New Zealand Football#Member federations

{{Short description|Sports governing body for association football in New Zealand}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2014}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=November 2024}}

{{Infobox football association

| Logo = New Zealand Football logo.svg

| Badge_size = 200px

| Founded = 1891

| FIFA affiliation = 1948

| Region = OFC

| Region affiliation = 1966

| Subregion =

| Subregion affiliation =

| Website = {{official URL}}

| President = Johanna Wood

}}

New Zealand Football ({{langx|mi|Whutupaoro o Aotearoa}}) is the governing body for the sport of association football in New Zealand. It oversees the seven New Zealand Football federations, as well as the New Zealand men's national football team (nicknamed the "All Whites"), the national junior and women's teams (nicknamed the "Football Ferns"), the men's and women's national Leagues New Zealand National League, National Women's League, and a number of tournaments, including the Chatham Cup and Kate Sheppard Cup. Two New Zealand teams, Auckland FC and Wellington Phoenix FC, who play in the Australian's A-League Men and A-League Women, also come under New Zealand Football jurisdiction.

History

It was founded in 1891, as the New Zealand Football Association{{cite news |title=N.Z. FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION. |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THA18911009.2.17 |access-date=27 June 2021 |work=Thames Advertiser |issue=7042 |date=9 October 1891 |page=2}}{{cite web|url=http://www.mch.govt.nz/nz-identity-heritage/commemorations-and-anniversaries|title=Commemorations & anniversaries|publisher=New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage|date=28 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140816075831/http://mch.govt.nz/nz-identity-heritage/commemorations-and-anniversaries|archive-date=16 August 2014|access-date=16 August 2014}} and became officially affiliated with FIFA in 1948. In May 2007, the organisation was renamed New Zealand Football (NZF), replacing the word "soccer" with "football" in line with the common usage in other parts of the world. Although formal organisations for football have always referred to the sport as football, it has commonly been called soccer.{{cite web|url=https://teara.govt.nz/en/1966/association-football|title=Soccer|publisher= An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand|date=1966}}

New Zealand was admitted as a member of the Asian Football Confederation in 1964,{{cite web|url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19640828-1.2.130.6.aspx|title=AFC Tells Indonesia: Pay or be Sacked|date=28 August 1964|publisher=The Straits Times|quote=New Zealand, who failed last year, were today admitted together with Lebanon and Kuwait as members of the AFC}} but it lost membership later. New Zealand with Australia eventually formed the Oceania Football Federation (now Oceania Football Confederation) in 1966.{{cite web | url=http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofc/AboutOFC/tabid/182/PageContentType/HISTORY/language/en-US/Default.aspx | title=History | publisher=oceaniafootball.com | access-date=18 October 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104014920/http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofc/AboutOFC/tabid/182/PageContentType/HISTORY/language/en-US/Default.aspx | archive-date=4 November 2012 | url-status=dead }}

In September 2007, the New Zealand female football teams were re-branded. The women's national team changed its name from "SWANZ" to "Football Ferns", the female under-20 team to the "Junior Football Ferns" and the under-17 team became the "Young Football Ferns"[http://www.nzsoccer.com/plugins/newsfeed.cgi?rm=content&plugin_data_id=20592 NEW LOOK FOR ‘FOOTBALL FERNS'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090919034555/http://www.nzsoccer.com/plugins/newsfeed.cgi?rm=content&plugin_data_id=20592 |date=19 September 2009 }}, 4 September 2007.

In the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, New Zealand achieved their best result in their team's history when they had a 1–1 draw with reigning World champions Italy. Shane Smeltz scored in the 7th minute marking the first time New Zealand had ever led a match at the World Cup.{{cite web|url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=264063&cc=5901&ver=us |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717130317/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report?id=264063&cc=5901&ver=us |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 July 2012 |title=World Cup Match Results: Italy vs New Zealand – FIFA World Cup 2010 – ESPN Soccernet |publisher=ESPN |date=20 June 2010 |access-date=2013-12-07}} They went on to become the only unbeaten team in the tournament.

