Hekari United F.C.

Hekari United
Full nameHekari United Football Club
Founded2006; 18 years ago (2006) (restructured)
GroundPNG Football Stadium
Capacity14,800
Head coachErickson Komeng
LeaguePapua New Guinea Premier Soccer League
2024Papua New Guinea Premier Soccer League, 1st of 8 (champions)

Hekari United, formerly known as POM Souths, Souths United, PRK Souths United and Hekari Souths United, is a professional soccer club formed in 2006,[1] based in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

The club holds the record for most titles in the Papua New Guinea National Soccer League, having won nine titles, including eight consecutive titles from 2006 to 2014.[2] They are also one of the two clubs from outside Australia and New Zealand to have won the OFC Champions League, and therefore to have represented Oceania at the FIFA Club World Cup, having achieved both in 2010.[1][3][4][5]

After chairman John Kapi Natto spearheaded a split from the National Soccer League in 2017, the club competed for two seasons in the Papua New Guinea National Premier League,[6] winning the inaugural edition.[7][8] The club returned to the National Soccer League for the 2019 season, finishing second.[9][10]

  1. ^ a b FIFA.com. "FIFA Club World Cup UAE 2010 - Matches - Al Wahda-Hekari United FC". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 9 December 2010. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  2. ^ "Papua New Guinea - List of Champions". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 4 February 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  3. ^ FIFA.com (11 May 2018). "Duo eye breakthrough continental glory". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 11 May 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  4. ^ Conduit, Rox. "FBC News". www.fbc.com.fj. Archived from the original on 26 May 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  5. ^ Reporter, M. Satya Narayan, Senior (30 November 2010). "Hekari United set for historic debut". GulfNews. Archived from the original on 26 May 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ "New body launched - The National". The National. 27 February 2017. Archived from the original on 15 June 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference :6 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference :7 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference :8 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).