Hekari United

Foundation and early years

The club was first founded in 2003 and entered the Port Moresby First Division, the second level of football in the country's capital. The side finished top of the regular season table, but were beaten to promotion by Sunset FC, who defeated them 3–1 on penalties. The following year, the side went on to win the league, defeating Bavaroko 3–1 in the Grand Final. After their promotion, the club competed in the 2005 Port Moresby Premier League alongside nine other teams. The side finished third in the table and third in the knockout stage, narrowly missing out on the final after a defeat to PS Rutz on 11 September 2005.

National Soccer League debut and domination

In 2006, the side once again finished third in the Port Moresby Premier League. Having finished the regular season in third place, they lost 2–0 to Rapatona on 1 October 2006 in their semi-final match. Under the name of PRK Souths United, the side finished top of the inaugural 2006 National Soccer League, defeating Madang Flying Fox 5–1 on the final day of the season to snatch the league lead away from TL Blue Kumuls after their defeat to Gelle Hills. The club then defeated Gelle Hills 2–0 in the Grand Final. Kema Jack scored both goals and picked up the Golden Boot as the top scorer throughout the whole NSL season. However, the club failed to qualify for the 2007 OFC Champions League after being defeated by University Inter FC in the Overall Final, losing 4–2 over two legs.

As Hekari Souths United, the club were favoured to retain their title in the 2007–08 season, having obtained the services of Solomon Island internationals Abraham Iniga and Jack Samani. The club carried good form into the season, having won the Port Moresby Premier League for the first time in September, topping the league table by 7 points and then exacting an element of revenge on University Inter by defeating them 2–1 in the Grand Final. The club then finished top of the NSL regular season table too, and won the Grand Final 3–2 against Gelle Hills, with all three goals coming from Kema Jack. This meant they qualified for the 2008–09 OFC Champions League Preliminary Round, where they were granted automatic entry to the finals after both their opponents pulled out. In Group B, they finished second behind Koloale of the Solomon Islands, narrowly missing out on a place in the final.

In what would prove to be their last season in the Port Moresby Premier League, the side finished top of the regular season table and progressed to the Grand Final against newly promoted MacLaren FC, only to have the matched abandoned on 80 minutes, with Hekari trailing 0–1, due to a pitch invasion. The title was eventually handed to MacLaren.

OFC Champions League title and Club World Cup

Hekari once again qualified for the continental competition after being crowned champions of the 2008–09 National Soccer League. The team finished top of the regular season table, but the Grand Final, set to be played against Rapatona FC, was postponed twice before being cancelled entirely, with the title being awarded to Hekari by virtue of a higher league position.

In October 2009, the club began to take part in the 2009–10 OFC Champions League, changing their name simply to Hekari United, and entering group B alongside Lautoka of Fiji, Tafea from Vanuatu and Marist from Solomon Islands. Despite picking up just one point from their first two games, the club topped the group after four consecutive victories saw them finish ahead of Lautoka by a point. In the two-legged final, Hekari faced two-time winners Waitakere United, and the first leg in Port Moresby saw the Papua New Guinea side win 3–0, with goals coming from Kema Jack (2) and Solomon Islander Alick Maemae. In the return leg in New Zealand, on 2 May 2010, Hekari were able to maintain their aggregate lead, losing 2–1 on the day but winning 4–2 on aggregate and qualifying for the 2010 FIFA Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Meanwhile, the side won their fourth straight domestic title, topping the regular season table during the 2009–10 National Soccer League and defeating Gigira Laitepo Morobe FC 5–0 in the Grand Final on 24 April 2010. Ahead of the Club World Cup in December 2010, the side recruited Fijian international Osea Vakatalesau and veteran Solomon Islands striker Henry Fa'arodo to bolster their prospects at the competition. However, their FIFA competition debut was short-lived, as they lost 3–0 to hosts Al Wahda in the opening match of the competition.

Eight league titles

Hekari's defence of the OFC Champions League was unsuccessful in the following season's continental competition. Hekari was placed in the group A alongside Koloale and Lautoka, two sides they had played in previous editions, as well as Vanuatuan champions Amicale, but finished bottom of the group after winning just one of their six matches. On 2 April 2011, the side picked up their fifth domestic title, defeating Eastern Stars 4–0 in the Grand Final, having gone through the season unbeaten.

They once again represented Oceania at the 2011–12 OFC Champions League, and provided a much sterner test, once again facing Amicale and Koloale, finishing ahead of both sides in the group, but were eliminated on 3 March 2012 after a late goal from Auckland City's Alex Feneridis salvaged a draw for their New Zealand opponents. On 15 April 2012, the side won their sixth league title with a 3–0 victory over Eastern Stars, with goals from Taniela Waqa, Kema Jack and Wira Wama.