A total of 18 teams from all 11 OFC member associations may enter the competition.
The seven associations (Fiji, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tahiti, Vanuatu) are awarded a berth each in the groups stage, after playing a national playoff between the top 2 clubs in the league.
The four associations (American Samoa, Cook Islands, Samoa, Tonga) are awarded one berth each in the qualifying stage, with the winners advancing to the group stage.
Location of teams of the 2023 OFC Champions League. Teams entering the National playoffs; (H) Group stage host Teams entering the qualifying stage; (h) Qualifying stage host
The draw for the qualifying stage was held on 1 February 2023 at the OFC Headquarters in Auckland, New Zealand.[4]
The four teams in the qualifying stage played each other on a round-robin basis at a centralised venue. The winners, Lupe ole Soaga, advanced to the group stage to join the 7 direct entrants.[4] The qualifying stage was hosted in Apia by Football Federation Samoa.[5]
^The Veitongo v Ilaoa and To'omata match was cancelled due to the threat of a cyclone closing in on Samoa.[6][7] Both teams were already eliminated prior to the cancellation.
National play-offs
On 10 February 2023, OFC announced that 7 sets of national playoffs would take place to determine which side from those nations would take part in this year's Champions League. [8]
The four teams in each group will play each other on a round-robin basis at a centralised venue in Vanuatu.[9] The winners and runners-up of each group will advance to the semi-finals of the knockout stage.
The draw of the group stage were announced by the OFC on 23 March 2023.[10][11] The 8 teams were drawn into two groups of four. Ifira Black Bird were pre-determined to play in Port Vila and so were automatically drawn into group B.
^The Lupe ole Soaga v Suva match was cancelled due to injuries in the Lupe ole Soaga squad. Lupe ole Soaga SC will have all its matches cancelled and considered null and void. OFC will award victory and the resultant three points to the opposing team as well as the score of 3–0.[12]
^The Lupe ole Soaga v Solomon Warriors match was cancelled due to injuries in the Lupe ole Soaga squad. Lupe ole Soaga SC will have all its matches cancelled and considered null and void. OFC will award victory and the resultant three points to the opposing team as well as the score of 3–0.[12]
^The Lupe ole Soaga v Auckland City match was cancelled due to injuries in the Lupe ole Soaga squad. Lupe ole Soaga SC will have all its matches cancelled and considered null and void. OFC will award victory and the resultant three points to the opposing team as well as the score of 3–0.[12]
