OFC President David Chung will preside over the draws which begin at 14h30 (local time).
2011/12 O-League
Among the attendees will be representatives from the eight clubs competing for the coveted O-League trophy and a place at the FIFA Club World Cup 2012. These teams include defending champions Auckland City (New Zealand), Amicale (Vanuatu), Ba (Fiji), Hekari United (Papua New Guinea), Koloale (Solomon Islands), Mont-Dore (New Caledonia), Tefana (Tahiti) and Waitakere United (New Zealand).
All eight clubs have competed in at least one O-League since its inception in 2007 with only Ba and Mont-Dore missing out on the previous edition.
Based on seeding, sporting reasons and travel considerations, the OFC Executive Committee resolved in June that the format for the 2011/12 season will be as follows:
Group A:
Ba (FIJ)
Mont-Dore (NCL)
Tefana (TAH)
Waitakere United (NZL)
Group B:
Auckland City (NZL)
Amicale (VAN)
Hekari United (PNG)
Koloale (SOL)
Today’s draw will decide the position of each team within the groups, enabling OFC to complete the full schedule from Match Day 1 (29/30 October 2011) through to the home-and-away final set to take place in April/May 2012.
XIV Pacific Games
After the O-League teams learn their fate, the official draw for the XIV Pacific Games will take place.
A total of 11 men’s teams and 9 women’s teams will take part in the football tournaments at the Pacific Games to be held in New Caledonia from 27 August to 9 September 2011.
The event had previously been earmarked to act as an OFC qualifier for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ and Women’s Olympic Football Tournament London 2012 but the qualification process has since been altered. OFC is nonetheless supporting the Pacific Games Council in administering the football tournaments, beginning with the delivery of the draw in Auckland tomorrow.
For the men’s tournament, the teams will be drawn from seeded pots to complete Group A (6 teams) and Group B (5 teams). Participating teams include: American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Guam, Kiribati, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
The same procedure will follow for the women’s draw to complete Group A (5 teams) and Group B (4 teams). Participating teams include: American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Guam, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Tonga.
Online Coverage
With the draws streaming live online, OFC General Secretary Tai Nicholas says the interest in regional football continues to grow.
“Whether it is Auckland City or Waitakere United who have not missed an O-League campaign, or Hekari United who were champions in 2010, or Mont-Dore who competed in the inaugural season back in 2007 – all of these clubs have built up strong fan bases over many years,” says Nicholas.
“We want to take the game to the people so they can be part of the experience. That is the very essence of the O-League which is founded on the home-and-away format ensuring fans can witness top quality football across the Pacific.”
“There is also intense public interest in the Pacific Games with 20 teams taking part in the men’s and women’s football tournaments starting this month. We are delighted to stream the draws live tomorrow so fans can closely follow the fate of their favourite teams.”
The draw procedure will begin today (Tuesday 19 July) at 14h30 (local time) streaming live online at oceaniafootball.com