Vanuatu United will play Australian A-League club Central Coast Mariners in the 2026 PacificAus Sports Challenge next month, marking the first time a team from the OFC Pro League will face an A-League side.

It will also see Vanuatu United play their first official game on home soil, with the two-match series taking place at Freshwater Stadium in Port Vila, with fixtures on September 9 and 12 respectively.

The Pro League side were semi-finalists in their inaugural season, topping the Challengers Group before beating Fiji's Bula FC 2-1 in a dramatic semi-final playoff. They fell in the final four to eventual runners-up South Melbourne FC.

Vanuatu Football Federation General Secretary Albert Manaroto highlighted the importance of this announcement for the development of football in the country.

"On behalf of the Vanuatu Football Federation (VFF) and the entire football family of Vanuatu, we formally acknowledge and express our profound gratitude to Football Australia, PacificAus Sports, and the Australian High Commission in Vanuatu for their invaluable assistance and collaborative efforts in facilitating the upcoming friendly matches.

"Specifically, we appreciate the agreement to host fixtures between Central Coast Mariners and Vanuatu United FC. These opportunities are invaluable in providing our players and technical staff with a high-level football experience that is critical to the continued development and professional growth of the sport in Vanuatu.

"The support extended by the Australian High Commission has been instrumental in ensuring the smooth coordination and success of this initiative, and we are deeply thankful for their continued commitment to strengthening football ties between our two nations."