It’s Football Foundation Kate Sheppard Cup final day! And while Covid-19 did its best to delay this moment, we’re thrilled to welcome Wellington United and Hamilton Wanderers to North Harbour Stadium today for one of the biggest games of the domestic football calendar.

Here’s five things to keep an eye out for in today’s final.

1. A new name inscribed on the Cup

We’ll start with the big one. Neither Hamilton Wanderers nor Wellington United have won the Kate Sheppard Cup before. They were both semi-finalists back in 2019, and have gone at least one better for the 2021 edition.

Wellington United do have a former winner in their ranks in Sophie Djikstra, who played for Dunedin Technical when they won the cup for the first time back in 2018. If anyone knows how to mastermind a first-time win, she has first hand experience (coincidentally, they also beat Wellington United en route to that win. We’ll leave it for you to decide if that’s a good omen or not).

2. A new Maia Jackman Trophy winner

Awarded to the game’s MVP, there’s some New Zealand football royalty listed on the Maia Jackman Trophy (named after the Ford Football Ferns legend, who’s won it twice). Here’s something while you’re waiting for kick-off: how many past winners who are current and former Ford Football Ferns can you see?

3. A new record goalscorer on the cards?

Hamilton Wanderers forward Helen Arjomandi is on the precipice of equalling – and even setting – a new goalscoring record for the Kate Sheppard Cup. She’s on 36 goals, just one behind the record held by current Ford Football Fern Katie Rood. Arjomandi (ne Collins) is a former Fern herself, with 25 appearances and six goals for the women’s national team.

Arjomandi has six goals to her name during this Cup campaign. We wouldn’t put it past her to net yet again today.

4. Goals. Lots of goals.

If previous Football Foundation Kate Sheppard Cup finals are anything to go by, we’re in for a goal glut. You have to go back to 2013 to find a game where only one goal was scored, and the last three finals have seen 19 goals scored.

The most goals scored in a Kate Sheppard Cup final was back in 1997, where Three Kings United (now Auckland United) triumph 7-5 over Petone.

We’re unlikely to see the game go to penalties – in the Cup’s 2X year history, it’s only had to go to penalties three times – the very first year it was played back in 1994, then in 2002, and most recently in 2016. But never say never.

5. Fans back in the stadium

The government announced this week that outdoor My Vaccine Pass gatherings could have unlimited attendees from this weekend (sweet timing team).

Remember: Gates open at 2pm, entry is free, and make sure you have your My Vaccine Pass at the ready as you come through the gate. We can’t wait to see you there.

­The Football Foundation Kate Sheppard Cup final kicks off at 2.30pm. And if you can’t make it to North Harbour Stadium, we’ve got you covered. Watch live and free on Sky Sport NEXT

Article added: Saturday 26 March 2022