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WaiBOP Football timeline 2000–2024

2000

A massive restructure of football administration happened in 2000. The 23 men’s associations and 18 women’s associations were wound up, replaced by seven new federations: United Soccer1, Soccer2, Force3, Central Soccer, Capital Soccer, Mainland Soccer, and Soccersouth.

The creation of Force Three saw Waikato and Bay of Plenty football brought under one umbrella for the first time. The new structure introduced boards for each Federation, giving them greater day-to-day decision-making power, instead of decisions being dictated by the national "head office."

The change didn’t come out of nowhere. Other sports were also being pushed to streamline by the government and funding organisations. Many clubs were frustrated with the finances of (then named) New Zealand Soccer. Budget blowouts in previous years had led to unpopular levies on all players to cover budget shortfalls.

2001

Force Three officially became an incorporated society on 1 May 2001, operating with two staff. For clubs and players across Waikato and Bay of Plenty, it was a turbulent start. The federation model still hadn’t delivered on the promises of efficiency and stability.

Nationally, the women’s game also changed. The New Zealand Women’s Football Association was absorbed into New Zealand Soccer, and the long-running National Regional Women’s Tournament was played for the last time. It would be replaced the following year by the new National Women’s League.

On the men’s side, the top competition was the New Zealand National Club Championship, in its second season. Tauranga City carried the flag for our region. Waikato’s Bruce Holloway (writer for Waikato Times from 1989) was awarded NZ Soccer Media Writer of the Year.

2002

On the pitch, Force Three’s youth team were the goalscoring powerhouses of the national youth league, beating the New Zealand U-17 squad 5–1. Nathan Fry, Chad Coombes and Steven Holloway all found the net, while LJ Pijnenburg anchored the defence and Michael Mayne excelled in midfield.

Tauranga City United made the final of the Chatham Cup but were beaten 2-0 by Napier City Rovers. 2002 marked the introduction of the National Women's League, comprising federation representative teams as well as the national U17 team, with one round of matches.

Force Three, who played their home games at Porritt Stadium, finished seventh of eight teams, with their only win being a 2-0 away victory over Southern Federation. In the local competitions, Greerton Rovers were Bay of Plenty Division 1 champions and Cambridge were Waikato Premier Division champions.

In 2002 the Centre Circle Waikato organisation ran a Waikato football awards evening with the following awards made: Player of the Year: Jeremy Field (Tauranga City United) Young player: Steven Holloway (Melville United) Women's player: Donna Moxon (Claudelands Rovers) Young women's player: Robyna Hokai (Fraser High) Referee: Neil Rutherford Team of the Year: Cambridge Reserves (winners of the Simmo Trophy, Waikato Premier League) Coach of the year: Paul Nixon (Melville Youth team) Supporter: Hans Raekels (Cambridge) Service to football: Ron White (administration), John Cameron (refereeing), Steve Williams (coaching), Dave Maisey (Special Olympics), Brian Webb.

Behind the scenes, 2002 was another tough year for Force Three. The federation ran a deficit of nearly $100,000 and tried to close the gap by introducing new levies on players. Critics complained of poor communication, lack of transparency and no clear plan. An off-the-books meeting in Taupō saw clubs from across the country questioning whether the federation model was working at all. The Waikato Junior Soccer Association refused to amalgamate into Force Three, resisting fee increases of 75% Blue and White were selected as the Federation colours, which met with criticism from some. By the end of the year, a new board had been appointed, bringing in Patsi Davies, Craig Purcell, Ken Gibb, John Gray to join Chris Jessop , David Parry and Peter Martens. They inherited an organisation still struggling to win the trust of its community.

2003

Force Three recorded a financial surplus for the first time. But there was still criticism of leadership. The staff count briefly rose to five, but two had left by the end of the year. Waikato secondary schools disaffiliated from the federation.

On the national stage, the New Zealand National Soccer League (the top men’s competition) completed its fourth and final season. Tauranga City United was the only team from our region.

In the women’s game, Force Three took part in the National Women’s Soccer League, coached Grant Hastings, with manager Terry Budged. They finished 7th. Melville United reached the Chatham Cup final, claiming the Bob Smith Memorial Cup as runners-up. They were also named Sport Waikato’s Club Team of the Year – the first time this award was given to soccer. The Force Three team finished third in the boys National Youth League, coached by Paul Nixon. Anees Khan (Tauranga City United) and Cole Tinkler (Melville United) made appearances for New Zealand at the Oceania U17 tournament.