=Moving to South American confederation=

In January 2013, members of the FIFA Executive Committee met in a private meeting convened by Joseph Blatter to discuss the possibilities of moving the New Zealand Football Federation to the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) in order to enhance the sport in the country. After the meeting, Blatter said the idea was "ratified" but needed some adjustments."Nova zelândia na CONMEBOL: Os prós e contras da proposta, Revista Placar, January 08, 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/10249281/Plumb-NZ-Football-rolls-the-dice-on-new-coach|title=Plumb: NZ Football rolls the dice on new coach|publisher=Stuff |access-date= 22 November 2014}} This fact provided the New Zealand success in the idea of movement, requiring only a formal request by the association.

But in June, the chief executive of the New Zealand Federation, Andy Martin, said his administration has no plans to promote the New Zealand Football to high-level competitions for now, meaning that New Zealand should remain in the weak Oceania Football Confederation."La isla y el fútbol de siglo 21, Diário OLÉ, 8 May 2013.

=International stage=

In recent time, New Zealand Football has enjoyed good success on the international stage. The All Whites overcame Papua New Guinea in the OFC Nations Cup Final by winning 4–2 on penalties in the final. It was their fifth title in the OFC Nations Cup and it secured their place in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia.

In 2015, the Football Ferns reached their highest ever ranking (16), beating Brazil for the second time and qualifying for the Rio Olympics. The Men's U-20 and U-17 sides qualified out of their groups at their respective FIFA World Cup tournaments in 2015. New Zealand were one of only five countries in the same cycle to achieve this. The remaining four were Germany, Brazil, Mali and Nigeria

New Zealand co-hosted the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup alongside Australia, becoming the first ever senior FIFA event in New Zealand, the first Women's World Cup to be hosted in multiple countries,{{cite magazine |last1=Straus |first1=Brian |title=The Reasoning Behind FIFA's 2023 Women's World Cup Vote |url=https://www.si.com/soccer/2020/06/25/2023-womens-world-cup-host-fifa-vote-australia-new-zealand-colombia |access-date=12 August 2020 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=25 June 2020 |language=en-us}} and only the second World Cup tournament to do so, following the 2002 Men's FIFA World Cup. It will also be the first FIFA Women's World Cup to be held in the Southern Hemisphere,{{cite news |last1=Meade |first1=Sam |title=FIFA confirm Australia and New Zealand will host 2023 Women's World Cup |url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/breaking-fifa-confirm-australia-new-22252778 |work=mirror |date=25 June 2020}} the first senior FIFA tournament to be held in the Oceania Confederation,{{cite news |title=What you need to know about Australia-New Zealand's winning women's World Cup bid |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-25/women-s-world-cup-2023-bid-announcement-decision/12368336 |work=www.abc.net.au |date=24 June 2020 |language=en-AU}} and the first FIFA tournament to be hosted across multiple confederations (with Australia in the AFC and New Zealand in the OFC).

Member federations

Competitions

{{div col|colwidth=40em}}

{{div col end}}

=Defunct competitions=

{{div col|colwidth=40em}}

{{div col end}}

=Current title holders=

class="wikitable sortable"
Competition

! Year

! Champions

! Runners-up

! Next edition

colspan=6|Senior (Men's)
New Zealand National League

| 2024

| Auckland City

| Birkenhead United

| 2025

Chatham Cup

| 2024

| Wellington Olympic

| Auckland City

| 2025

Charity Cup

| 2024

| Wellington Olympic

| Christchurch United

| 2025

colspan=6|Senior (Women's)
National Women's League

| 2024

| Auckland United

| CF Waterside Karori

| 2025

Kate Sheppard Cup

| 2024

| Auckland United

| Western Springs

| 2025

Controversies

In November 2008, Glen Moss was handed a 4-match World Cup ban after swearing at referee Lencie Fred in a dead-rubber 2010 World Cup qualification match against Fiji.{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/soccer/melbourne-victory-goalkeeper-glen-moss-world-cup-with-new-zealance-dream-has-been-clouded-by-suspension/story-e6frfg8x-1225794429447|title=Moss Sees Red|author=Grantley Bernard|publisher=Herald Sun|date=5 November 2009|access-date=10 November 2009}} New Zealand Football failed to lodge an appeal to FIFA in time after they received notification of the sentence on 23 December and were closing for the Christmas period.{{cite web|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/2946634/Banned-Moss-NZF-let-me-down|title=Banned Moss: NZF let me down|first1=Fred |last1=Woodcock |publisher=Herald Sun|date=5 November 2009|access-date=10 November 2009}} Moss was subsequently suspended for the two 2010 FIFA World Cup inter-confederation play off matches against Bahrain and the first two 2010 FIFA World Cup matches against Slovakia and Italy.

