Bula Boys FC has been cleared to compete in the OFC Pro League as Fiji’s representative, but the club will operate separately from the national men’s team. Keeping the same name, the Bula Boys will function as a club entity with its own management structure, distinct from the Fiji Football Association (Fiji FA), and will be governed similarly to how the Fijian Drua operates in rugby, under a franchise model.
Under the arrangement, Fiji FA will remain the major shareholder and will provide support during the startup phase, but the association will not intervene in the day-to-day running of the club. The Bula Boys FC will have its own board, investors, and officials appointed to various roles. A General Manager for the club is set to be announced next week, with further positions to be advertised in the near future, and the team base will be revealed at a later date.
Fiji FA chief executive Mohammad Yusuf says this structure is a strategic step that offers a significant opportunity for local players to broaden their skillset and advance their careers through professional competition. The inaugural OFC Pro League season is scheduled to run from January to May 2026.
This development aligns with the OFC’s rollout of a new eight-club Pro League, which will feature Fiji’s Bula Boys among the regional lineup. Licensing remains a central element of the process, with clubs required to hold the OFC Pro League Club License and a cap of two clubs per member association. The competition format is a circuit-series with a minimum of 17 matches per club, played on a home-and-away basis, potentially across venues in New Zealand, Australia and other Pacific locations, in addition to fixtures back home in Fiji.
Beyond Fiji, the Pro League is pitched as Oceania’s pathway to elevated international competition, including a route to the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup. The initiative is expected to drive sponsorship, investment in football infrastructure, and development pathways across the Pacific, helping to raise coaching standards and youth programs.
Outlook for Fiji is largely positive: the club structure could deliver greater cross-border matchups, wider broadcasting interest, and stronger regional partnerships, while the licensing framework ensures competitive integrity as the league takes shape. December meetings with potential sponsors are anticipated to help form a governing consortium to own and operate the teams, with governance and financial arrangements shaping the league’s early operations.
In summary, the Bula Boys FC’s status as Fiji’s professional club in the OFC Pro League marks a historic step for the nation’s football, offering local talent a platform to compete at a higher level while laying groundwork for regional growth and long-term professionalization in Oceania. The coming months will determine licensing outcomes, sponsorship deals, and exact logistics as the 2026 season approaches.
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