| Clubname: | Auckland City |
| Fullname: | Auckland City Football Club |
| Nickname: | The Navy Blues, City |
| Short Name: | ACFC |
| Founded: | [1] |
| Capacity: | 2,500 (500 seated) |
| Manager: | Albert Riera |
| League: | Northern League National League |
| Position: | Northern League, 1st of 12 (champions) National League, 2nd of 10 (champions) |
| Current: | 2024 Auckland City FC season |
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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 nine New Zealand Football Championship titles and twelve OFC Champions League titles since their foundation.[1] [2]
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.[3] 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.[4] 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.[5] [6] Auckland City's youth team played in the now-defunct National Youth League, becoming the most successful team in competition history with seven titles.[7]
Auckland City's regular kit colours are faintly striped royal blue shirts and shorts with white socks. The current crest, in use since the club's inception, features the Sky Tower, an iconic Auckland landmark. The club has a strong Croatian influence, being strongly associated with and playing at the same stadium as Central United (formed in 1962 by Dalmatian immigrants).
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.[8] Auckland City defeated South Korean champions FC Seoul in the semifinal, before defeating Hong Kong side Kitchee in the final to lift the trophy.[9] Auckland City were again invited for the 2019 edition, falling to Chinese Super League club Shandong Luneng 2–1.[10]
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.[11] [12]
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.[13]
See main article: 2009 FIFA Club World Cup. 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.
See main article: 2014 FIFA Club World Cup. 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 CAF Champions League winners ES Sétif.[14] 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.[5]
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.[15] [16] 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.[17]
Auckland City's regular kit colours are faintly chequered navy blue shirts, navy blue shorts with white socks.[18] The current crest features the Sky Tower and Rangitoto Island along with the Waitematā 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.[19]
See main article: Kiwitea Street. 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.[20]
The stadium seats 250 spectators, with additional standing room.[20]
See main article: Auckland derby.
| Role | Name | |
|---|---|---|
| Manager | Albert Riera | |
| Assistant manager |  Ivan Vicelich | |
| Team manager | Keith Coton | |
| Goalkeeper coach |  Eñaut Zubikarai | |
| Fitness coach | Adrià Casals | |
| Technical analyst | Jacob Weaver |
| Nationality | From | To | Ref | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| scope=row style=text-align:left | Allan Jones | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:left" | Roger Wilkinson | New Zealand | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:left" | Paul Marshall | New Zealand | |||
| scope=row style=text-align:left | New Zealand | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:left" | Paul Posa | New Zealand | |||
| scope=row style="text-align:left" | New Zealand Spain | ||||
| scope=row style=text-align:left | Spain | ||||
| scope=row style="text-align:left" | |||||
| scope=row style=text-align:left | Albert Riera | Spain | present | ||
The following players gained international caps for their respective countries. Players listed in bold represented their countries while playing for Auckland City.
Emiliano Tade
Teruo Iwamoto
Roy Krishna Salesh Kumar
Brian Kaltak
David Browne James Pritchett Cameron Howieson 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 | Division | League | Chatham Cup | Charity Cup | Other competitions | Top scorer | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=20px | width=20px | width=20px | width=20px | width=20px | width=20px | width=25px | width=20px | width=40px | width=40px | OFC | FIFA | Name | Goals | ||||||||||
| 21 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 53 | 24 | +29 | 46 | 1st | 1st | GS | style=text-align:left | 15 | |||||||||||
| 2005–06[24] | 21 | 16 | 0 | 5 | 63 | 28 | +35 | 48 | 1st | 1st | W | style=text-align:left | 22 | ||||||||||
| 2006–07[25] | 21 | 12 | 6 | 3 | 50 | 30 | +20 | 42 | 3rd | 1st | GS | 6th | style=text-align:left | Grant Young | 11 | ||||||||
| 2007–08[26] | 21 | 16 | 2 | 3 | 44 | 16 | +28 | 50 | 2nd | EF | GS | style=text-align:left | 8 | ||||||||||
| 2008–09[27] | 14 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 27 | 15 | +12 | 25 | 2nd | 1st | W | style=text-align:left | 5 | ||||||||||
| 2009–10[28] | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 33 | 13 | +20 | 31 | 1st | SF | GS | 5th | style=text-align:left | Jason Hayne | 7 | ||||||||
| 2010–11[29] | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 29 | 12 | +17 | 30 | 2nd | 2nd | W | style=text-align:left | 7 | ||||||||||
| 2011–12[30] | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 43 | 11 | +32 | 36 | 1st | SF | W | W | 7th | style=text-align:left | 9 | ||||||||
| 2012–13[31] | 14 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 40 | 13 | +27 | 33 | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | W | 7th | style=text-align:left | Manel Expósito | 11 | |||||||
| 2013–14[32] | 14 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 40 | 12 | +28 | 33 | 1st | 1st | W | W | 7th | 17 | |||||||||
| 2014–15[33] | 14 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 39 | 14 | +25 | 42 | 1st | 1st | 2nd | W | 3rd | style=text-align:left | 7 | ||||||||
| 2015–16[34] | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 43 | 12 | +31 | 38 | 1st | 2nd | W | W | 7th | 15 | |||||||||
| 2016–17[35] | 18 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 35 | 15 | +20 | 36 | 1st | 2nd | W | W | 7th | style=text-align:left | Emiliano Tade | 13 | |||||||
| 2017–18[36] | 18 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 41 | 12 | +29 | 40 | 1st | 1st | 2nd | SF | 7th | Emiliano Tade ♦ | 18 | ||||||||
| 2018–19[37] | 18 | 17 | 1 | 0 | 46 | 18 | +28 | 52 | 1st | SF | W | SF | style=text-align:left | Camochu | 8 | ||||||||
| 2019–20[38] | 16 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 42 | 15 | +27 | 37 | 1st | — | W | — | Myer Bevan ♦ | 15 | |||||||||
| 14 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 27 | 13 | +14 | 28 | 1st | 2nd | W | — | style=text-align:left | 8 | ||||||||||
| Season | Qualifying league | League | Chatham Cup | Charity Cup | Other competitions | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| width=40px | width=40px | OFC | FIFA | Name | Goals | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 2021[39] | 18 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 63 | 19 | +44 | 46 | 1st | Cancelled | QF | 18 | ||||||||||||||
| 2022[40] | 22 | 20 | 1 | 1 | 68 | 16 | +52 | 61 | 1st | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 20 | 9 | +11 | 22 | 1st | W | 7th | style=text-align:left | 17 | ||||
| 2023[41] | 22 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 64 | 9 | +55 | 60 | 1st | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 12 | +7 | 21 | 2nd | W | 7th | 20 | |||||
| 2024 | 22 | 16 | 3 | 3 | 53 | 21 | +32 | 51 | 1st | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 20 | 10 | +10 | 19 | 1st | 2nd | W | 6th | 10 | ||||
| Champions | |
| Runners-up | |
| Third Place | |
| ♦ | Top scorer in competition |
| EF | Elimination finals |
| SF | Semi-finals |
| Club | Home | Away | Aggregate | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005[42] | OFC Club Championship | PR | Manumea | w/d | |||
| Group A |  | Sydney FC | 2–3 | rowspan="3" style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;" | |||
| AS Pirae | 0–1 | ||||||
| Sobou | 6–1 | |||||
| 2006[43] | OFC Club Championship | Group A | | Sobou | 7–0 | rowspan=3; style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;" | |
| Marist Fire | 3–1 | ||||||
| AS Pirae | 1–0 | ||||||
| SF | Nokia Eagles | 9–1 | |||||
| Final | AS Pirae | 3–1 | |||||
| 2007[44] | OFC Champions League | Group A | | Waitakere United | 2–2 | 2–2 | rowspan=2; style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;" |
 | Mont-Dore | 4–0 | 2–0 | ||||
| 2007–08[45] | OFC Champions League | Group A | | Waitakere United | 0–1 | 1–1 | rowspan=2; style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;" |
| A.S. Manu-Ura | 6–0 | 1–0 | |||||
| 2008–09[46] | OFC Champions League | Group A | | Waitakere United | 2–2 | 3–1 | rowspan=2; style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;" |
| Port Vila Sharks | 8–1 | 2–0 | |||||
| Final | Koloale | 2–2 | 7–2 | ||||
| 2009–10[47] | OFC Champions League | Group A | | Waitakere United | 2–2 | 1–1 | rowspan=3; style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;" |
| AS Magenta | 2–1 | 1–1 | ||||
| A.S. Manu-Ura | 5–0 | 2–0 | |||||
| 2010–11[48] | OFC Champions League | Group B | | AS Magenta | 3–0 | 1–0 | rowspan=3; style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;" |
| Waitakere United | 1–1 | 1–0 | ||||
| A.S. Tefana | 1–1 | 5–0 | |||||
| Final | Amicale | 2–1 | 4–0 | ||||
| 2011–12[49] | OFC Champions League | Group B | | Hekari United | 2–0 | 1–1 | rowspan=3; style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;" |
| Koloale | 7–3 | 4–1 | |||||
| Amicale | 3–2 | 0–1 | |||||
| Final | A.S. Tefana | 2–1 | 1–0 | ||||
| 2012–13[50] | OFC Champions League | Group B | | Waitakere United | 0–1 | 3–1 | rowspan=3; style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;" |
| A.S. Dragon | 1–3 | 1–1 | |||||
| Mont-Dore | 12–2 | 2–0 | ||||
| SF | | Ba | 6–1 | 1–0 | style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;" | ||
| Final | | Waitakere United | 2–1 | ||||
| 2013–14[51] | OFC Champions League | Group B | Nadi | 3–0 | rowspan=3; style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;" | ||
| A.S. Dragon | 3–0 | ||||||
| Amicale | 0–1 | ||||||
| SF | AS Pirae | 3–0 | 1–2 | style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;" | |||
| Final | Amicale | 2–1 | 1–1 | ||||
| 2014 | OFC President's Cup | Group A | 4–0 | rowspan=2 | |||
| Bodden Town | 9–0 | ||||||
| Final | Amicale | 2–1 | |||||
| 2014–15[52] | OFC Champions League | Group B | Suva | 3–0 | rowspan=3; style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;" | ||
| Western United | 3–0 | ||||||
| Amicale | 3–0 | ||||||
| SF | | Gaïtcha FCN | 1–0 | ||||
| Final | | Team Wellington | 1–1 (4–3 p.) | ||||
| 2016[53] | OFC Champions League | Group A | | Lae City Dwellers | 2–1 | rowspan=3; style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;" | |
| Solomon Warriors | 4–0 | ||||||
| Amicale | 3–1 | ||||||
| SF | A.S. Tefana | 4–2 | |||||
| Final | | Team Wellington | 3–0 | ||||
| 2017[54] | OFC Champions League | Group C | | Lae City Dwellers | 2–0 | rowspan=3; style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;" | |
| Western United | 2–1 | ||||||
| Malampa Revivors | 11–0 | ||||||
| SF | A.S. Tefana | 2–0 | 2–0 | style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;" | |||
| Final | | Team Wellington | 3–0 | 2–0 | |||
| 2018[55] | OFC Champions League | Group C | Vénus | 7–0 | rowspan=3; style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;" | ||
| Madang | 5–0 | |||||
| Lautoka | 1–0 | ||||||
| QF | Solomon Warriors | 2–0 | |||||
| SF | | Team Wellington | 0–0 | 2–2 | style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;" | ||
| 2019[56] | OFC Champions League | Group D | | AS Magenta | 2–1 | rowspan=3; style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;" | |
 | Tupapa Maraerenga | 15–0 | |||||
| Solomon Warriors | 6–0 | ||||||
| QF | | Toti City | 4–0 | ||||
| SF | | AS Magenta | 1–2 | ||||
| 2020[57] | OFC Champions League | Group D | Ba | 6–0 | rowspan=3; style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;" | ||
| Vénus | 1–0 | ||||||
| Lupe o le Soaga | 2–0 | ||||||
| 2022 | OFC Champions League | Group B | Hienghène Sport | 5–0 | rowspan=3; style="text-align:center; background:#dfd;" | ||
