New Zealand Football
The governing body for association football in New Zealand.
Last updated November 4, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
New Zealand Football (NZF), historically known as the New Zealand Football Association and for a period as New Zealand Soccer, is the national governing body for association football in New Zealand. Founded in 1891, it administers the sport through regional federations, national teams, domestic competitions, tournaments, development programs, and relationships with international football authorities. Its responsibilities cover both the men's and women's games, from youth and grassroots participation through elite national representation. NZF oversees seven regional football federations: Northern Region Football, WaiBOP Football, Central Football, Capital Football, Mainland Football, and Southern Football are identified in the available reference material, while the national structure also encompasses the federated regional administration of the sport. Through this network, the organization supports clubs, leagues, competitions, player development, coaching, refereeing, and community participation across New Zealand. The association administers New Zealand's senior men's national team, the All Whites, and its women's national team, the Football Ferns. It also supports national age-group teams, including junior men's and women's sides. The Football Ferns identity was introduced in 2007 as part of a broader rebranding of New Zealand's women's national teams; the senior women's team had previously been known as SWANZ, while the under-20 and under-17 teams received the Junior Football Ferns and Young Football Ferns names. NZF's national-team role includes preparation for FIFA World Cup, Olympic, Confederations Cup, and regional Oceania competitions. Domestically, NZF is associated with the men's New Zealand National League, the National Women's League, and long-running knockout tournaments including the Chatham Cup and Kate Sheppard Cup. Its jurisdiction also extends to New Zealand-based clubs participating in Australia's professional A-League competitions, including Auckland FC and Wellington Phoenix FC. This gives NZF a distinctive role: it governs a national football system whose leading professional clubs may compete in an overseas league structure while remaining connected to New Zealand's football administration. The organization became affiliated with FIFA in 1948. New Zealand was admitted to the Asian Football Confederation in 1964 but later left that confederation. In 1966, New Zealand and Australia helped establish the Oceania Football Federation, now known as the Oceania Football Confederation. New Zealand has remained part of the Oceania football system, although the possibility of a move to South America's CONMEBOL was discussed within FIFA circles in 2013. NZF's then-chief executive subsequently indicated that the organization was not pursuing a move to higher-level South American competition at that time. Internationally, the All Whites' 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign was a landmark. New Zealand drew 1–1 with defending world champions Italy, briefly led through Shane Smeltz, and finished the tournament as the only unbeaten team. The men's team later won the OFC Nations Cup for a fifth time, defeating Papua New Guinea on penalties in the final and qualifying for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. The Football Ferns reached a then-best FIFA ranking of 16 in 2015, defeated Brazil for a second time, and qualified for the Rio Olympics. New Zealand's men's under-20 and under-17 teams also progressed from their groups at their respective 2015 FIFA World Cups. A further institutional milestone came when New Zealand co-hosted the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup with Australia. The tournament was the first senior FIFA event held in New Zealand, the first FIFA Women's World Cup staged across multiple countries, the first senior FIFA tournament in the Southern Hemisphere, and the first FIFA tournament hosted across two confederations. The event placed NZF at the center of the largest international football competition ever held in the country. Alongside these achievements, the organization has faced governance and compliance challenges involving player eligibility, disciplinary administration, transfer documentation, and allegations concerning the treatment of members of the women's national team. These episodes have highlighted the operational and safeguarding responsibilities attached to its national governing-body role.
History
New Zealand Football traces its institutional origins to 1891, when the New Zealand Football Association was established to organize association football nationally. The body became affiliated with FIFA in 1948, formalizing New Zealand's participation in the international football system. New Zealand later joined the Asian Football Confederation in 1964, although that membership did not continue. In 1966, New Zealand and Australia helped create the Oceania Football Federation, which became the Oceania Football Confederation and provided the regional framework for New Zealand's international competition. For part of its history, the organization was publicly known as New Zealand Soccer. In May 2007, it adopted the name New Zealand Football, reflecting the increasingly common use of football terminology in New Zealand and bringing the association's identity closer to international convention. That period also saw a coordinated rebranding of the women's national teams. In September 2007, the senior women's side changed from SWANZ to the Football Ferns, while the under-20 and under-17 teams became the Junior Football Ferns and Young Football Ferns. NZF's remit expanded beyond senior national-team administration. It developed a federated domestic structure involving regional associations, clubs, leagues, and tournaments, while also overseeing national age-group teams and pathways for players, coaches, and referees. Its competitions include the men's New Zealand National League, the National Women's League, and knockout tournaments such as the Chatham Cup and Kate Sheppard Cup. New Zealand clubs participating in Australia's A-League competitions also fall within the association's jurisdiction, giving NZF responsibility across a system that includes both domestic and trans-Tasman professional football. The All Whites' 2010 World Cup campaign became one of the defining achievements of the modern organization. New Zealand drew 1–1 with Italy, the reigning world champion, after taking an early lead through Shane Smeltz. The team completed the tournament unbeaten, an exceptional result for a nation competing from the Oceania confederation. Subsequent successes included the men's victory in the OFC Nations Cup, New Zealand's fifth title in that competition, and qualification for the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. The women's program also made progress: the Football Ferns reached a then-record world ranking of 16 in 2015, defeated Brazil for a second time, and qualified for the Rio Olympics. New Zealand's under-20 and under-17 men's teams advanced from their groups at their respective 2015 FIFA World Cups. The question of New Zealand's confederation remained an occasional strategic issue. In January 2013, FIFA Executive Committee members discussed the possibility of transferring New Zealand from the OFC to CONMEBOL to provide access to stronger competition. FIFA president Joseph Blatter indicated that the concept had received support in principle but required further adjustments. In June of that year, NZF chief executive Andy Martin said the administration had no plan to pursue higher-level competition through a move, leaving New Zealand within the Oceania system. A major institutional milestone followed with New Zealand's co-hosting of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup alongside Australia. The tournament was the first senior FIFA event staged in New Zealand, the first Women's World Cup distributed across multiple host countries, the first senior FIFA tournament in the Southern Hemisphere, and the first FIFA tournament hosted across two confederations because Australia belongs to the Asian Football Confederation while New Zealand remains in Oceania. Hosting the event placed NZF in a central organizational role and increased the visibility of women's football in the country. The association has also experienced governance and compliance problems. In 2008, goalkeeper Glen Moss received a four-match World Cup suspension after an incident during a qualification match, and NZF missed the deadline to appeal after receiving notice during the Christmas closure period. In 2015, New Zealand lost its Olympic place after an ineligible player was used by the under-23 team; later reports suggested that eligibility issues may have affected other age-group teams. In 2016, a proposed Alex Jones loan to Wellington Phoenix failed when registration documentation was not submitted to FIFA by the deadline. In 2018, players and their union raised serious allegations about the women's national-team environment and technical director Andreas Heraf. NZF placed Heraf on special leave and commissioned an independent investigation. These episodes illustrate the administrative, regulatory, and safeguarding responsibilities associated with NZF's role as both a sporting authority and national representative body.
- 2023
New Zealand co-hosts FIFA Women's World Cup
[1]New Zealand hosted the first senior FIFA tournament held in the country, jointly staging the Women's World Cup with Australia.
- 2016
Fifth OFC Nations Cup title
[1]The All Whites won the OFC Nations Cup final against Papua New Guinea on penalties and qualified for the 2017 Confederations Cup.
- 2015
Women's ranking and Olympic qualification breakthrough
[1]The Football Ferns reached a then-highest ranking of 16, defeated Brazil, and qualified for the Rio Olympics.
- 2010
All Whites finish the World Cup unbeaten
[1]New Zealand drew with Italy and became the only unbeaten team at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
- 2007
New Zealand Soccer renamed New Zealand Football
[1]The association adopted its current New Zealand Football identity.
- 1966
Oceania confederation established
[1]New Zealand and Australia helped form the regional federation that became the Oceania Football Confederation.
- 1964
Admission to the Asian Football Confederation
[1]New Zealand entered the Asian Football Confederation before later leaving the organization.
- 1948
FIFA affiliation
[1]The association became officially affiliated with FIFA.
- 1891
National football association founded
[1]The organization was established as the New Zealand Football Association to coordinate association football nationally.
Products and positioning
New Zealand's national association-football governing body, combining grassroots administration, regional federation coordination, domestic competitions, national-team representation, and delivery of international football events.
Men's national team
All Whites
The All Whites are New Zealand's senior men's national association-football team. NZF manages the team's international representation, competition entry, coaching and player administration. The team competed at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where it drew with Italy and completed the tournament unbeaten, and has won the OFC Nations Cup five times according to the reference material.
