“The Phoenix are unbeatable at Eden Park and it doesn’t make sense Saturday’s match will be our last home game at the venue.
“We have thousands of fans in Auckland and they don’t want to have to support the new expansion franchise. Bringing Tāmaki Makaurau into the Wellington Super City will ensure our loyal supporters can continue to cheer on the Nix.”
Auckland FC will be the city’s third attempt at maintaining a team in the Australian competition. In 1999, the Football Kingz joined the National Soccer League - the A-League’s predecessor - and failed to make the playoffs in all five seasons they competed in.
The team was replaced by the New Zealand Knights for the inaugural A-League season in 2005-06, finishing outside of the playoffs in the two seasons they competed in. They were replaced by the Wellington Phoenix the following season.
The Phoenix’s light-hearted banter did offer an alternative for the new expansion team, however, noting the Far North as a possible area to set themselves up in.
“We’ve made the difficult decision to give up the Far North in the spirit of good sportsmanship,” Dome said.
“The Kerikeri Sports Complex is a great ready-made option for the new franchise and the region would no doubt benefit from Bill Foley’s billions. And when the border is moved, our fans in the Far North would only have to make a short trip down State Highway 1 to be in Wellington and support the Phoenix.”
The Phoenix also didn’t hold back on their thoughts on the new expansion team on social media, responding to an image of Auckland FC’s blue and black kit with a vomit emoji.
It’s a strong start to what has the potential to develop into a strong local derby in years to come, and will see more professional football played in New Zealand.
Backed by Foley and his global sports consortium, the Auckland club launches as football gains momentum in New Zealand as one of the fastest-growing sports, with more than 40,000 Kiwis playing across clubs in Auckland alone. The timing comes off the back of the huge success of the Fifa Women’s World Cup that saw football showcased like never before in this country.
The club will make its debut in the next A-League men’s season. While the Black Knights was one of the overlooked possible names for the team, it is expected to be used as something of a nickname in reference to owner Bill Foley’s Black Knight Football group, with branding at the announcement displaying the moniker.
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.”
