Vanuatu United FC
| Full name | Vanuatu United Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname | The Chiefs |
| Founded | 2025 |
| Owner | Vanuatu Football Federation |
| General manager | Christian Happel |
| Head coach | Lars Hopp |
| League | OFC Professional League |
Vanuatu United Football Club, commonly known as Vanuatu United, is a men's professional association football club based in Vanuatu which plans to compete in the OFC Professional League (OFCPL). Vanuatu United is also one of the eight founding clubs competing in the inaugural 2026 season.
History
Vanuatu FC was selected in August 2025 as one of the OFC Professional League's (OFCPL) eight charter clubs.[1][2][3] The club plans to commence play in the league's inaugural 2026 season.[4] On 11 September, the club was officially renamed to Vanuatu United FC stating that the name better reflects the clubs ambition to unite all football fans across the country. [5]
Players
First team squad
- As of 17 January 2026
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Club officials
Technical Officials
| Position | Name | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| Head Coach | Lars Hopp | [6] |
| Assistant Coach | Richard Iwai | [7] |
Management
| Position | Name | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| General Manager | Christian Happel | [8] |
See also
- List of football clubs in Vanuatu
- List of top-division football clubs in OFC countries
- Vanuatu national football team
References
- ^ "Auckland and Christchuch to enter OFC Professional League". Radio New Zealand. 29 August 2025. Archived from the original on 29 August 2025. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
- ^ Duerden, John (30 August 2025). "New Oceania soccer competition hopes to raise level of the sport in the Pacific region". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 30 August 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
- ^ Agence France-Presse (29 August 2025). "Clubs picked for 'historic' first Oceania pro football league". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ Hinge, Keith (28 August 2025). "OFC Confirms Vanuatu FC Among Eight Clubs for First-Ever Professional League". Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation (VBTC). Archived from the original on 30 August 2025. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
- ^ "Vanuatu FC Renamed "Vanuatu United FC" to Represent the Whole Nation". vff.vu. Vanuatu Football Federation. Retrieved 11 September 2025.
- ^ "Lars Hopp Appointed as Head Coach of Vanuatu United FC". Vanuatu Football Federation. 17 October 2025. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
- ^ Molivakoro, Vourie. "Iwai joins Vanuatu United FC as a coach". The Vanuatu Daily Post. Retrieved 3 February 2026.
- ^ "Vanuatu FC Joins OFC Pro League: Christian Happel Leads Nation's First Pro Club". Vanuatu Football Federation. 4 September 2025. Retrieved 4 September 2025.