PNG’s Hekari United set to sign Solomon Islands Star Striker Orobulu for OFC Pro League
By Crofton Utukana
Papua New Guinea’s Hekari United FC is set to sign national striker John Orobulu for the upcoming OFC Pro League, which is set to kick off in January 2026.
Hekari United head coach Marcos Alves Gusmão confirmed the news in an interview with SIBC Sports.
“We will be signing John Orobulu for the Pro League.
“John Orobulu is a good player, and I know the areas I can work on with him to further improve his performance,” Gusmão said.
The club’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Wira Wama said they expect Orobulu to join the team in Papua New Guinea this week.
“Right now, Orobulu has just returned home from the IDC tournament in Fiji. He went home to visit his family, but we’re hopeful he’ll join the team next week (this week),” Wama said.
Wama also confirmed that Orobulu’s teammate John Alick from Vanuatu, along with a Fijian player whose name he did not disclose, are also on the club’s radar.
Hekari is looking to fill its three Oceania slots with players from the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Fiji, while the three non-OFC slots will be occupied by their Brazilian imports.
According to competition regulations, each team must register 17 local players, with an additional three players allowed from within the OFC region and three from outside the OFC.
SIBC Sports understands that the Solomon Islands’ representative in the new regional competition, Solomon Kings FC, is also expected to announce its squad soon.
However, Orobulu will have the final say on which club he will represent in the inaugural OFC Pro League season.
A senior football fan also told SIBC Sports that the new pro league will bring excitement and opportunity for players across the region.
“It will be interesting, as money will be a driving factor for the players.
And it’s good because it will really help them support their families through their earnings,” he added.
The OFC officially launched the OFC Pro league last Wednesday at Eden Park Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand.
Eight clubs have been confirmed to participate in the region’s first-ever professional football league:
- Auckland FC (New Zealand)
- Bula FC (Fiji)
- Hekari United FC (Papua New Guinea)
- Solomon Kings FC (Solomon Islands)
- Southern Island United FC (New Zealand)
- South Melbourne FC (Australia)
- Tahiti United FC (Tahiti)
- Vanuatu United FC (Vanuatu)