West Hamilton were men's Waikato premier league champions and Greerton Rovers were Bay of Plenty Division 1 champions. Cambridge were Waikato women's Division A champions, and Melville United and Claudelands Rovers Women competed in the Women’s Northern Premier League. Centre Circle Waikato’s awards recognised Steven Holloway, LJ Pijnenburg, Tarena O'Neill and others.

Boys Youth Squad: LJ Pjnenburg, Aaron Scott, Andrew Scaife, Colin Gardyne, Steven Holloway, Matthew Kennedy, Daniel Storie, Jonathan Keenan, David Samson, Scott Gallagher, Andrew McCullough, Paul Stewart, Michael Frischknect, Sam Butler, Joel Wakelin, Simon Mead, Guiseppe Vassalini, Anees Khan, Jeremy Prasad, Cole Tinker, Sam Wilkinson, James Leong.

2004

In the men’s game, the national club league was replaced with the New Zealand Football Championship - a summer competition built around eight regional ‘franchises’. Waikato FC was born, formed by a group led by Grant Stantiall.

For the first two seasons Waikato FC was headed by manager James Pamment and coach Declan Edge, playing most home games at Waikato Stadium – with appearances in Rotorua and Mt Maunganui.

Waikato FC 2004’s squad included Michael Utting, Che Bunce, LJ Pijnenburg, Michael Mayne, Aaron Scott, Sam Wilkinson and others. Force 3 continued to operate with five staff and returned another financial surplus. Porritt Stadium hosted a New Zealand U-20 match against Australia. The Force Three national youth league team was coached by Paul Nixon. New Zealand’s only professional club, the Football Kingz, were restructured into the New Zealand Knights in the new A-League.

Claudelands Rovers striker Anne Ormrod made two Football Ferns appearances in the USA. LJ Pijnenburg captained the NZ Secondary Schoolboys. Anne Ormrod, Maggie Lankshear and Emma Butler represented NZ Secondary Schoolgirls; Katie Hoyle and Susi Petersen joined for a home series with Australia.

Taupo won the Force Three League; Claudelands Rovers won Waikato men’s premier; Whakatane Town won BOP Division 1. Force 3 women finished seventh in the National Women's League under Grant Hastings. Force 3 youth, coached by Paul Nixon and assistant Marc Thomas, finished fifth.

2005

There were now eight staff on the books at Force Three, and things were looking better financially. But many clubs felt the pressure of rising costs across entries, pitch charges, referee payments and fines.

Waikato FC’s 2005-06 season saw manager James Pamment and coach Declan Edge in charge. Three Waikato FC players were selected for the NZ U-20 squad.

Nationally, New Zealand Soccer reported a heavy deficit, fuelling criticism of the governance model. Tauranga City United were the only regional team in the Northern Premier League. Printed matchday programmes were popular, including the Cordwainer Bull column.

2006

A Force Three U-15 boys’ squad toured Germany for the One Nation Cup via Wynton Rufer links, facing Brazil, Japan, and Denmark. Chair Ken Gibb resigned; Patsi Davies became the first woman to chair a federation board.

Offices moved to the Gallaghers Building; a $140k deficit was recorded. Waikato FC appointed Dave Edmondson for 2006/07 but after six winless matches he resigned and Roger Wilkinson took over.

On the international stage, Australia transferred from OFC to AFC. Waikato FC squad included Danny Robinson, Grant Cooper, Tim Schaeffers, David Samson, Aaron Scott, Michael Mayne and others. Waikato-BOP (Force Three) Women: Sarah McLaughlin.

2007

2007 was a year of rebranding. New Zealand Soccer became New Zealand Football, and federations adopted football in their names. Force Three was now WaiBOP Football.

NZF was close to insolvency, surviving with SPARC and federation support, plus a bank loan. Junior affiliation fees were introduced. A federation-wide men’s competition was launched.

Kevin Fallon was appointed Waikato FC coach for 2008–09 but finances prevented him taking charge; Dave Edmondson stepped in pro bono, with the team shifting to Centennial Park, Ngāruawāhia. The New Zealand Knights lost their A-League licence; Wellington Phoenix replaced them. The women's national team fully adopted the name Football Ferns and qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup; they lost all three group matches. Chris Wood signed with West Bromwich Albion.

