Moana Pasifika needs a rescue plan, not just support

Moana Pasifika’s future now depends on whether public support can be turned into a real ownership and funding plan.

The Pacific Super Rugby franchise has confirmed it will disband at the end of the 2026 season, after five seasons in Super Rugby Pacific. The club said the decision followed financial, operational and strategic pressures that made it no longer viable to continue under the current model.

The announcement has sparked calls from supporters to save the team, including a Change.org petition calling for Moana Pasifika to be kept alive. The petition argues that the team is more than a rugby franchise, saying it provides a professional pathway for Pacific players and carries cultural meaning for Pacific communities.

That support is real, but the problem facing Moana Pasifika is not just public sentiment. Reports have placed the annual cost of running the franchise at around $10 million to $12 million. New Zealand Rugby has said it remains supportive of Moana Pasifika’s vision and is open to engaging with parties that can present a financially viable and sustainable plan for the team’s future.

That is where the issue now sits. Moana Pasifika may still have a path forward, but only if a serious rescue package is put on the table. That package would need new ownership, confirmed funding, strong governance, a settled home base, and a long-term commercial plan.

Kanaloa Rugby has emerged as one of the groups claiming it can help save the franchise. The consortium says it has made an offer to take over Moana Pasifika, but claims the current owners have blocked or refused proper discussions. The matter remains unresolved.

The situation also raises a wider question for rugby in the Pacific. Moana Pasifika was created to provide a professional bridge between Pacific rugby talent and Super Rugby. Losing the team would remove one of the few professional platforms directly connected to Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, Niue and Pacific communities in New Zealand and Australia.

The comparison with Fiji Drua is also difficult to ignore. The Drua have built strong support around a clearer home identity in Fiji, while Moana Pasifika has struggled with the reality of being a Pacific-branded team largely operating from New Zealand. The Guardian reported that Moana’s lack of a fixed home base and weak crowd conditions have been part of the problem.

The ideal solution is not a one-year bailout. That would only delay the same problem. Moana Pasifika needs a three-year rescue plan with clear targets: stabilise ownership and debt, protect players and staff, lock in a proper home model, build sponsor revenue, and strengthen formal pathways from the islands and Pacific communities.

There is still time for a solution, but not much. If New Zealand Rugby, Super Rugby Pacific, World Rugby, Pacific governments, sponsors and private investors believe the Pacific should have a team at this level, the next step must be practical. The petition can show support. The rescue plan must show how the team survives.