Latest news from Friends of Football
All Whites captain Winston Reid will retire from international football after his side’s game against Australia’s Socceroos at Auckland’s Eden Park. The 34-year-old veteran of three New Zealand World Cup campaigns says he’s pleased to be able to finish his … Read More
Junior All Whites coach Darren Bazeley says “pent-up aggression and energy” were probably responsible for Papua New Guinea’s hard-tackling approach that left New Zealand players injured and two in hospital after the sides’ game in Tahiti. New Zealand beat PNG … Read More
New Zealand are only one game away from qualifying for next year’s FIFA U-20 Men’s World Cup after beating Papua New Guinea at the OFC U-19 Championship tournament. New Zealand will play host Tahiti in the semi-final of the tournament, … Read More
Kate Sheppard Cup final stars Martine Puketapu and Katie Duncan have called curtains on their season, deciding not to play for Auckland United in the new Women’s National League. The former Football Ferns have decided their successful roles in United’s … Read More
New Zealand goalkeeper Jamie Searle has made his debut in the English Football League with League One club Barnsley. The 21-year-old All White came off the bench after starting goalkeeper Brad Collins was injured in the 59th minute of Barnsley’s … Read More
Melville United will be guided by a new first-team coach and academy manager in 2023, with the appointment of Jarrod Young (pictured) to both posts from January 1. Sam Wilkinson, who first took up the reins with Melville in 2017, … Read More
Coromandel’s Tairua FC have joined the Friends of Football club partnership scheme to help promote football in our regions. The club welcomed Friends of Football’s Alan Yates to their end-of-season prizegiving, and celebrated our commitment to working together. Main photo: … Read More
Players and fans had plenty to celebrate in a weekend of football that included a tournament win by New Zealand’s Futsal Whites, a league title for Central United and cup finals in the Waikato. The new-look Women’s National League got … Read More
Auckland teams have started well in the new-look Women’s National League, filling four of the competition’s top five spots after the opening round. Western Springs are top of the table — for a week, at least — after a 6-1 … Read More
The Futsal Whites have made a triumphant return to international competition, winning the OFC Futsal Cup in Fiji. In an entertaining and sometimes-feisty final, New Zealand beat Solomon Islands 6-2. Rahan Ali led the scoring with a hat-trick, giving him … Read More
Uni-Mount Bohemian’s Alto Vuelo side will meet Hibiscus Coast in the final of the NRF Men’s Federation Cup, after beating Te Atatu 3-1 in Saturday’s semi-final. Playing at Bill McKinlay Park, Uni-Mount took the lead in the 17th minute through … Read More
Goals were scarce in the NRF Women’s Championship’s latest round with only four goals scored in the three games played. Unbeaten leaders Hibiscus Coast were held to a draw for only the second time this year, as Onehunga Sports shared … Read More
Eastern Suburbs and Canterbury United Pride were first day winners as the 2022 Women’s National League got underway. Suburbs beat Capital Football 4-1 while Pride beat Central Football 3-0 as both sides showed their credentials in the new-look national competition. … Read More
Central United have won this season’s NRF Men’s Championship after romping to a 7-2 win against Ranui Swanson at Kiwitea Street. Rivals Papatoetoe — who needed to win and for Central to slip up — won 4-2 against Papakura City, … Read More
Melville United’s Mighty As have won the 2022 men’s Waikato Cup, beating Waikato Unicol’s Development Team 5-1 in the final. Playing at Hamilton’s Korikori Park, Melville won the Ron White Trophy, named after the late long-serving Waikato administrator. Main photo: … Read More
New Zealand’s Futsal Whites face a Solomon Islands side that goes into Sunday’s final at the OFC Futsal Cup in Suva, Fiji, with a better world ranking. The New Zealand team is currently ranked 63rd in world futsal rankings while … Read More
The opening weekend of the new-look Women’s National League has thrown up a juicy fixture for Auckland spectators. The first round games on Sunday, include a match between Lotto NRFL Women’s Premier League champions Northern Rovers and the winners of … Read More
Half a century has passed since one of New Zealand’s most talented footballers scored a hat-trick in his international debut. On September 17, 1972, Blockhouse Bay winger Ian Ormond pulled on the New Zealand shirt for the first time, playing … Read More