2007 Waikato BOP Women's National League v Capital Football — squad under Duncan Baird included Charlotte Wood, Kelly Aitken, Elizabeth Bosson, Kylie Jens, Natalie Gaskell, Chelsea Wood, Alex Shadbolt, Jackie Pretswell, Kelly Stanton, Sarah McLaughlin, Katherine Robinson, Nicole Stratford, Kate Loye, Anna Fullerton, Vanessa Lambert, Brogan Mathieson.

2008

The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup came to New Zealand in 2008, with Rotorua staging group matches and Hamilton hosting quarterfinals at Waikato Stadium.

WaiBOP introduced a federation-wide women’s competition, strengthened coach education and built new high-performance programmes. A referee management group was established and the representative programme was refined.

Player of the Year awards were introduced in Federation and Waikato Leagues; the Bay-wide golden boot returned. WaiBOP and NZF piloted Sporting Pulse draw software; federations and NZF agreed to closer collaboration.

2009

WaiBOP had more than 13,000 affiliated players and the lowest affiliation fees in the country. The federation reported a small surplus. Cameron Mitchell was appointed CEO.

Three Football Development Officers were employed in Hamilton, Tauranga and Rotorua to implement NZF’s age-appropriate coach education. Skill Centres, after-school clubs and holiday programmes expanded.

Representative programmes expanded for 8–15s; Regional Talent Centres launched for 12–16s. Mangaiti Park was selected as Hamilton’s preferred Home of Football. Melville United were Northern League champions. Federation U16 Girls won nationals; U12 Boys won the Weir Rose Bowl. Referee Peter O’Leary was named NZF Referee of the Year and to the FIFA World Cup panel. Rory Fallon’s goal v Bahrain sent the All Whites to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. GoalNet was introduced and rolled out to seniors.

2010

The All Whites were unbeaten at the FIFA World Cup, with WaiBOP players Rory Fallon, Chris Wood, Tony Lochhead and Tommy Smith in the squad. WaiBOP recorded a record surplus and repaid all debt. The Whole of Football plan was announced by NZF.

Junior Associations in Rotorua, Western Bay of Plenty and Waikato dissolved and joined the federation. Girls-only summer leagues and subsidised coach education expanded. GoalNet was implemented for juniors and youth.

A WaiBOP U12 team attended the Nations Cup in South Africa. Peter O'Leary officiated at the FIFA World Cup; Nick Van Der Salm was appointed to the FIFA AR panel. WaiBOP reached the NYL semi-finals. The National Women’s Soccer League was replaced by the ASB Women’s Youth League (U20 with five over-age). Claudelands Rovers won the Women’s Knockout Cup; Olivia Chance was MVP.

2011

WaiBOP launched its first Facebook page and a quarterly e-newsletter. The Whole of Football Plan began rolling out nationally; fourteen pilot clubs in WaiBOP introduced the junior framework. FTCs replaced RTCs. A Youth Referee Academy was set up in Hamilton.

More than 600 coaches completed courses. Futsal was introduced across WaiBOP. Player registrations grew 3.4%, with fees still the lowest. A federation-wide U-15 competition and a men’s Pre-Season Cup were introduced.

WaiBOP hosted Women’s World Cup festivals timed with Germany 2011. At Waikato FC, Declan Edge became head coach with a youth focus. NZ won hosting rights for the 2015 FIFA U-20 Men’s World Cup; HCC initially declined to bid as host city.

2012

WaiBOP had 13,054 registered players — 79% under 20 — and maintained the lowest affiliation fees. Whole of Football expanded, with 35 clubs adopting the junior framework. Football-in-schools reached 414 schools, training 2,019 teachers and reaching 8,379 children.

600+ coaches completed courses; a coaches conference ran in Tauranga. Futsal grew via school leagues; three WaiBOP teams attended Youth Boys’ Futsal Nationals. Girls’ football grew; the first Women’s Development Officer was appointed.

WaiBOP hosted the Weir Rose Bowl. An MOU with Waikato Secondary Schools set operations. U-13 boys and U-14 girls leagues launched. QCM was piloted at two clubs. Finances recorded another profit; staff rose from 5 to 15 over two years. A campaign helped HCC bid to host U-20s. WaiBOP was awarded the ASB Premiership licence 2013–15, forming WaiBOP United. Claudelands Rovers won NRFL Women’s Premier; Helen Collins scored 45. Ryan Thomas was Men’s Premier Player of the Year. Claudelands Rovers men won promotion to NRFL Div 2. The Ferns beat Cameroon 3–1 at the Olympics.

2013

WaiBOP United launched in the ASB Premiership, replacing Waikato FC and based in Cambridge. All clubs adopted the junior framework. Break Through scholarships were introduced.

FTC and representative programmes expanded to 59 squads. Holiday Fun Football drew ~1,000 children; Fun Football Centres engaged 226 players; festivals attracted 6,500+ participants.

WaiBOP returned a surplus. The Football Ferns defeated Brazil 1–0 and then beat China 4–0 to win the Valais Cup. Futsal spread across the region; referee academies accelerated development; girls’ festivals grew.

WaiBOP Women’s National League squad: Coach Simon Mead, assistant Ian Heath: Em Hanrahan, Amanda Wilshier, Megan Anderson, Kylie Jens, Kate Carlton, Eilesh Hayes, Alex Shadbolt, Emma Cawte, Emma Baker, Susi Peterson, Chelsea Elliott, Jackie Pretswell, Roberta Wigelsworth, Alice Bennett, Shania Heath, Katherine Robinson, Libby Williams, Helen Collins, Tessa Leong. WaiBOP United squad included Andrew McNeil, Liam Higgins, Aaron Scott (C), Takahiro Yokota, Tyler Lissette, Masaki Nomoto, Mark Jones, Mikhail Bredeveldt, George Slefendorfas, Milos Nikolic, Marcel Corbera, Jack McNab, Ben Latham, Maksim Manko, Jacob Hall, Shaydon Young, Raymond How, Alexis Varela, Nick Robson, Danyon Drake, Scott Hilliar, Wade Molony. Coach: Peter Smith.

2014

About 13,000 affiliated players (-5%), 106 clubs and schools, 111 referees and 1,800 coaches. 225+ leagues, ~1,200 teams, 9,000+ matches. 39 clubs used GoalNet. Federation staff: 14 with six sub-regional FDOs.

Girls’ & Women’s Week drew 900+; Girls’ Summer League reached 600+; planning began for girls-only winter football in 2015. The Range won Programme of the Year; Football in Schools reached 110 schools and 15,000+ children; 459 new coaches qualified.

Mangaiti Park Home of Football was shelved; a regional facilities plan began. FTCs and Skill Centres ran; many players selected for NTC. U-15 Girls won NAGT; U-15 Boys 4th; U-16 Boys 5th. Weir Rose Bowl hosted at St Peter’s with Youth Referee Academy officials.

Futsal growth continued; U-19 Boys won their division at nationals. Referees Sarah Walker and Nadia Browning had international assignments. Hamilton prepared for the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup. The Premiership expanded to include Phoenix Reserves with eligibility rules.

2015

New Zealand hosted the FIFA U-20 Men’s World Cup. Hamilton staged eight matches with 40,000+ total attendance and average crowds above 8,000.

WaiBOP recorded a $203,088 operating deficit driven by reduced grants and national league costs.

Registered players: 14,115; 105 clubs/schools; 100 referees; 1,800 coaches; ~3,000 volunteers. A Women’s Development Officer joined the team. Futsal grew strongly. WaiBOP managed teams in all NZF national competitions. The men’s and youth licence transferred to Hamilton Wanderers for 2016/17; the Women’s team remained with the federation. 713 coaches qualified. NZF released its 2016–2025 Strategic Plan. A new WaiBOP logo launched. NZ U-23s were disqualified from Olympic qualifying over ineligibility. The Board highlighted reliance on grants and facility gaps.

2016

Registered players: 14,476 across 103 clubs and schools (+1.9% YoY). 62% juniors, 22% youth, 16% seniors. 75% male, 25% female. Fourteen staff employed. Operating deficit reduced to $53,925.

NZF launched the Youth Framework, FIFA 11+, and the National Curriculum. NZF celebrated its 125th anniversary. Futsal passed 2,500 registered players. WaiBOP launched a new website.

The Junior 5-Aside Festival drew 230 teams and ~2,000 players. Ngongotahā won the men’s premiership; Rotorua United won the women’s Premier. The NWL team based at John Kerkhof Park ran girls-only festivals. Live Your Goals promoted female participation. Five age-group squads went to NAGT; 38 players were selected for NTC camps. Men’s futsal completed a fifth season with a youthful squad; Brayden Lissington was NZ Futsal Player of the Year. A Goalkeeper Development Officer was appointed. Patsi Davies retired from the Board after a record tenure as Chair.

