Hawke’s Bay football fans will get their first chance to see New Zealand’s newest football powerhouse in action, with Auckland FC confirmed to play a pre-season fixture against Western Sydney Wanderers at Napier’s McLean Park on Saturday 19th September.
The match brings the reigning A-League Champions to Napier as they build towards the 26/27 A-League season, which kicks off in mid-October.
Napier City Council Events Manager Kevin Murphy is expecting a strong crowd, with football riding a wave of popularity following Auckland FC’s remarkable first two seasons in the A-League, along with the All Whites’ recent FIFA World Cup 2026™ campaign.
Tickets will go on sale via Ticketek on Wednesday, 2nd September. Â
“Auckland FC are the A-League champions and have built an incredible fan base across New Zealand in just two years. We’ve been keen to get them to Napier, as they’re one of the country’s top sporting franchises,” Murphy said.
Auckland FC’s rise has been one of New Zealand sport’s great stories. They topped the table in their debut A-League season before falling in the semi-final, then went on to win the title outright in year two.
That form carried them to the inaugural OFC Pro League championship in May, securing a place in the 2026 FIFA Intercontinental Cup™, a knockout series they exited this week following a loss to Al Ahli.
Auckland FC Chief Executive Nick Becker said the club is excited to bring one of the biggest fixtures on its pre-season calendar to Hawke’s Bay, with players and management keen to connect with fans across the region.
“This is going to be a great game for the region and one we’re really excited to play in. We have a lot of fans in Hawke’s Bay who are keen to see a winning team but can’t always make it to Auckland’s Go Media Stadium.
“We’ll be out in the community beforehand, living our values and giving fans a chance to meet the players. We’re working closely with Napier City Council on what these will look like and thank them for their support in making this game possible.”
Central Football Chief Executive Darren Mason says for Hawke’s Bay, the fixture is a chance to see a hugely successful football side play on home turf.
“Player participation in football is on the rise in Hawke’s Bay, and there’s a strong football fan base here that we expect to front up to McLean Park.”
Earlier this year, Napier hosted a pre-season Warriors match that drew a crowd of more than 12,000. In 2023, the NZ Football Ferns played a pre-World Cup game against Vietnam, which attracted over 6,000 fans.
“It would be great to get more than 8,000, as it will give Auckland FC the confidence to look at bringing an A-League game here in future,” Murphy said.
MATCH DETAILS
⚽️ Auckland FC vs Western Sydney Wanderers
🏟️ McLean Park, Napier
🗓️ Saturday 19th September
⏰ 3pm KO
🎟️ Tickets via Ticketek, on sale from Wednesday, 2nd September. Adults from $20 (in Family Zone) – www.ticketek.co.nz
