Wellington Phoenix and NZ Football to boost football talent

Avatar
Image credit: New Zealand Football website

Wellington Phoenix and New Zealand Football have confirmed a landmark partnership focused on nurturing and advancing the next wave of Kiwi football talent.

Supported by FIFA, this collaboration will see Wellington Phoenix and New Zealand Football working together to develop a talent system that optimises the use of each organisation’s resources. The initiative aligns with New Zealand Football’s High Performance and Talent Development Plan to support the country’s top footballers.

A key feature of the agreement includes additional scholarship opportunities for New Zealand players within the Wellington Phoenix academy, along with initiatives aimed at streamlining the player pathway from domestic competition to the A-Leagues and beyond.

Wellington Phoenix General Manager David Dome expressed enthusiasm for the deal.

“We believe this partnership will be a game-changer for the development of young footballers in Aotearoa,” Dome said in a joint media announcement.

“Through the investment of our owners the Phoenix academy has gone from strength-to-strength and is setting the standard for youth development in New Zealand, with graduates now playing in the world’s top leagues.

“With the support of New Zealand Football and FIFA we believe we can take the academy to a whole new level and will help more young footballers realise their dreams of playing professionally.”

New Zealand Football CEO Andrew Pragnell emphasised the opportunities this partnership will create for the sport’s development in New Zealand.

“Wellington Phoenix have a critical role to play in talent development in the player pathway and have an established record of successfully supporting players to become professional footballers, transferring them into top flight clubs around the world as well as producing All Whites and Ford Football Ferns,” Pragnell said in the media announcement.

“Following the FIFA Women’s World Cup last year, football is exploding in Aotearoa, our community club network are doing a great job in player development and our development pathway is continuing to evolve, so it is really important that we have an aligned approach across the country to support the next generation of Kiwi talent.

“With two A-League clubs now in New Zealand, there is an opportunity to ensure our professional academies are accessible and present the best opportunities towards a professional pathway for talented young players in Aotearoa.

“The NZF-Phoenix partnership in creating the first ever women’s professional team was groundbreaking, so it’s very exciting to now move forward with this collaboration that will allow New Zealand Football and the Phoenix to really maximise both of our resources and ensure we support each other for the benefit of New Zealand talent.”

This partnership marks a significant step forward for the future of New Zealand football and Wellington Phoenix with the country’s most promising talent having access to improved development pathways and better facilities.

With the added support of FIFA, New Zealand clearly have the ambition to compete on the world stage especially with a good chance to feature in the 2026 World Cup with the OFC gaining one direct spot.

This initial two-year agreement will take effect immediately.

Previous ArticleNext Article

Queensland Government grants boosts growth and affordability

Avatar
Image credit: PxHere website

Queensland’s sporting community will benefit from comprehensive state government grants, which will help kids join local clubs, support elite athletes, and upgrade facilities.

For children

  • Access up to $200 in FairPlay vouchers per eligible child to assist with sport and recreation club membership costs.
  • Support of up to $800 is available through Emerging Athlete Pathways for athletes and officials under 18 attending state, national and international competitions.

For clubs and organisations

  • Become a registered organisation to accept FairPlay vouchers, allowing eligible children to use up to $200 towards membership, registration or participation fees.
  • Register your organisation’s competitions at state, national and international levels through Emerging Athlete Pathways to enable athlete and official funding eligibility.
  • Apply for the Minor Infrastructure and Inclusive Facilities Fund to create accessible, safe and inclusive community sport and recreation spaces.
  • Not-for-profit sport and recreation organisations can access Active Clubs funding to support volunteers and deliver flexible, safe physical activities to boost participation.

Disaster recovery

  • Eligible not-for-profit sport and recreation organisations affected by significant weather events can apply for up to $5,000 through the Sport and Recreation Disaster Recovery Program to restart operations.

Other Sports and Recreation funding sources

  • Explore funding opportunities for not-for-profit organisations through your local council.
  • Contact your state sport and recreation organisation for information about activity-specific funding options.
  • Access various funding programs for individuals and sporting organisations through Sport Australia.

Sporting clubs have always been vocal about the importance that government backing has in the upkeep of the sporting industry.

Though it will take time to see the full effect of these grants, this comprehensive list of grants shows that Queensland’s government is dedicated to supporting its sporting industry.

It’s a positive sign and hopefully, it will help increase the sporting output and relieve the financial stress for the people of Queensland. A strong sporting Queensland is a benefit for sport in the country as a whole.

Learn more here.

Major grant boost for women’s football in NSW

Avatar
NSW Government - Level the Playing Fund
Image credit: Football NSW

In a major win for women’s football growth in NSW, a $654,000 grant from the Federal Government has been awarded to support the ‘Play Our Way’ initiative for women and girls.

Football NSW’s ‘Empower Her’ project, focused on leadership, education, and inclusion for women in football, was among 120 grants awarded as part of the Federal Government’s $55 million scheme.

The grant will focus on three key areas—leadership, education, and inclusion—to attract, retain, and develop women in football. It will also support intersectional communities through initiatives like the NAIDOC Cup for First Nations youth and community sustainability efforts for priority groups via Football4All and the State Parafootball team.

Football NSW CEO, John Tsatsimas, mentioned the crucial role that the funding will have for Football NSW.

“The generous funding from the Federal Government will play a pivotal role in supporting Football NSW’s mission to expand and elevate female participation in football across the state, ensuring that more women and girls can thrive in the sport at every level,” he said via press release.

“Female football continues to soar following the incredible success of last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023™.

“Over the past 12 months, female participation has surged by an impressive 23%, reflecting the growing enthusiasm and opportunities for women and girls in the sport.

“We are incredibly grateful to the Federal Government for their invaluable support. This funding will help us grow and create more opportunities for women and girls to participate in all facets of football across NSW.”

Sport Minister, Anika Wells, added her comments about the Play Our Way initiative.

“Play Our way is the single biggest package for women’s sport participation and facilities ever and these 120 projects will create greater opportunities for women and girls to enjoy being physically active,” she said via press release.

“The huge response to this grant opportunity, and the range of great project ideas, show that Australian communities want to be more supportive of women and girls.”

The grants are part of the participation stream, the first funding confirmed under the Albanese Government’s $200 million Play Our Way program.

A second phase of the Play Our Way program, focused on facility grants, will be confirmed soon.

Most Popular Topics

Editor Picks

Send this to a friend