Hekari made history in 2010 by becoming the first club from the Pacific Islands to win the OFC Champions League. That victory earned qualification for the FIFA Club World Cup in the United Arab Emirates — a first for any club from Papua New Guinea.
The club has remained a serious contender in Oceania ever since, reaching the OFC Champions League final again in 2025 and finishing as runners-up to Auckland City FC. Its consistent presence in the region’s top competition has showcased the strength of PNG football and pushed other Pacific clubs to raise their own ambitions.
In 2026 the club took its place as one of eight foundation members of the OFC Professional League, the competition that now determines Oceania’s representative at the FIFA Intercontinental Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup.