Founded | 1987 |
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Region | Oceania (OFC) |
Number of teams | 16 (group stage) 18 (total) (from 11 associations) |
Related competitions | FIFA Club World Cup |
Current champions | Auckland City (9th title) |
Most successful team(s) | Auckland City (9 titles) |
2017 OFC Champions League |
The OFC Champions League, also known as the O-League, is the premier men's club football competition in Oceania. It is organized by the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), Oceania's football governing body. It has been organized since 2007 under the current format, following its predecessor, the Oceania Club Championship. Eight O-League titles have been won by teams from New Zealand and one was won by a team from another country, Papua New Guinea champion Hekari United, who won the competition in the 2009–10 season by defeating New Zealand team Waitakere United and also becoming the first Pacific team to have won it.
During the 2014–15 season, the tournament became sponsored by Fiji Airways, therefore renaming the competition as the Fiji Airways OFC Champions League. Trophies for OFC tournaments, made by London-based silversmiths Thomas Lyte, are awarded to winners.
At first, this competition was played as a single playoff match between champions of New Zealand and Australia. That competition was held in 1987 and Adelaide City won the inaugural season. Then 12 years pause came, until OFC organized next, all Oceania Cup. In January 1999, the Oceania Club Championship was held in the Fijian cities of Nadi and Lautoka. Nine teams took part, with Australian side South Melbourne winning the trophy. They also qualified for the following year's FIFA Club World Cup. The next competition was held two years later, with an Australian team again winning the title. Wollongong Wolves won it, beating Vanuatu representative Tafea in the final. Two more editions were held under this name and format, with Sydney and Auckland City winning titles. OFC decided to change the competition format and name, so that since 2007 the competition is known as the OFC Champions League.