New Zealand Football (NZF) has unveiled its ambitious strategy to supercharge the game for the next decade, taking Aotearoa’s biggest team participation sport to the next level.

The strategy, Shaping the Future of Football in Aotearoa New Zealand, builds on a recent successes and breakthroughs for the game in New Zealand, including hosting the best ever FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023, a surge in player participation, especially for girls and women, the introduction of Auckland FC and the hotly contested rivalry with Wellington Phoenix capturing the imagination of the country, and the All Whites qualifying for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 16 years.

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Between 2026 and 2035, football will focus on driving four key outcomes:

• Football becoming the most inclusive sport in Aotearoa New Zealand
• Thriving participation driven by high quality experiences
• Inspiring performances through connected pathways
• Growing fans, growing revenue and ensuring financial sustainability
   

Over the next ten years football’s high-performance landscape will be transformed.

This includes targets involving both the All Whites and Ford Football Ferns progressing to the knockout stages of FIFA World Cups and six professional A-League teams (three men and three women) with the development of a South Island based A-League club.

 

The strategy targets increasing participation across the country, aiming for 60,000 new female footballers, 14,000 new Māori footballers and 22,000 new players of Pasifika and Asian backgrounds, by 2035.

There are also targets to further secure the game’s financially sustainability, with NZF committing to double its revenue to $80M per annum by 2035.

“Football is in a very strong position in New Zealand right now.  However, the next decade represents a huge opportunity in terms of growth and further transformation” says New Zealand Football CEO Andrew Pragnell.

“We want to lead a football to new heights in a way that attracts and represents all New Zealanders and creates high quality football experiences that connects communities and inspires generations.

“This strategy is not only about growing football but also about doing so in a financially sustainable approach as NZF goes from strength to strength as a business.

“The All Whites’ participation in next year’s FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off some lofty goals as they seek to become the first senior team to make it to the knockout stages of a FIFA World Cup, but we know that all of New Zealand will be behind them.”

Highlighted key targets by 2035:

Inspiring Performances through connected Pathways

• Number of professional players from New Zealand increases to 222+
• Both the All Whites and Ford Football Ferns qualify for, and progress to the knockout stages of FIFA World Cups.
• Six professional teams (3 men, 3 women) with a third South Island based A-League club.
   

Football is the most inclusive sport Aotearoa

• 60,000 new female players by 2035, including 44,000 football and 16,000 futsal.
• 14,000 new Māori players by 2035.
• 22,000 new players from Pasifika and Asian ethnicities by 2035, including Pacific peoples 6,500 and Asian 15,500.
   

Thriving participation is driven by high quality experiences

• 195,000 football and futsal players by 2035, including 150,000 football and 45,000 futsal.
   

Growing fans, growing revenue and ensuring financial sustainability of the game

• Double NZF revenue from $40M in 2026 to $80M by 2035 and double community football investment into federations.

Article added: Thursday 18 December 2025