Melbourne set to host OFC Pro League round 3

The Oceania Football Confederation [OFC] has confirmed that Melbourne will serve as the battleground for the third round of the OFC Pro League, with 15 matches scheduled across two venues starting later this month.

The competition, running from February 21 to March 4, will utilize the state-of-the-art Home of the Matildas at La Trobe University and the historic Olympic Village in Heidelberg West.

Due to the rescheduling of three Round 1 fixtures, the Melbourne leg will see a congested calendar. While all eight participating clubs will play at least three matches, six clubs including Papua New Guinea’s Hekari FC, are slated for four games to clear the backlog.

Match days are officially scheduled for February 24, 25, 27, 28, and March 3 and 4.

The Home of the Matildas, which opened in July 2023, stands as the central hub for Australian women's football. The facility, which hosts Melbourne Victory and various youth fixtures, features an 800-seat grandstand alongside elite-level recovery areas and high-performance gyms.

In contrast, the Olympic Village offers a deep connection to sporting history. Built for the 1956 Olympic Games, the 12,000-capacity stadium has been the home of NPL Victoria mainstay Heidelberg United for over four decades.

All eyes will be on PNG Hekari FC as they look to turn their season around. Currently searching for their first win of the campaign, Hekari faces a grueling four-game stretch in Victoria.

Their campaign kicks off on February 22 at Olympic Village against Solomon Kings FC. They then move to the Home of the Matildas for clashes against Bula FC [Feb 25] and Vanuatu United [Feb 28].

Hekari will conclude their Melbourne stay on March 3 with a critical wash-out fixture against Tahiti United, a match previously postponed from the opening round.

OFC officials stated that ticket details for the Melbourne series will be released to the public shortly.