From grass roots to World Cups and everything in between. No matter what age, ability or motivation for playing football, there are numerous avenues and opportunities to play one of New Zealand’s highest participation sports.
From recreational and social forms of the game through to competitive and elite levels, football is a game that offers something for everybody.
To make it easier for players to match their ability and aspirations with the type of football that’s right for them, fulfil their potential and enjoy the game as much as possible, New Zealand Football is working to strengthen player pathways by integrating and aligning what’s already on offer and rolling out new initiatives to complete the missing pieces of the puzzle.
Look for new forms of junior football, specifically tailored to the needs of our youngest players, as the work begins at the game’s grassroots, while the provision of NZF- and FIFA-endorsed Futsal programmes will give another option for recreational, social and even competitive players.
For talented young players, selection to one of three National Talent Centres via a federation programme will result in a football education specifically design to prepare players for New Zealand teams at U-17 and U-20 levels.
Centralised in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch the Upper North, Lower North and South Island centres will be the first step in the roll-out of a national talent identification and development program, nationally aligned, regionally tuned and fully integrated into New Zealand’s preparation for FIFA age-group World Cups on a two year cycle.
From there exposure to international football, and for some players a move into professional environments (North American Collegiate programmes, academies at professional clubs at home and abroad) can be a springboard to achieving the dream of becoming an All White or Football Fern and representing New Zealand at the highest level.
National competitions play an important part in developing future international players and providing our best domestic players high quality competition. The NZFC, National Women’s League and National Youth League have all been, or are under review, and changes are on the horizon for the upcoming 2010-11 seasons.