| Rewa | 3–0 | ||||||
| Nikao Sokattack | 4–1 | ||||||
| SF | Central Coast | 2–0 | |||||
| Final | Vénus | 3–0 | |||||
| 2023 | OFC Champions League | National PO | Wellington Olympic | 5–3 | 1–1 | style="text-align:center; background:#fdd;" | |
| Group A | Solomon Warriors | 3–1 | rowspan=3; style="text-align:center;" | ||||
| Suva | 3–1 | ||||||
| Lupe o le Soaga | 3–0 (w/d) | ||||||
| SF | Ifira Black Bird | 2–2 (5–4 p.) | |||||
| Final | Suva | 4–2 (a.e.t.) | |||||
| 2024 | OFC Champions League | National PO | Wellington Olympic | 1–0 | 3–3 | style="background:#fdd;" | |
| Group A | Rewa | 2–2 | rowspan=3 | ||||
| Hekari United | 1–0 | |||||
| Solomon Warriors | 5–0 | ||||||
| SF | | AS Magenta | 1–0 | ||||
| Final | AS Pirae | 4–0 | |||||
| Champions |
| Year | FIFA Club World Cup | Top goalscorer | Managers | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country | Place | Player | Goals | |||||||||
| 2006 | Japan | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 6th | – | 0 | Allan Jones | |
| 2009 |  United Arab Emirates | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 5th | Jason Hayne | 2 | Paul Posa | |
| 2011 | Japan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7th | – | 0 | Ramon Tribulietx | |
| 2012 | Japan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7th | – | 0 | Ramon Tribulietx | |
| 2013 |  Morocco | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7th | Roy Krishna | 1 | Ramon Tribulietx | |
| 2014 | Morocco | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3rd | Three Players | 1 | Ramon Tribulietx | |
| 2015 | Japan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7th | – | 0 | Ramon Tribulietx | |
| 2016 | Japan | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7th | Kim Dae-wook | 1 | Ramon Tribulietx | |
| 2017 | United Arab Emirates | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7th | – | 0 | Ramon Tribulietx | |
| 2022 | Morocco | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7th | – | 0 | Albert Riera | |
| 2023 |  Saudi Arabia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 7th | – | 0 | Albert Riera | |
| 2025 |  United States | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | TBD | – | 0 | Albert Riera | |
| Season | Competition | Round | Club | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | FIFA Club World Cup | Quarter-finals |  Al-Ahly | 0–2 |
| Fifth place play-off |  Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors | 0–3 | ||
| 2009 | FIFA Club World Cup | Play-off for quarter-finals | Al-Ahli | 2–0 |
| Quarter-finals |  Atlante | 0–3 | ||
| Match for fifth place |  TP Mazembe | 3–2 | ||
| 2011 | FIFA Club World Cup | Play-off for quarter-finals | Kashiwa Reysol | 0–2 |
| 2012 | FIFA Club World Cup | Play-off for quarter-finals | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 0–1 |
| 2013 | FIFA Club World Cup | Play-off for quarter-finals | Raja Casablanca | 1–2 |
| 2014 | FIFA Club World Cup | Play-off for quarter-finals | Moghreb Tetouan | 0–0 (4–3 p) |
| Quarter-finals | ES Sétif | 1–0 | ||
| Semi-finals | San Lorenzo | 1–2 | ||
| Match for third place | Cruz Azul | 1–1 (4–2 p) | ||
| 2015 | FIFA Club World Cup | Play-off for quarter-finals | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 0–2 |
| 2016 | FIFA Club World Cup | Play-off for quarter-finals | Kashima Antlers | 1–2 |
| 2017 | FIFA Club World Cup | Play-off for quarter-finals | Al-Jazira | 0–1 |
| 2020 | FIFA Club World Cup | Withdrew due to COVID-19 pandemic[58] | ||
| 2022 | FIFA Club World Cup | Play-off for quarter-finals | Al Ahly | 0–3 |
| 2023 | FIFA Club World Cup | Play-off for quarter-finals | Al-Ittihad | 0–3 |
| 2024 | FIFA Intercontinental Cup | African–Asian–Pacific Cup play-off | Al Ain | 2–6 |
| 2025 | FIFA Club World Cup | Group stage | TBD | – |
| TBD | – | |||
| TBD | – | |||
See also: IFFHS.
As of 10 September 2024[59]
| Rank | Team | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 385 | 7 clubs | 63.00 |
| 392 | Auckland City | 62.75 |
| 393 |  FK Čukarički | 62.50 |
| 393 |  Havnar Bóltfelag | 62.50 |