Women's national team · 2007
Football Ferns
The Football Ferns are New Zealand's senior women's national team. The identity replaced SWANZ in 2007 as part of a wider rebranding of the women's national-team program. The team reached a then-best FIFA ranking of 16 in 2015, qualified for the Rio Olympics, and represented New Zealand at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup hosted in New Zealand and Australia.
Men's domestic competition
New Zealand National League
The New Zealand National League is the principal men's national league competition administered within NZF's domestic football structure. It connects regional football with national-level competition and forms part of the pathway for clubs and players seeking elite domestic participation.
Women's domestic competition
National Women's League
The National Women's League is a national-level women's competition within New Zealand Football's domestic system. It supports elite women's football below and alongside the national-team program and provides competition for players and clubs across the country's regional structure.
Men's knockout tournament
Chatham Cup
The Chatham Cup is a major national knockout tournament in New Zealand association football. It is administered within NZF's competition framework and provides clubs with a national cup pathway beyond regular league play.
Women's knockout tournament
Kate Sheppard Cup
The Kate Sheppard Cup is a national women's knockout competition administered within New Zealand Football's tournament structure. It gives women's clubs a national cup format alongside league competition.
Youth national teams
National junior teams
NZF oversees men's and women's age-group national teams, including under-20 and under-17 programs. These teams provide international development opportunities and a progression route toward senior national representation.
Controversies
2018
Complaints concerning the women's national-team environment
At least 10 women's national-team players submitted a complaint alleging bullying, intimidation, and a culture of fear involving technical director Andreas Heraf. The players' union also objected to communications with players concerning formal complaints. Heraf was placed on special leave pending an independent investigation.
2016
Alex Jones transfer-registration failure
A loan transfer to Wellington Phoenix collapsed after NZF failed to submit completed paperwork to FIFA before the transfer deadline. FIFA rejected an appeal, citing the need to preserve global registration deadlines.
2015
Olympic eligibility controversy
New Zealand forfeited its place in the 2016 Olympic men's football tournament after fielding an ineligible under-23 player. NZF did not appeal, and subsequent reporting raised questions about possible eligibility problems involving other age-group teams between 2011 and 2015.
Marketing campaigns
- 2023FIFA Women's World Cup co-hosting
New Zealand · Australia · International
New Zealand Football participated in hosting the FIFA Women's World Cup with Australia, bringing a senior FIFA tournament to New Zealand for the first time.
Outcome. The event became the first senior FIFA tournament held in New Zealand and the first FIFA tournament hosted across two confederations.
- 2007Football Ferns rebrand
New Zealand
NZF introduced new identities for the women's national teams, replacing SWANZ with Football Ferns and assigning Junior Football Ferns and Young Football Ferns names to younger squads.
Outcome. The rebrand established the Football Ferns as the public identity of New Zealand's senior women's national team.
Brand decisions
2018
Place Andreas Heraf on special leaveOtherBackground
Players and the New Zealand Professional Footballers' Association raised allegations concerning bullying, intimidation, and the culture surrounding the women's national team.
Action taken
NZF placed Heraf on special leave and initiated an independent investigation.
Aftermath
The decision temporarily removed the subject of the allegations from his duties while the complaints were investigated.
2015
Decision not to appeal Olympic eligibility rulingOtherBackground
New Zealand was ruled to have fielded an ineligible player in its men's under-23 Olympic qualification team.
Action taken
NZF decided not to appeal the ruling that removed New Zealand from the 2016 Olympic tournament.
Aftermath
New Zealand lost its place in the Olympic football competition, while later reporting raised wider questions about age-group eligibility controls.
2013
Consideration of a possible move from OFC to CONMEBOLStrategyBackground
FIFA Executive Committee members discussed whether New Zealand might benefit from stronger competition by moving from the Oceania Football Confederation to South America's CONMEBOL.
Action taken
NZF chief executive Andy Martin said the administration had no plans at that time to pursue the move.
Aftermath
New Zealand remained within the Oceania confederation structure.
2007
Adopt the New Zealand Football nameStrategyBackground
The association had previously operated publicly as New Zealand Soccer, while football terminology was increasingly used in New Zealand and internationally.
Action taken
The organization changed its name to New Zealand Football.
Aftermath
The current institutional identity replaced New Zealand Soccer in public and official usage.
Sources2 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/new-zealand-football · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled