A historic milestone for Australian and Pacific football was marked at the Victorian Parliament on Thursday, February 19, with a special parliamentary event initiated by South Melbourne FC to commemorate the FIFA Oceanic Professional League.
The event brought together an unprecedented cross-section of political, sporting and regional leadership. In attendance were the Victorian Deputy Premier, six Ministers and ten Members of Parliament representing all major political parties, including Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Maree Edwards MP, Ministers Brooks and Sulyeman, former Minister Eren, and MPs Nina Taylor, John Pesutto, Anthony Cianflone, Lee Tarlamis, Belinda Wilson, Trung Luu, Ryan Batchelor, Wayne Farnham and Steve McGhie.
Senior football officials were also present, including the Chief Executive Officer and General Secretary of the Oceania Football Confederation, the Chairman of Football Australia, and head representatives from four Oceania nations.
Delegations from clubs across the region were welcomed, including Auckland FC and South Island United (New Zealand), Ba FC (Fiji), Hekari FC (Papua New Guinea), Solomon Islands’ Solomon Kings FC, Tahiti United and Vanuatu United.
Deputy Premier Ben Carroll said the tournament reflected football’s unmatched capacity to unite people across borders and cultures.
“We know football speaks all languages,” he said. “The Pacific nations tournament brings people together, and to have you all here in Victoria is incredibly important, particularly in a state where we pride ourselves on multiculturalism.”
Mr Carroll paid special tribute to South Melbourne FC co-president Bill Papastergiadis OAM, acknowledging his long-standing contribution to community engagement.
“It’s in Bill’s DNA to help others and build bridges,” he said. “We thank him for the countless hours he dedicates to bringing communities together and for regularly bringing the community into these halls of Parliament.”
Anthony Cianflone MP described the OFC professional league as one of the most significant football developments in the region’s history.
“To Bill Papastergiadis and Andrew Mesourouni, the co-presidents of South Melbourne Football Club, thank you for your stewardship and foresight in participating in the OFC and bringing this competition to Victoria,” he said.
“This is the first-ever tournament to bring together all of the professional sides across Oceania. It is a tremendous opportunity to build football outcomes on and off the pitch, alongside economic, trade, investment, cultural and people-to-people links. We are all part of the Oceania family, and it is an honour to welcome you into this building.”
John Pesutto MP reflected on football’s universality, sharing a personal story from his Kokoda Trail trek in Papua New Guinea.
“At the midway point, physically exhausted, I remember reaching a village where young kids were kicking a ball,” he said. “You don’t need language — you just join in. Football brings people together across socio-economic backgrounds and allows people to dream big.”
Speaker Maree Edwards MP said Victoria was proud of its enduring links with Pacific nations, including parliamentary partnerships with Fiji, Nauru and Tuvalu.
“Football has a unique power to bring people together across cultures,” she said. “It has created friendships here that don’t end on the pitch, and I am delighted to strengthen our relationship with the Pacific through this shared love of the game and through South Melbourne Football Club’s leadership.”
Nina Taylor MP also highlighted sport’s broader social role.
“At a time when there is conflict and division in the world, sport is a great unifier,” she said. “It can show how people can get along and lead with kindness.”
Representing Football Australia, Ante Isaac explained that the OFC professional league was the product of eight years of sustained investment and collaboration.
“On the surface, people might think this competition is simply about giving footballers the opportunity to play at a higher professional level,” he said. “But at its core, it is about nation-bridging and nation-building.”
Mr Isaac said Football Australia was proud that South Melbourne FC — recognised as the ‘Oceania Team of the Century’ — was representing Australia in the competition.
“We stand shoulder to shoulder with Oceania and all of its nations,” he said, calling on both the Australian and Victorian governments to continue supporting the OFC, the competition and South Melbourne FC. “This club is not just representing itself, but this city, this state and our country.”
South Melbourne FC co-president Andrew Mesourouni described the occasion as a defining moment for the club.
“It is a massive honour for South Melbourne to be part of the OFC and to be here in Parliament in front of such distinguished guests,” he said. “It is a huge opportunity and something we should continue to embrace.”
Bill Papastergiadis OAM said the day marked a historic first for Melbourne and Australia.
“For the first time, a FIFA confederation tournament is being played in our city,” he said. “Football is not just about players on the pitch — it is a vehicle for bringing communities and cultures together.”
He thanked the Victorian Parliament and the co-chairs of the Victorian Parliamentary Friends for Football for facilitating the event, as well as Deputy Premier Ben Carroll, Anthony Cianflone MP and John Pesutto MP for hosting.
“An investment in football is not merely an investment in a team, but an investment in all of us,” he said, adding that while South Melbourne would strive to win the Cup, its commitment to community and multiculturalism remained central.
OFC CEO Frank Castillo placed the league in a broader historical context, noting that Oceania had long been the only FIFA confederation without a professional competition.
“This project took eight years to build,” he said. “It is about creating an ecosystem — for players, referees, coaches and children — and leaving a real legacy in the Pacific.”
Mr Castillo also highlighted the close relationship between OFC and Australia following Football Australia’s move to the Asian confederation in 2007.
“They promised to work closely with OFC forever, and they have honoured that promise,” he said, pointing to internationally recognised social development programs delivered in partnership with the Australian Government.
The parliamentary reception underscored the significance of the FIFA Oceanic Professional League not only as a sporting breakthrough, but as a platform for diplomacy, social development and deeper engagement between Australia, Victoria and the wider Oceania region.
