Welcome to the land down under, Australia. The home of kangaroos, wallabies and for the creative imaginations, the Tasmanian devil. From moustaches and mullets to snakes and spiders, Australia really is a unique place.

Nearly a quarter of the population are born elsewhere, the UK, China, North Africa and other European nations being among the more regular nationalities. Why do so many people move here? A sunny climate and huge spaces are key factors, but what about the sports fans?

Well, Australia is sports crazy, water sports such as sailing and surfing are immensely popular, and the nation is among the best in the world at cricket and rugby. They even have their own sport in Aussie rules football, whoever you ask it is more than likely they are a fan of sport in some sense.

Soccer Or Football?

Then you look at the football, or more commonly used in Australia, soccer. An underwhelming nation in terms of global comparison, but why is this? Simply put, the country prefers the other sports.

Look at the A-League, the top division of Australian football. Many names, for the common viewer, are unrecognisable. It’s clear to see the investment just isn’t there for football. That’s not to say Australia don’t produce top players, the likes of Harry Kewell and Tim Cahill are both Premier League cult heroes.

Revolutionising

Times are changing though, one owner and his club are looking to bring a new audience to the A-League, and they are doing this is in some of the smartest and most creative ways possible.

The most surprising factor about this though is that the club bringing in all the attention is not from Australia. Auckland FC from neighbours New Zealand is the new powerhouse of Australian football.

How though are Auckland FC eligible to play in the A-League? As many will already know the A-League has long had a club from New Zealand plying their trade in their league, Wellington Phoenix have been a part of the league for many years now.

There is a strong connection between Football Australia and New Zealand Football, co-hosting the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup showing the bond between the two nations. The A-League have made it public knowledge that an expansion was in the plans with both an Auckland and a Canberra club being the focal points of the transition.

A-League Introduction

In November of 2023, the club were given its A-League license and the club were officially established in March the following year. On the 19th of October 2024, the club finally played their first A-League game, a 2-0 win over Brisbane Roar. From here the club haven’t looked back. Sitting on top of the table roughly halfway through the season.

Notable games so far in this inaugural season include the Kiwi Clásico. The derby between both New Zealand clubs Auckland FC and the Wellington Phoenix. The new boys have been more than happy to strut their stuff and have won on all three occasions with an aggregate score of 10-2.

The Source Of Success

Where has this come from, how is this new club making such a statement in their debut season? The answer is Bill Foley. A name viewers of Premier League football may have heard before. Foley is the owner of Black Knights Sports & Entertainment.

The same company that owns AFC Bournemouth. The company also has stakes in football clubs FC Lorient in France and Hibernian in Scottish. It’s not just football that Foley is a part of, the Vegas Golden Knights NHL team is the crown jewel at the top of Foley’s sporting portfolio.

Creative Initiatives

So, a billionaire owner and a club playing outside of its geographical location. Still, this does not answer why the club has become so popular, sell-out crowds at every home game for a club that only played its first official game less than half a year ago, are impressive in every metric.

A little research and it’s easy to see why there is so much buzz around the club. Foley has introduced a sprinkling of American sports culture to the matchdays. All fans, regardless that they have a ticket to the game or not, are invited to experience an American-style tailgate before and after the match.

Fans and families are invited to gather around the stadium for cookouts for food and drink and to socialise with fellow fans. Tailgating is hugely popular in America and often brings a lot of the atmosphere to the matchday experience inside and outside of the stadium.

Foley is really trying to build a healthy, friendly community around his new club. Along with the social tailgating events, fans can also sign up for the Auckland FC ‘Local Club Offer’.

With this membership fans can receive exclusive discounts, priority seating locations, member gifts and attend exclusive events. What makes this offer different and personalised however is that 20% of the membership fee is donated to a local football club of the bill payers choosing.

The club are looking to give back as much as they get from their community with this ‘Club Supporting Club’ initiative.

The club welcome fans to get in touch in regard to social events, charity events and special occasions. It can be asked to have player appearances for these events, which is just another way that the club are valuing its supporters.

Auckland FC players already participate in visiting local schools and junior football clubs which just shows us the dedication Foley has with this community project.

Stadia Plans

The numbers cannot be overlooked, the average attendance for Auckland FC is the highest in the league so far this season. The club are currently playing out of the Mount Smart Stadium, the home ground of NRL side the New Zealand Warriors.

Plans are in place for Auckland FC to have a home of their own in the near future. Plans for a new 8,000 capacity stadium have been placed on the table, preliminarily based at Auckland’s Western Spring Site.

This would bring to an end the speedway and rugby scene in that area of the city though; the leases are near expiration for the land with Foley more than likely outbidding the competition for the land.

On the flip side, the new stadium is said to include a main stadium, new indoor futsal and basketball courts, as well as bringing better links to the Western Spring Parkland and the local Zoo.

The surprise around the new stadium is the size, at a capacity of 8,000 it is substantially smaller than the current ground of 25,000. The club’s average attendance is hovering around the 20,000 mark which comes as a surprise to why a new 8,000-capacity stadium is being discussed.

Perhaps after this current season plans can be discussed further, the proposed stadium size is three times smaller, and this could potentially be damaging to the club. Tickets for the fans will be harder to come by and it would result in less income through ticket sales.

Maybe Foley foreshadows the attendance lowering after the initial buzz, but with the current circumstances it is hard to see such a major drop off in fans wanting to watch their hometown club.

Going Forward

A club to keep an eye on for the future, making noise in the southern hemisphere and on a land different to their own. Can the club continue their form and win the A-League in their inaugural season? All the signs are showing that it is more than a possibility, but what happens after that?

Will we see the New Zealanders competing in the AFC Champions League? Will the club be welcoming footballing superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo, N’Golo Kanté and Ivan Toney to their picturesque home, with the current feel around the club and the performances on the pitch, why not? This is Auckland FC, the Kiwi’s making noise in Wallabies territory.

Written and Researched by BSc Cavan Campbell

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