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.
