Papua New Guinea’s Hekari Football Club, formerly known as Hekari United, are preparing for their first-ever campaign in the OFC Pro League with ambitions of finishing among the top four, according to The National. The Port Moresby-based club unveiled their new name and logo this week, marking what general manager Wira Wama described as a major milestone in the team’s evolution toward full professionalism.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Wama confirmed that most senior players have already entered camp to begin pre-season training, while younger talents from the Hekari Academy have been promoted to reinforce the club’s Premier Soccer League (PSL) men’s side. “It’s a big transition for us,” Wama said. “In our four-year technical plan, we want to see our players progressing into the Pro League. We have a base through our academy teams in Port Moresby, Vanimo, and Kokopo, and where needed, talents will be identified and brought up to play in our PSL team.”
Wama emphasised that Hekari’s developmental structure is designed to build sustainability in Papua New Guinean football. “It’s a long-term thing—academy players progressing up to the Premier League and then, hopefully, making it into the Pro League. This is the pathway for our players, not only for Hekari but PNG as a whole,” he added.
The club has strengthened its technical staff and received continued support from long-standing sponsors MRDC, Petroleum Resources Kutubu (PRK), and Kutubu Security Service (KSS), who have backed Hekari for more than two decades. Their renewed commitment comes as the club aims to re-establish itself as a regional powerhouse after years of domestic dominance.
As part of league regulations, each team must register three non-Oceania and three Oceania foreign players. Wama confirmed that Hekari have signed three Brazilians who have already joined camp, along with one player each from Vanuatu, Fiji, and the Solomon Islands. The club has also reached agreements with local PSL teams, including Admiralty Islands, United Highlands, and Lae City Dwellers, to release players for the upcoming campaign.
With the OFC Pro League set to kick off on January 10, Hekari FC’s preparations are in full swing. Their combination of international recruits, academy graduates, and experienced local talent underscores a clear ambition: to compete at the highest level of Pacific football while laying the foundation for Papua New Guinea’s next generation of stars.
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