienghène Sport and Fiji’s Rewa FC.
The winners and runners-up from each group will face each other in the semi-finals. The winners of the semi-finals will progress to the final, with the winner crowned champions of Oceania.
The last time a club in the OFC region were crowned continental champions was in 2019, making the return of this marquee competition even more anticipated than usual.
The winners will then have the chance to test themselves against some of the biggest clubs in world football by advancing to the FIFA Club World Cup later this year.
