Australian underage football and futsal teams will conduct Pacific tours and host Pacific teams over the next four years after a fresh injection of government funds.
In what Australia hopes will be a win-win for football development, both men's and women's sides will commit to regular matches against regional opposition and "capacity-building initiatives" through to 2028.
Australian footballers have largely sidestepped the region since moving from Oceania into the Asian confederation two decades ago.
Recent years have seen a resumption of ties, including a 2019 Junior Matildas tour through Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Tonga.
The Joeys will complete a three-game tour on Wednesday when they face Vanuatu.
Australia's under-17 men's team played twice against the Solomon Islands under-19 team in front of bumper crowds at the newly constructed national stadium in Honiara, both sides winning once.
Joeys coach Brad Maloney said both the match practice and personal growth for his team was brilliant to see.
"For a few players on this current tour, this is the first time they have been on a plane, first time they have gone overseas, and for many, the largest crowd they have played in front of," he told AAP.
"To be able to see and experience different cultures only enhances who they are as people, and they will create memories that will stay with them for life."
Maloney said they were grateful for the reception they'd received in Honiara and Port Vila, which included a bumper turnout at the airport.
The partnership extends beyond the matches, with visiting Australian teams donating gear and travelling referees also running courses for local officials.
Football is a top sport across the region and number one in the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.
Pacific players have no avenues to professionalism in the region, though a sprinkling of players turn out in the A-League and further across the world.
Brian Kaltak, the Central Coast Mariners and Vanuatu defender, said the tours would support player pathways.
"For our youth and senior teams to be able to play a strong footballing nation like Australia on a more regular basis and being able to access high-performance training environments when in Australia will only benefit our programs," he said.
Kaltak's Vanuatu hosted the men's Oceania Nations Cup in June, losing the final 3-0 to New Zealand in front of 10,000 fans at Freshwater Stadium, the same venue that will host the Joeys on Wednesday.
The Australian government is investing $3.5 million to support the PacificAus Sports football partnership, with International Development Minister Pat Conroy saying it would "strengthen connections between our nations".
"Australia and the Pacific come together through a shared passion for sport," he said.