2017

Registered players: 14,366 (excludes secondary school players). 1,127 teams in 117 leagues played 10,000+ matches. 144 match officials. Dissent-related cards fell 14%.

Futsal continued its rise with 2,632 registered players. Cambridge won multiple titles including the Loaded Premiership and Championship.

A loss of $34,273 was recorded. WaiBOP fielded an NWL team. ISPS Handa became top men’s league sponsor; Hamilton Wanderers held the licence with Ricki Herbert as coach. The Futsal Ferns debuted. The All Whites lost the intercontinental play-off to Peru after 0–0 in Wellington and 0–2 in Lima.

2018

Following allegations of bullying and a toxic culture, an independent review confirmed issues within NZF and the Football Ferns environment. CEO Andy Martin and coach Andrea Heraf resigned, followed by the NZF Board Chair.

WaiBOP recorded a $157,099 operating deficit. There were 14,366 registered players. Futsal had 476 teams; WaiBOP entered two men’s futsal teams in the national league.

Five clubs achieved QCM Level 1. The Weir Rose Bowl ran its last year with federation rep teams. Karyn Walters became Chief Executive, the first woman in the role and the federation’s longest-serving CE. Comet replaced GoalNet for registration and drew criticism. Federations launched Sporty websites.

Taupo AFC won the Loaded Men's Premiership; Tauranga City AFC won the WaiBOP Women’s Premier League. Melville United were finalists for Sport Waikato’s Provincial Club Team of the Year. NZ finished third at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup. NZF announced equal pay and conditions for the Football Ferns and All Whites on duty.

2019

In the National Women’s League, WaiBOP played home matches at John Kerkhof Park under head coach Nico Girard. Men’s futsal teams were branded Waikato Rapids and Bay of Plenty Surge; the Rapids won the Men’s Futsal SuperLeague. The Women’s Futsal SuperLeague launched.

Pāpāmoa FC claimed the Soccer Shop WaiBOP Premiership title. The WaiBOP Women’s Premier Cup was won by Claudelands Rovers.

The Miller Cup went to Tauranga City Relics. Hamilton Wanderers represented the region in the ISPS Handa Premiership; Ricki Herbert resigned at year end, with Kale Herbert becoming head coach. Johanna Wood was elected President of NZF and to the FIFA Council. Australia and NZ announced a joint bid to host FIFA WWC 2023. WaiBOP posted a surplus; participation rose. The Weir Rose Bowl format shifted from federation reps to club teams with Skills Centres.

WaiBOP sent five teams to NAGT. At the 2019 Youth Futsal Championships, Waikato U14 girls were champions; U14, U16 & U19 Waikato boys were runners-up. Tarena Ranui was McDonald’s Junior Football Coach of the Year. Melville United made the Chatham Cup final, losing 3–2 to Napier City Rovers. Futsal Whites goalkeeper Atta Elayyan died in the Christchurch terror attacks.

2020

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted football. FIFA U-20 and U-17 Women’s World Cups were postponed then cancelled. All Whites fixtures were cancelled.

The ISPS Handa Premiership and National Women’s League were played under strict measures. It was the last year of a WaiBOP-run women’s national league team.

The National Age Group Tournament and Futsal Oceania Champions League were cancelled. Competitions were suspended March–June, then resumed with adapted draws and Safe Football Guidelines. The Weir Rose Bowl was cancelled.

Registered players fell to 12,670 (62% juniors, 22% youth, 16% seniors). Financially, a surplus was recorded due to wage subsidies and reduced travel and events. Digital systems accelerated; webinars and online courses saw 200+ coaches qualify. Australia and NZ were confirmed as FIFA WWC 2023 co-hosts. WaiBOP refreshed its logo. Sideline incidents increased, impacting referee numbers. NZF launched the Delivery and Sustainability Project.

2021

COVID-19 restrictions shaped the season. AIMS Games, NAGT, Weir Rose Bowl, Futsal SuperLeague, Youth Nationals and school nationals were cancelled.

NZF scrapped the franchise-based summer Men’s Premiership, replacing it with the National League Championship via regional winter leagues; the 2021 Championship phase was abandoned mid-season.

