Auckland City FC

Auckland City FC
Auckland City Football Club is a New Zealand semi-professional football club based in the suburb of Sandringham in Auckland, New Zealand. They currently compete in the Northern League. Auckland City have established themselves as a major force in both New Zealand and Oceania, having won eight New Zealand Football Championship titles and eleven OFC Champions League titles since their foundation.
Formed in 2004 following the inception of the New Zealand Football Championship, Auckland City currently play their home matches at Kiwitea Street in Sandringham, New Zealand. The club is the most successful in Oceania, having won seven consecutive OFC Champions League titles between 2011 and 2017 – the most consecutive continental titles of any football team in history. This has resulted in Auckland becoming a regular fixture at the FIFA Club World Cup, famously achieving a third-placed finish in the 2014 edition. Auckland City's youth team played in the now-defunct National Youth League, becoming the most successful team in competition history with seven titles.
History
Auckland City has won the New Zealand Football Championship regular season twelve times, and the Grand Final eight times. They represented the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) in the OFC Champions League, which they won most recently in 2017 for the ninth time (seventh in a row). With a third place in 2014, they also became the only OFC team to reach the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup. They are also the only team to win the continental treble three times.
In 2017, Auckland City were invited to play in the Lunar New Year Cup, a friendly tournament hosted in Hong Kong. Auckland City defeated South Korean champions FC Seoul in the semifinal, before defeating Hong Kong side Kitchee in the final to lift the trophy. Auckland City were again invited for the 2019 edition, falling to Chinese Super League club Shandong Luneng 2–1.
Following the conclusion of the 2018–19 season, in which Auckland City won all but one game in their undefeated season but fell short in both the OFC Champions League and the league playoffs, long-term manager Ramon Tribulietx brought his association with the club to an end and was replaced by Team Wellington coach José Figueira ahead of the 2019–20 season.
After the first season of the New Zealand National League Auckland City finished 1st in the Northern League but didn't get to play in the championship phase due to COVID-19 affecting the Auckland Region. The club then announced that Albert Riera would take over as head coach for the next season.
FIFA Club World Cup
2009
Auckland City overcame local champions Al Ahli 2–0 in the opening play-off match, with goals by Adam Dickinson and Chad Coombes. In their quarter final clash against CONCACAF champions Atlante of Mexico, the side lost 0–3.
The play-off for fifth and sixth place was described by coach Paul Posa as "the greatest night in the history of Auckland City Football Club", as the team defeated CAF Champions League winners TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo 3–2. The goal scorers on this special occasion were Jason Hayne with two and Riki van Steeden.
These historic victories were the first recorded by a New Zealand team at the Club World Cup, and the first by an amateur side at this tournament. This was also the first time that a senior men's representative team from New Zealand has recorded a victory in a world FIFA competition.
2014
Auckland City played Moroccan league champions Moghreb Tétouan in a play-off for the quarter-finals on 10 December. The match finished goalless, with Auckland winning 4–3 in a penalty shoot-out and qualifying for a quarter-final clash against AFC Champions League winners ES Sétif. Auckland City defeated ES Sétif 1–0, courtesy of a John Irving goal, and advanced to the semi-finals for the first time ever.
Auckland played Copa Libertadores champions San Lorenzo in the semifinals, but lost 2–1. A shock seemed possible when a second-half goal from Ángel Berlanga cancelled out Pablo Barrientos' first-half strike for San Lorenzo, but substitute Mauro Matos netted San Lorenzo's winner in extra time.
They finished the tournament with a historic 4-2 penalty shootout win over CONCACAF Champions League winners Cruz Azul in the third-place playoff after a 1–1 draw at full time, with substitute Sanni Issa scoring the ultimate penalty just days after signing for the club. The result gained the side worldwide acclaim, as the team of part-timers and amateurs defied all expectations in the competition. Club stalwart and defender Ivan Vicelich came third in the Golden Ball award for best player at the tournament, behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos of Real Madrid.
Colours and badge
Auckland City's regular kit colours are faintly chequered navy blue shirts, navy blue shorts with white socks. The current crest features the Sky Tower and Rangitoto Island along with the Waitemata Harbour all iconic Auckland landmarks. It also features an anchor to acknowledge the city of Auckland’s long maritime history and a yellow and white checkerboard to acknowledge the club’s original roots being founded upon sister club Central United FC which was formed in 1962.
Stadium
Freyberg Field, then a public park, was made available for use as a football field in 1965 for tenants Central United. What became known as Kiwitea Street, was made available to Auckland City following their foundation in 2004. Since then, the amenities at Kiwitea Street have been overhauled, including a new clubrooms and a resurfaced pitch in 2007.
The stadium seats 250 spectators, with additional standing room.
Players
First-team squad
Club officials
Technical staff
Medical staff
Managers
Notable former players
The following players gained international caps for their respective countries. Players listed in bold represented their countries while playing for Auckland City.
Teruo Iwamoto
Keryn Jordan
Grant Young
Liam Jordan
Lee Ki-hyung
Micah Lea'alafa
Henry Fa'arodo
George Suri
Roy Krishna
Salesh Kumar
Brian Kaltak
David Browne
James Pritchett
Cole Peverley
Paul Urlovic
Nikko Boxall
Michael Boxall
Clayton Lewis
Tim Payne
Myer Bevan
Jacob Spoonley
Cameron Howieson
Ian Hogg
Tom Doyle
Sean Douglas
Adam McGeorge
Jeff Campbell
Dalton Wilkins
Te Atawhai Hudson-Wihongi
Liam Graham
Tamati Williams
Chad Coombes
Dave Mulligan
Ryan De Vries
Ivan Vicelich
Matthew Ridenton
Moses Dyer
Kris Bright
Ross Nicholson
Jonathan Perry
Harshae Raniga
Callum McCowatt
Logan Rogerson
Season by season record
ISPS Handa Men's Premiership
National League
International competitions record
Continental
International
FIFA Club World Cup
Rankings
Club world ranking
As of 17 January 2023
Honours
National
New Zealand National Football League
Champions (9): 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2022
Premiers (12): 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2019–20†, 2020–21
ASB Charity Cup
Champions (7): 2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020
Chatham Cup
Champions (1): 2022
Regional
Northern League
Champions (2): 2021, 2022
International
FIFA Club World Cup
Bronze Medal: 2014
OFC Champions League
Champions (11): 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2022, 2023
OFC President's Cup
Champions (1): 2014
Youth team
National Youth League
Champions (5): 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2017
Friendlies
Hong Kong Lunar New Year Cup
Champions: 2017
Notes
References
External links
Auckland City FC at Soccerway
Association football clubs in Auckland
Association football clubs established in 2004
2004 establishments in New Zealand
OFC Champions League winning clubs