Auckland FC aim for record crowd against Wellington Phoenix in A-League derby

They’re topping them on the ladder and now Auckland’s A-League side are looking to go one better than their capital city rivals on attendance, by setting a new crowd record for a regular-season match played on these shores.

Auckland FC have worked with management at Go Media Stadium Mt Smart in Penrose to open up the embankment at the northern end of the venue for extra fans to attend this Saturday’s derby match against the Wellington Phoenix. With the extra capacity, the venue will be able to hold 26,253 people – precisely one more than the current regular-season record (held by the Phoenix) of 26,252.

Speaking to the Country Sport Breakfast with Brian Kelly, CEO Nick Becker said they had “sold out every actual seat in the stadium” with Mt Smart’s operators allowing them to sell family tickets for the North Bank.

“[Capacity is going to be] 26,253 which is, funnily enough, just one more than the previous record set by the largest regular season A-League attendance at the last derby down in Wellington, which was 26,252.”

The Phoenix will still hold the record for the biggest A-League crowd in New Zealand, with 33,297 fans in attendance for their match against the Melbourne Victory in last season’s finals series, held in May. To match or better that total, Auckland FC would most likely need to host a playoff match at a venue bigger than Go Media Stadium.

Saturday’s one-person buffer in a crowd record is the latest in what seems good-natured pettiness between the two New Zealand-based A-League sides.

An early press release from Auckland FC’s management at the time of the team’s launch avoided mentioning the Phoenix by name, instead using the term “a Wellington-based A-League Men’s team”.

At the recent Unite Round in Sydney, a handful of Phoenix fans stuck around after watching their side play Melbourne Victory, so they could watch the later fixture and cheer for the Aucklanders’ opponents, Macarthur FC.

Four weeks into the season, Auckland FC have already sold more merchandise than they expected to sell for the entire 29-week season but Becker said a delivery drop would be landing on Thursday “just in time for the derby and Christmas”.

“We’re really happy about that.”

Auckland FC chief executive Nick Becker (left) and coach Steve Corica. Photo / Photosport

Asked about the incredible start to the season, having not lost a game or had a goal scored against them, Becker said they were “over the moon”.

“Overall, there’s just a great buzz across the club – we’ve got a fantastic ownership group, we’ve got a great set-up on the admin side and in the football department too and everybody’s pulling in the same direction, which is half the battle sometimes.

“You watch the guys out on the pitch, they were all fighting for each other and right to the end of the match too.

“The great thing is that the boys are giving themselves a challenge every week that they go out there. They want to make sure they get another clean sheet. To be five games in and not have a goal scored against you is phenomenal.”