Ladies and gentlemen, New Zealand’s newest rivalry is officially here.
It was an historic moment for Auckland FC, who will enter the A-Leagues from 2024-25 – the Isuzu UTE A-League next season and the Liberty A-League in 2025-26.
To mark the occasion, Wellington Phoenix kicked off the rivalry with a cheeky petition to have Auckland included in Greater Wellington.
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Wellington are second in the Isuzu UTE A-League, though they are level on points with Central Coast Mariners. The Phoenix are also in the finals hunt in the Liberty A-League.
This weekend, Wellington’s men side will, for the final time, be playing at Eden Park in Auckland, where they are yet to lose an A-leagues match (W6 D5).
In the hilarious petition, the Phoenix are calling for the New Zealand Government to move the Wellington border more than 700km up State Highway 1 to ensure the club’s fans are supporter.
“It’s fair to say Auckland doesn’t have a great track record in professional football, unlike Wellington,” Phoenix general manager David Dome said.
“The Phoenix are unbeatable at Eden Park and it doesn’t make sense Saturday’s match will be our last home game at the venue.
“We have thousands of fans in Auckland and they don’t want to have to support the new expansion franchise.
“Bringing Tāmaki Makaurau into the Wellington Super City will ensure our loyal supporters can continue to cheer on the Nix.”
Dome added: “We’ve made the difficult decision to give up the Far North in the spirit of good sportsmanship.
“The Kerikeri Sports Complex is a great ready-made option for the new franchise and the region would no doubt benefit from Bill Foley’s billions.
“And when the border is moved our fans in the Far North would only have to make a short trip down State Highway 1 to be in Wellington and support the Phoenix.”
