The Ba football team flew out of the country yesterday to play in the OFC Champions League in New Caledonia on Sunday.

Ba football manager Arvind Singh said they are confident of doing well in their pool games despite facing two-time finalists Team Wellington.

Meanwhile, Team Wellington have indicated that they need $NZ25,000 to cover an Oceania Champions League budget shortfall, just days before their first match of the competition. Club chairman Peter Chote wrote on the club’s website on Monday asking for people to buy a Team Wellington First XI Membership, costing $2200 each.

That would cover the shortfall, which makes up about 20 per cent of the total cost of taking 25 players and staff to Kone, New Caledonia for nine days from this Friday.

Team Wellington receive financial support from Oceania Football in the form of paying their return airfares to New Caledonia. They receive no funding from New Zealand Football.

Team Wellington start their campaign on Saturday against Cook Islands team Puaikura. They then play New Caledonia’s Hienghene Sport before taking on Ba on March 4.

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