When it comes to the Azteca Stadium, you can believe the hype.

The Football Ferns have surprised everyone this year but themselves.

The Azteca Stadium, where the All Whites face Mexico tomorrow, is an arena every player wants to play in but it is also a place of physical and mental suffering.

Any of the top three teams in New Zealand football's national league would be competitive with professional clubs in the bottom half of the A-League table.

The All Whites could take the field on Thursday with a radically reshaped defensive unit.

The Phoenix will need total commitment to the cause to earn their first victory of the season when they play Perth today.

The All Whites team for the World Cup playoff with Mexico will be named this morning - but getting many of the squad to North America remains a challenge.

New Zealand and Oceania Football see their World Cup qualifying future within the Asian Confederation - despite the current machinations playing out within Fifa.

The footballing community have paid tribute to Keryn Jordan, who died yesterday aged only 37 after a long battle with cancer.

Kiwi fans could be forgiven for a blast of nostalgia when they see the New Zealand team sheet at this month's Fifa Under-17 World Cup.

In one of the biggest transfers in ASB Premiership history, Waitakere United striker Roy Krishna is set to move to arch rivals Auckland City.

First and foremost Ernie Merrick is an educator. His journey as a football coach and an educator has brought him to Wellington and he conducted his first full training session outdoors with the Phoenix today and ran it so his players would learn something.

They may have been second-best all season in the Super City rivalry, but Auckland City today won the one that really mattered to earn another trip to the Club World Cup.

Even though it won't be on the radar of most Aucklanders today, two football teams are playing for the biggest cash prize in New Zealand team sport this year.

New Zealand champions Waitakere United have placed one foot in the final of the OFC Champions League by securing a 2-0 win over Amicale in the pair's first leg semi-final in Port Vila, Vanuatu.

Tomorrow's ASB Premiership grand final between Pritchett's Auckland City and Pearce's Waitakere United is the story of two players who have played with and against each other for a decade and a half

Chris Greatholder brings his Hawkes Bay United team to Fred Taylor Park this afternoon all too aware that Waitakere United have seemingly saved their best for games between the two clubs this season.

Former All White Noah Hickey will be one of the key figures tasked with finding a replacement for Ricki Herbert as Phoenix coach.

Coach Keith Braithwaite and four of his Canterbury United players have been handed a timely boost heading into tomorrow's home ASB Premiership semifinal with Auckland City.