Friends of Football encourages the recognition of those who make a significant contribution to the game in New Zealand
Who is the most influential New Zealander in global sport? Her name is Sarai Bareman. And she is head of women’s football for FIFA. All of it. In 211 countries, from South Sudan to the United States, from the biggest … Read More
Papatoetoe have honoured volunteer Hans Anema with a ‘pursuit of excellence’ award at the club’s end-of-season prizegiving function. Commitee member Anema was awarded the Ross Robertson Pursuit of Excellence in Association Football Trophy, recognising his work at the club. In … Read More
Western Springs winger Dawson Straffon is heading to the UK after a successful Northern League season in which he won three club awards for his performances. The 19-year-old has been named Springs’ 2022 first-team Player of the Year, its Players’ … Read More
A 9-year-old boy has been named as the first recipient of a prestigious award aimed at recognising those who live the values of the South Auckland Rangers club. Aydan Prakash’s name will be the first engraved on a trophy named … Read More
New Zealand striker Max Mata (22) has been named Young Player of the Year by his League of Ireland club Sligo Rovers. Aucklander Mata, a one-cap All White, has scored nine goals this season for Sligo with whom he recently … Read More
Hamish Watson and Renee Bacon have taken the top Player of the Year prizes at the Capital Football annual awards. Miramar Rangers striker Watson has been named the Central League’s Player of the Year, as well as winner of the … Read More
A new season of seven-a-side summer football has kicked off on Auckland’s North Shore, honouring the memory of the football stalwart who started it all 27 years ago. Organisers have renamed the annual Becroft 7s as Al’s 7-a-side to help … Read More
Northern Rovers have honoured the contributions of their three latest Life Members, presenting them with club badges at the club’s recent end-of-season prizegiving. Gareth Kershaw officially became the first Life Member for the merged Northern Rovers club. Due to COVID-forced … Read More
Long-time champion of New Zealand referees Ken Wallace has been recognised for his 55 years of service to the game. Wallace has been presented with a special long-service award at a recent awards night for northern referees, following his retirement … Read More
Capital Football will reveal the winners of their annual awards at a function at the Petone Working Men’s Club on Wednesday October 26. The function will include announcements for 35 awards, nine of which are selected by public vote. Finalists CENTRAL … Read More
While excitement builds for the coming FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament, a simple act of kindness by a New Zealand age group international player has won the hearts of the WaiBOP football community. Tiana Hill (22) has gifted the shirt … Read More
Seamus Marten has been named Melville United’s Club Person of the Year at the Waikato club’s end-of-season prizegiving. Marten, who made his first-team debut for Melville as a goalkeeper in 2005, was recognised for a heavy workload that included roles … Read More
Nico Bobadilla has been named the 2022 Player of the Year for promotion-winning Manurewa at the club’s end-of-season prizegiving awards. The 23-year-old Argentina-born player joined Rewa for the start of the 2022 season in which the club were runners-up in … Read More
Football Ferns skipper Ali Riley has been named her club’s Players’ Player of the Year after her first season with Californian club Angel City FC. The Los Angeles-based club joined the National Women’s Soccer League this year, finishing eighth in … Read More
Callum Simmonds has been named Club Player of the Year after an impressive 2022 season with East Coast Bays in the Lotto NRFL first division. Simmonds (27) has been a key player with Bays since joining the club from Albany … Read More
Two young goalkeepers have been recognised by Bucklands Beach AFC for their performances in this season’s Lotto NRFL second division. Riley Pullar (19) and Tamaho Perry (16) are among those to receive club awards at Bucklands Beach’s end-of-season prizegiving event. … Read More
Striker Allan Pearce has capped a promotion-winning season with West Coast Rangers by taking the club’s award as its first team Player of the Year. Pearce was a formidable goalscorer for Rangers who won the Lotto NRFL first division, earning … Read More
Takapuna AFC’s women’s fourth division side finished their winter season with a third placing in their competition — just one win from a title. But they were determined to win something from their season … and they did. In style. … Read More