WaiBOP registered 13,689 players. 2,632 teams played in 212 leagues, totalling 11,800+ matches. Ngāruawāhia United won the WaiBOP Premiership; Tauranga City AFC won the W-League. NZF launched the Women & Girls Development Framework. Internationally, the All Whites returned, winning World Cup qualifiers in Qatar before losing the intercontinental play-off to Costa Rica. The Football Ferns competed at the delayed Tokyo Olympics; Jitka Klimková became their first female head coach. The Wellington Phoenix Women joined the A-League Women.

2022

Football numbers rebounded: 14,282 registered players, 27% female. 85 leagues, 1,106 teams, 8,663 matches; 129 referees; 410 accredited coaches; 439 community referees.

NZF launched a new brand and aligned federation logos. The delayed 2021 Kate Sheppard Cup final was played in March; Hamilton Wanderers lost 0–1 to Wellington United.

Ngāruawāhia United won a delayed promotion play-off to NRFL Division 2. Tauranga City’s women, as W-League winners, joined the NRFL Women’s Premier League. NAGT was replaced by the National Youth Development League (U17 boys, U18 girls). FTC transitioned to club-based TDP. Futsal growth continued with 460 registered teams; Youth Champs moved to December, with U15 the entry age. The Wahine Toa programme was piloted. Preparations continued for Hamilton to host WWC 2023.

2023

Kirikiriroa Hamilton hosted five WWC group matches at FMG Stadium Waikato and part of the inter-confederation play-offs. Training bases at Gower Park, Korikori Park, Porritt Stadium and Bay Oval received investment. A Fan Festival at Globox Arena drew large crowds.

The Football Ferns made history with their first WWC win, 1–0 v Norway, before a NZ record football crowd of 42,137 at Eden Park.

WaiBOP and the other federations rolled out Aotearoa United: Legacy Starts Now — MILO Fantails, Kickin’ It, Kōtuitui, and a Regional Women in Leadership programme. Registered players reached 15,685 (+8%), the highest on record. NRFL men’s leagues were restructured; NRFL Division 2 became the NRFL Conference (Northern and Southern). The top WaiBOP men’s league became WaiBOP League One. Tauranga City won the NRFL Men’s Championship.

There were 129 active referees, and two youth referee academies. 646 coaches attended 53 courses. 18 women completed the first Regional Women in Leadership Programme. A 10-team Women’s National League Championship launched, towards a fully club-based model. In the Chatham Cup, Melville United reached the final, losing on penalties to Christchurch United. Max Tommy won the Jack Batty Memorial Cup.

2024

Player growth jumped to 16,529 registered players (+5%). Futsal had 621 teams and 4,967 players. The Waikato Rapids men won the 2024 Men's Futsal SuperLeague; Ethan Martin was MVP.

Cambridge FC won both the LOTTO NRFL Southern Conference and the W-League, winning promotion for both men and women. FC Tauranga Moana won the NRFL Women’s Championship and earned promotion to the NRFL Women’s Premiership for 2025.

Melville United and Hamilton Wanderers were relegated from the Northern League to the NRFL Championship. After recent losses, the federation returned to a surplus through competition growth and cost control. In governance, clubs began re-registering under the new Incorporated Societies Act. The Positive Vibes Only campaign ran across the junior season. Wahine Toa ran in July and October. Two junior festivals were held: a 5-aside festival in Hamilton and a Junior Festival in Rotorua, with more than 2,000 players across the two days. The Weir Rose Bowl had 54 teams at St Peter’s School, Cambridge. 450 girls took part in MILO Fantails across 10 club hubs; 150 girls took part in Kickin' It. 23 women completed the Women in Leadership programme. Youth referee academies in Hamilton and Tauranga continued to grow. Hamilton hosted an All Whites Oceania qualifier at FMG Stadium — the first time the All Whites had ever played in Kirikiriroa Hamilton.

Legacy delivery detail: MILO Fantails hubs — Otūmoetai FC, Katikati FC, Taupō FC, Northern United, Hamilton Wanderers, Matamata Swifts, Lakes FC. Kickin' It hubs delivered by Te Awamutu FC, Otūmoetai FC, and a local Muslim youth girls group led by Nesra Wale. Kōtuitui delivered mostly by WaiBOP with a focus on Tokoroa and Pūtaruru; Tauranga Blue Rovers delivered to some Tauranga schools.