Oceania Football Confederation has a new Home of Football

Liam Watson

The Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Home of Football has been completed – based in Auckland, New Zealand.

The complex, which has been gifted the Māori name Te Kahu o Kiwa, is predominantly an administration space. The building also features two artificial pitches and dressing rooms that are capable of hosting elite matches.

OFC General Secretary Franck Castillo believes the complex will play a crucial part in the confederation’s goal of seeing two Oceania nations competing at the FIFA World Cup 2026 and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027.

“Receiving the resource consents and watching this project come to life has been one of my highlights at OFC,” Castillo said.

“We’ve been based in Penrose for many years and to finally complete this project is a relief.

“It’s going to be a refreshing change for us all and from an organisational standpoint Te Kahu o Kiwa will house many opportunities to develop players, coaches, officials and administrations across the region.”

FIFA has been a major contributor to the project, expressing their delight at seeing a finished project for the OFC and its Member Associations.

As the major contributor to the project, FIFA said it is pleased to see the completion of an attractive, modern and welcoming Home of Football for the OFC and its Member Associations.

“We give credence to the value added of the OFC, who have achieved this key milestone, for its staff and the region,” Sanjeevan Balasingam said, FIFA’s Director of Member Associations Asia and Oceania.

“What makes this project special is the design of the building and its spaces, where people can work, meet and talk, all for the betterment of football.

“The facility underlines one of OFC’s key objectives of being a modern and progressive organisation, firmly focused on the future.”

UEFA Assist, a development arm of UEFA in place to support other Confederations and their members outside Europe, played a key role in providing the significant funding needed for the Home of Football.

“We are truly delighted to have supported the OFC Home of Football project over the last few years and look forward to visiting the new premises when travel restrictions are lifted,” Eva Pasquier said, Head of International Relations at UEFA,

“The Oceania Member Associations now have a new home where they can meet, discuss and further develop football across the entire region, and this would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of the entire OFC team.

“We congratulate them on this fantastic achievement.”

The former home of OFC at Mt Smart Stadium will be repurposed as a high-performance academy for the region.

The completion of the project will be marked with a formal inauguration by the end of June 2022 – if travel restrictions allow for the attendance of FIFA, UEFA and OFC Member Associations.

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Football Has the Audience. Does It Have the Commercial Strategy?

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Image Credit: One Nil Media

Soccerscene has launched Survey 4: Commercial Confidence in Football, calling on clubs, sponsors, governing bodies, commercial leaders and football industry professionals to assess whether the game is making the most of its enormous commercial potential.

Football has the audience, participation base and community reach to be one of Australia’s most powerful commercial platforms. But does the industry have the commercial strategy, professionalism and infrastructure required to turn that potential into sustainable growth?

That is the question at the centre of Soccerscene’s latest industry research.

The survey examines how attractive grassroots football is to potential commercial partners, what industry professionals believe is limiting football’s commercial potential, and whether clubs are presenting themselves professionally enough to sponsors.

It also explores what sponsors value most when engaging with football – from community reach and participation scale to brand alignment, values and purpose – as well as whether improved facilities could directly contribute to stronger sponsorship outcomes.

Is football fully capitalising on its commercial opportunity?

Football continues to provide brands with access to highly engaged communities across grassroots, community and elite environments. Yet the commercial landscape remains fragmented, with clubs operating with vastly different levels of resources, capability, governance, media infrastructure and commercial expertise.

Soccerscene’s survey is designed to capture the industry’s perspective on where the opportunities exist – and where football may be leaving commercial value on the table.

The research will look specifically at four key areas:

  • Commercial attractiveness – How attractive is grassroots football as a commercial partnership?
  • Commercial barriers – What is holding football back from reaching its full commercial potential?
  • Club professionalism – Are clubs presenting themselves effectively and professionally to sponsors?
  • Sponsor value – What are sponsors really looking for when they invest in football?

The survey also asks whether better facilities would have a direct impact on sponsorship outcomes, highlighting the potential relationship between infrastructure, commercial presentation and investment.

Have your say

Soccerscene is encouraging football clubs, sponsors, commercial professionals, governing bodies, administrators, media professionals and industry stakeholders to participate.

The findings will contribute to Soccerscene’s ongoing program of industry research, designed to provide a clearer picture of the challenges and opportunities facing football and the organisations operating within it.

Take the Survey: Commercial Confidence in Football

Complete the Commercial Confidence in Football Survey here

The survey will close on 30 August 2026 at midnight, with responses received before the deadline included in the final analysis.

Football has the audience. The question is whether it has the commercial strategy to match.

Football Queensland’s Logan hub plan rejected by council

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Image Credits: Football Queensland

Football Queensland’s plans for a major new football hub at Meakin Park have been rejected by Logan City Council. The proposed $76.1 million redevelopment aimed to create a state home for football in Queensland.

Council unanimously rejected Football Queensland’s request for longer-term leases and additional land at the Slacks Creek site. The decision leaves the organisation’s current leases in place. The proposed development would have delivered new playing fields, elite training facilities and a dedicated home for Football Queensland.

Three-stage development

The first stage of Queensland Football’s development carried an $8.5 million price tag. It would upgrade fields, lighting, drainage and irrigation across Meakin and Mappas parks. The goal was to create a six-field, international-standard training venue.

The second stage represented the largest investment. Football Queensland planned to spend $55.3 million on a new headquarters at the adjoining Queens Park site. The facility would include a Women and Girls Academy, sports science facilities, sports medicine and strength and conditioning services.

A third $12.3 million stage would add an indoor futsal academy and two synthetic fields. Football Queensland said the project could create a major football precinct for the region. It also saw the facility playing a role in Queensland’s preparations for Brisbane 2032 and beyond.

Lease decision creates roadblock

Queensland’s governing body sought a 25-year lease with an option for another 25 years. Chief executive Robert Cavallucci said longer tenure was essential to secure government funding and move the project forward. The organisation has around three years remaining on its existing leases.

Council took a different view. Concerns included community access, funding certainty, future costs and the level of use at the existing facilities. Councillors also questioned whether a long-term arrangement would deliver enough benefit to Logan residents and grassroots clubs. Logan Council has now ordered a review of Football Queensland’s performance under its current lease.

Grassroots football at the centre

The decision highlights a wider issue for football infrastructure. Major facilities can provide elite pathways, sports science and high-performance opportunities, but unless councils can ensure local players and clubs can access the fields, they will be rejected.

Meakin Park already serves several sporting organisations, including football users and community sporting groups. Football Queensland said it had invested almost $2 million at Meakin Park and Mappas fields. It also argued the precinct operates at around 130 per cent capacity. For Queensland football, the challenge now is finding a model that can deliver high-performance facilities while expanding access for the community.

The proposal may have been rejected, but the need for better football infrastructure remains. With participation growing and Brisbane’s 2032 Olympic Games approaching, the debate over where and how Queensland builds its next generation of football facilities is unlikely to disappear.

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