Clubname: | University of Canterbury AFC |
Fullname: | University of Canterbury Association Football Club |
Nickname: | UC, Uni, Universities, UC Football |
Founded: | 1945[1] |
Ground: | Ilam Fields, Ilam |
Chrtitle: | President |
Chairman: | Anthony O'Connor |
Coach: | Aldo Miramontes |
League: | Southern League |
Season: | 2023 |
Position: | Canterbury Premiership League, 1st of 8 |
Website: | https://www.ucfootball.co.nz/ |
Current: | 2024 New Zealand National League#2024 Southern League |
University of Canterbury AFC is an association football club in Christchurch, New Zealand. The Men's First team competes in the Southern League and has previously competed in the Canterbury Premiership League.[2] The Women's First team competes in the Women's South Island Qualifying League and were unable to make it out into the South Island League, now competing in the Women's Premiership League.
They are based at Ilam Park in an area beside the university campus,[3] and their senior first teams play their home fixtures at English Park. The men's first team also participates in the Chatham Cup, New Zealand's premier knockout tournament and the English Cup, Canterbury's knockout tournament. The Women's First team competes in the Kate Sheppard Cup, the Women's version of the Chatham Cup, and the Reta Fitzpatrick Cup, the Women's version of the English Cup.
The clubs best run in the Chatham Cup was in 2016 where they made it to the final 16, before losing 3–0 to Cashmere Technical.[4] The best run in the Kate Sheppard Cup was in 2018 were they made it to the final 16, before losing 7–1 to Dunedin Technical.
In 2023, University of Canterbury won the Canterbury Premiership League and played off against FC Nelson, winning 5–3 win on aggregate. Then they faced Roslyn-Wakari, drawing 2–2 on aggregate, and winning on penalty shootout 6–5 after extra time.
2023