A-leagues franchise reveals name, kit, crest
The wait is over for football fans in New Zealand’s largest city.
Auckland’s A-leagues football club unveiled its team name, logo and playing kit at a launch event in downtown Ta¯ maki Makaurau yesterday.
The team name was revealed as Auckland FC.
Backed by Bill Foley and his global sports consortium, the club launches as football gains momentum in New Zealand as one of the fastestgrowing sports, with more than 40,000 Kiwis playing across clubs in Auckland alone. The timing coincides with the huge success of the Fifa Women’s World Cup that saw football showcased like never before in this country.
The launch event was held at Britomart’s The Chamberlain, part of the Foleys’ hospitality holdings, and the venue will become Auckland FC’S official fan zone.
Auckland FC crest
The club looks to represent the city of Auckland, from its primary kit colour of electric blue, building on Auckland’s traditional royal blue, to the crest.
A Black Knight visor and stripes in the badge link the crest to club founder Bill Foley and the teams that form part of the Black Knight Football Group.
The new crest features an ‘A’ for Auckland in its centre which doubles as a nod toward Rangitoto and the city’s skyline. 2024 signifies the year of establishment as an Auckland flag is planted on the professional footballing map.
Owner Bill Foley said he hopes to continue the success he has had in other sporting ventures with the Auckland franchise.
“What I love about football is that it has an incredible power to inspire anyone, no matter their age or background. We have a track record of building successful professional sports teams and just like we did in Las Vegas, I saw a unique opportunity to bring a new A-league football club with big ambitions to Auckland and take it to the world stage.
“We can’t wait to get started, nurture talent, accelerate the pathway for promising players here and overseas, and showcase Auckland and its culture.”
Club CEO Nick Becker said there will be a focus on building a club that represents the city and its football fans.
“We are building the elite professional team that Auckland deserves. We want to be successful on the pitch, and we want to create a club that represents Ta¯ maki Makaurau for generations to come.
“More Kiwis play football than any other sport and we have seen firsthand how much Auckland has embraced football. Today is just the beginning of a very exciting journey and we can’t wait to build the future together with our community and our fans.”
Steve Corica, head coach and one of the A-leagues’ most successful players and managers, said he wanted to employ a philosophy of attacking football that would help to entice quality signings.
“I’m looking forward to helping build the club from the ground up, foster a strong attacking team known for their entertaining style of football, and attract some of the best talent to grow with the club. We’ll have some exciting player announcements to make from June 2024.”
Auckland FC will join the A-league Men at the beginning of the 2024-25 season in October 2024. The season runs until May and includes a 26-round regular season followed by a finals series playoff, with 12 home games confirmed to be played at Mount Smart Stadium.
Auckland FC will launch its A-league Women’s team to play in the 2025-26 season early next year.
The new franchise will be the latest side to be based in New Zealand’s largest city, after attempts made in the past to establish a club.
Football Kingz FC ran from 1999 to 2004 before they were dissolved, and replaced by the New Zealand Knights, who were active from 2004 to 2007.
The 79-year-old Foley is the owner of English Premier League side AFC Bournemouth, a stakeholder in French Ligue 1 club FC Lorient, and a minority owner of Hibernian FC in Scotland.
Foley’s Black Knight Sports and Entertainment group are also the consortium that owns NHL outfit Vegas Golden Knights.