In July 2015, New Zealand was ruled to have forfeited its place in the 2016 Olympic tournament after fielding an ineligible player in its men's Under-23 team; NZF decided not to appeal the decision. It was subsequently reported that up to 16 ineligible players had been fielded in the men's Under-23, Under-20 and Under-17 teams between 2011 and 2015.{{cite news|last1=Holloway|first1=Steven|title=New complaint casts doubt over NZ footballers|website=Stuff |date=9 October 2010 }}

In January 2016, Wellington Phoenix signed Alex Jones on loan to the end of the 2015–16 season.{{cite web |url=http://www.wellingtonphoenix.com/article/phoenix-sign-striker-on-loan/1e3ggrl7igo9r1v5mmpsm4g0ue |title=Phoenix sign striker on loan deal |first=Russell |last=Gray |website=wellingtonphoenix.com |publisher=Football Federation Australia |date=31 January 2016 |access-date=2 February 2016}} The move fell through when New Zealand Football failed to forward the completed paperwork to FIFA before the transfer deadline despite having received it from the Phoenix three days previously.{{cite news |url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/football-soccer/news/article.cfm?c_id=86&objectid=11588128 |title=Football: Paperwork blunder puts English striker Alex Jones' Phoenix career in doubt |first=Jason |last=Pine |newspaper=New Zealand Herald |date=11 February 2016 |access-date=11 February 2016}} An appeal to the world governing body was unsuccessful, as FIFA "ruled to protect the integrity of their global deadlines for the transfer of players".{{cite news |url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/a-league/76952998/Wellington-Phoenix-denied-Alex-Jones-loan-deal-by-Fifa-Status-Committee |title=Alex Jones' stint with the Phoenix ends without a game as NZ Football blames lack of internet access for bungle |first1=Liam |last1=Hyslop |first2=Clay |last2=Wilson |name-list-style=amp |website=Stuff |date=16 February 2016 |access-date=16 February 2016}}

On 19 June 2018, a letter of complaint about current New Zealand women's national football team and New Zealand Football technical director Andreas Heraf signed by at least 10 players was sent to New Zealand football collated by the New Zealand Professional Footballers Association (NZPFA).{{cite news |last1=Burgess |first1=Michael |title=Football Ferns bombshell: Coach Andreas Heraf set for suspension, inquiry to look into bullying allegations |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12073640 |publisher=The New Zealand Herald |date=19 June 2018}} Later that day it was also announced that New Zealand Football were deliberately flouting a FIFA directive that Heraf shouldn't be in charge of both roles at the same organisation.{{cite news |last1=Steve Kilgallon |first1=Dana Johnnsen |title=Under-fire Andreas Heraf's double New Zealand Football role breaks Fifa coaching directive |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/104824497/underfire-andreas-herafs-double-new-zealand-football-role-breaks-fifa-coaching-directive |publisher=Stuff |date=19 June 2018}}

The next day it emerge that the Players Union had sent a strongly worded letter to New Zealand Football, instructing them to discontinue all communications with players after Heraf and other New Zealand Football staff members were contacting players and strongly encouraging them not to write letters or issue any formal complaints.{{cite news |last1=Burgess |first1=Michael |title=Ferns scandal: New Zealand Football told to stop contacting Football Ferns players, with immediate effect |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12074323 |publisher=The New Zealand Herald |date=20 June 2018}}

That afternoon it was announced that Heraf would be place on special leave while an independent investigation was conducted into the allegations around bullying, intimidation and a culture of fear.{{cite news |title=Andreas Heraf placed on 'special leave' as NZF announces Football Ferns review |url=https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2018/06/andreas-heraf-placed-on-special-leave-as-nzf-announces-football-ferns-review.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180620074221/https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/sport/2018/06/andreas-heraf-placed-on-special-leave-as-nzf-announces-football-ferns-review.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 June 2018 |publisher=Newshub |date=20 June 2018}}

See also

References

{{reflist}}