Auckland_Football_Club

Auckland FC

Auckland FC

Football club

This article is about the A-League Men professional football club. For the Northern League association football club, see Auckland City FC.

Auckland Football Club is a professional football club based in Auckland, New Zealand that will compete in the A-League Men, the top flight of Australian soccer, from the 2024–25 season. Established on 12 March 2024 as Auckland FC, the club is under licence from the Australian Professional Leagues. The club's home ground is Mount Smart Stadium in Penrose and adopts an electric blue and black home kit.

Quick Facts Full name, Nickname(s) ...

Auckland was given an A-Leagues licence under its chosen owner Bill Foley in November 2023 as part of the third tranche of expansion of the competition.[1] Due its geographical location, the club shares a rivalry with Wellington Phoenix.

History

In March 2023, the Australian Professional Leagues confirmed plans for the next two expansion clubs to be based in Canberra and Auckland ahead of the 2024–25 season.[2] In October 2023, the preferred bidder as owner of the new Auckland licence was confirmed to be Bill Foley,[3] with the licence officially awarded on 21 November.[4] Speaking at the time of the license awarding in November 2023, Foley stated there "was a lot of work to do" to determine the name and logo for the club and that he was "not wedded to any name at this point", despite expressing a personal preference for "Black Knights".[5]

On 12 March 2024, the club officially announced its name, logo and inaugural home kit at its headquarters in Auckland. The name was announced as Auckland FC and a stripe kit that featured electric blue and black as its main colours. The kit was manufactured by New Balance.[6] The nickname was unveiled to be "Black Knights" which is associated with several clubs that Foley owns and refers to the nickname of the United States Military Academy.[7] On the same day of the announcement, the club revealed Terry McFlynn as its director of football,[8] and Steve Corica as its inaugural head coach.[9]

Club badge and colours

The club colours are electric blue and black, associated with the traditional royal blue of Auckland.[10] The crest features an A in its centre to symbolise the city, representing Rangitoto Island and the Sky Tower. The black knight visor and stripes represent the club's owner Black Knight Sports & Entertainment.[10] The club's short name AFC is displayed on the crest.[11]

Kit suppliers and shirt sponsors

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Stadium

Main article: Mount Smart Stadium
See also: Stadium New Zealand

Mount Smart Stadium is set to be Auckland's first home stadium and was announced by the club in March 2024.[12] As part of his vision, Foley stated that the ground would be used for a "few years" before construction of a new 20,000 seater venue to be built on the Auckland waterfront.[13] The club also announced North Harbour Stadium as their training base due to scheduling issues with National Rugby League side New Zealand Warriors, who has played at Mount Smart Stadium since 1995.[14]

Supporters and rivalries

As the third Auckland-based club to compete in the top football league of Australia, succeeding from Football Kingz and New Zealand Knights, Auckland will share a rivalry with Wellington Phoenix, who have been the only New Zealand club in the A-League Men since the 2007–08 season.[15]

Auckland supporters' group was recognised as Terrazza d'Azzurro. The club also have a supporters' pub located in The Chamberlain, Auckland CBD.[16] The group was first involved in a pitch invasion on 16 March 2024 in a match between Wellington Phoenix and Sydney FC at Eden Park.[17] The pitch invader wore an unreleased kit of Auckland FC and was reported to be fined $5000 and banned two years from the venue. The supporter group posted on Twitter that members of Auckland's ownership offered shirts to "invade on the Phoenix supporters".[17] However, the club denied any knowledge of the incident.[18]

Ownership

The owner of Auckland FC, Bill Foley, is a businessman and general partner of Black Knight Football and Entertainment. Under Black Knight, Foley is an owner of English football club AFC Bournemouth and the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League in the United States.[19] After the unveiling of Auckland FC on 12 March 2024, Ali Williams and Anna Mowbray, co-founder of Zuru, were announced as co-owners of the club.[20]

Coaching staff

Technical officials

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Management

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See also

References

  1. [1]
    Jack Snape (21 November 2023). "New Auckland football club to join A-Leagues after Bill Foley secures licence". The Guardian.
  2. [2]
    "A-Leagues set to expand to Canberra and Auckland for 2024–25 season". ABC News. 14 March 2023. Archived from the original on 14 March 2023. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
  3. [3]
    tomsmithies (10 October 2023). "Premier League owner confirmed as preferred bidder for A-Leagues expansion licence in Auckland". A-Leagues. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  4. [4]
    "Auckland expansion team awarded full A-Leagues license". A-Leagues. 21 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  5. [5]
    Andrew Voerman (21 November 2023). "Auckland A-Leagues club has 'lot of work' to do on brand; owner not wedded to 'Knights'". Stuff.co.nz.
  6. [6]
    Sacha Pisani (14 March 2024). "Historic day for A-Leagues as new Auckland team reveals name, logo and inaugural jersey". A-Leagues.
  7. [7]
    "'Black Knights': A-League's newest club Auckland FC pick Inter-style kits". The Guardian. Australian Associated Press. 14 March 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  8. [8]
    "A-Leagues expansion club AKL Football 24 unveil Director of Football". Auckland FC. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  9. [9]
    "Auckland appoint Steve Corica as maiden Isuzu UTE A-League coach". Auckland FC. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  10. [10]
    Toogood, Will (11 May 2024). "Auckland A-Leagues franchise reveals name, kit and crest". NZ Herald. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  11. [11]
    "Auckland FC 2024–25 Home Jersey". Auckland FC. 14 March 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  12. [12]
    "Auckland FC named as newest A-League team". RNZ. 14 March 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  13. [13]
    "Football's big Auckland adventure - a new stadium on the cards?". Radio New Zealand. 26 November 2023.
  14. [14]
    "Auckland A-Leagues franchise team name set to be announced". Auckland FC. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  15. [15]
    "'Doesn't have a great track record': Phoenix ignite rivalry with new Auckland club". NZ Herald. 11 May 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  16. [16]
    Gupwell, Seth (14 March 2024). "'Horrendous' or 'fire'? Auckland's A-League team revealed their name and kit and fans are torn". georgefm.co.nz. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  17. [17]
    "'Worth it': Auckland FC supporters claim owners behind Eden Park pitch invasion". NZ Herald. 11 May 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  18. [18]
    Voerman, Andrew (22 March 2024). "Auckland FC takes down social media post using pitch invader footage". stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  19. [19]
    Pisani, Sacha (21 November 2023). "Meet Bill Foley: The billionaire who's just been awarded the next A-Leagues license". A-Leagues. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  20. [20]
    Burgess, Michael (14 March 2024). "Power couple link with new Auckland football team". NZ Herald. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  21. [21]
    "Auckland appoint Steve Corica as maiden Isuzu Ute A-League coach". A Leagues. 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  22. [22]
    Burgess, Michael (22 March 2024). "Auckland FC signs former All Whites coach Danny Hay as assistant coach for new A-League club". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
  23. [23]
    Pisani, Sacha (4 December 2023). "A Leagues expansions club AKL Football 24 unveil Director of Football". A Leagues. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  24. [24]
    "Auckland's A-League expansion club hires player recruitment specialist". friendsoffootballnz.com. 18 February 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
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