Galaxy FC take title-winning form and regional blend to Solomon Islands ahead of OFC Champions League

Galaxy FC will take the next stage of their preparations for the 2026 OFC Men’s Champions League to Solomon Islands, where the Vanuatu champions are set to play three international friendlies shortly before travelling to Fiji.

The Port Vila side will face Malaita Kings on 28 July, defending S-League champions Central Coast FC on 31 July and Sosa FC on 3 August. All three matches will kick off at 3pm at Lawson Tama Stadium in Honiara.

Galaxy are expected to arrive in Solomon Islands on 27 July and return to Port Vila on 4 August before continuing to Fiji for Oceania’s leading club competition, which will be played in Ba and Lautoka from 9 to 22 August.

Head coach Batram Suri believes the tour will give his players the level of opposition and international exposure required before they face the strongest clubs from around the Pacific.

“We are excited to have the opportunity to gain international exposure before the OFC Champions League. These matches will help us improve in a few areas that still need work,” Suri told Star Sports

The former Solomon Islands international also expects the matches to provide valuable experience for members of the squad who have not previously competed regularly outside Vanuatu.

“We are expecting three top-quality matches. The tour will not only benefit us but also Central Coast, as I understand they have not had any competitive matches since last season ahead of the regional competition,” he added.

Galaxy will arrive in Honiara carrying considerable momentum. Earlier this month, the club retained the VFF Champions League title after defeating Classic FC 4-0 in the final at Freshwota Stadium.

The victory completed a remarkable campaign in which Galaxy scored 30 goals and did not concede once. It was the club’s second consecutive VFF Champions League crown and, according to the team, its fourth trophy of the season.

Brazilian forward Willian dos Santos Medina was the competition’s leading scorer with 16 goals. He produced hat-tricks in both the 4-0 semi-final victory over Police FC and the final against Classic, finishing the tournament with more than half of Galaxy’s total goals.

His compatriot Roberson Felipe dos Santos Ribeiro added four goals and was named the best player of the final. Romain Luake scored five times and received the best-player award following the semi-final, while Henry Namatak contributed two goals.

Claude Aru, Thomas Maliwan and Solomon Islands defender Junior Aengari Gagame completed Galaxy’s list of goalscorers during the tournament.

The individual awards reflected the wider influence of Galaxy’s international contingent. Suri was named the competition’s best coach, while Solomon Islands goalkeeper Michael Laulae received the best-goalkeeper award after helping the club complete the tournament without conceding.

Laulae is one of four Solomon Islands players in the squad alongside Junior Aengari, Jayson Kofela and Clifton Sale. Galaxy have also maintained an experienced Ni-Vanuatu core containing several past and present national-team players, including Kensi Tangis, Bong Kalo, Claude Aru, Joe Moses, Henry Namatak and Romain Luake.

That combination of Brazilian quality, Solomon Islands influence and Vanuatu experience has become an important part of Galaxy’s identity. The foreign recruits have provided decisive contributions, but they have joined an established local group capable of competing for titles and carrying the club’s ambitions beyond domestic football.

Suri called on supporters in Honiara to watch the team during the tour and highlighted the mixture of footballing backgrounds within his squad.

“I call on all football supporters to come out and enjoy top-quality football and watch the exciting mix of Brazilian, Solomon Islands and Ni-Vanuatu talent in our team,” he said.

Galaxy have remained unbeaten in competitive matches during 2026. Their only defeat this year came in a 2-1 friendly against Vanuatu United FC in April, while Suri confirmed that the squad currently has no injury concerns.

The Vanuatu champions also began their PVFA President’s Cup campaign with a 3-1 victory over Tupuji Imere. The competition has allowed Galaxy to maintain their match rhythm following the VFF Champions League, although the approaching Solomon Islands tour will now provide a more direct test of their continental preparations.

The match against Central Coast will be particularly significant. The two clubs met during Galaxy’s most recent OFC Champions League appearance in 2022, when the Solomon Islands representatives claimed a 3-1 group-stage victory in Auckland.

Galaxy began that tournament with a 2-2 draw against Lae City before losing to Central Coast. They then defeated eventual finalists AS Vénus 1-0 through a Bong Kalo goal, but their four points were not enough to secure a place in the knockout stage.

The club had made a stronger impact during its first continental campaign in 2020. Galaxy defeated defending Oceania champions Hienghène Sport 4-1 and drew 2-2 with New Zealand side Eastern Suburbs to reach the quarter-finals. Their campaign could not continue after the knockout stage was postponed and eventually abandoned because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Roberson was already part of that 2020 side, which also combined leading Vanuatu players with recruits from Brazil, Solomon Islands and England. The present squad therefore represents a continuation of Galaxy’s established approach rather than the club’s first attempt to construct an internationally competitive team.

Galaxy, whose principal sponsor remains Au Bon Marché, have also received financial backing from the Government of Vanuatu ahead of the continental tournament. Prime Minister Jotham Napat recently presented the club with a VT200,000 contribution and encouraged the players to act as role models and ambassadors while representing the country in Fiji.

Galaxy have been placed in Group B of the OFC Men’s Champions League alongside hosts Rewa FC, Papua New Guinea champions Lae City FC and Cook Islands representatives Tupapa Maraerenga.

Their opening match against Rewa will provide an immediate examination against a team playing in familiar conditions. Galaxy will then meet Lae City, renewing another fixture from their 2022 campaign, before completing the group stage against Tupapa.

Only the two leading teams will progress to the semi-finals, leaving little room for a slow start. The matches in Honiara will therefore be more than ceremonial friendlies: they represent Galaxy’s final opportunity to test combinations, expose areas that still require improvement and prepare for the intensity they will encounter in Fiji.

Galaxy had already qualified for the 2026 tournament through last season’s national championship. By retaining the VFF Champions League this year, they have also secured the right to represent Vanuatu in the following edition.

The national title remains their most important achievement of the year, particularly after a campaign of 30 goals and no goals conceded. The task now is to carry that domestic authority into the continental competition and show that their regional blend can again make Galaxy competitive among Oceania’s leading clubs.