The 2025-26 Isuzu UTE A-League season comes to a close this weekend as Auckland FC host Sydney FC in the 2026 Grand Final at Go Media Stadium
Read on for everything you need to know ahead of the sold out showpiece between the last two teams remaining in this year’s Finals Series.
CLICK HERE FOR ALL YOUR ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE GRAND FINAL INFORMATION
Auckland FC v Sydney FC
Saturday, May 23 – Go Media Stadium – 6:10pm AEST
MATCH CENTRE | BUY TICKETS | HOW TO WATCH
And then there were two…
For the first time in A-Leagues history New Zealand will host the Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final and it’s clearly an event the whole country has embraced, with tickets now officially sold out!
After Auckland FC and Sydney FC were confirmed as the final two teams left in this season’s Finals Series both Black Knights and Sky Blues fans secured their seat to the action for what’s set to be a blockbuster clash at Go Media Stadium.
Auckland FC earned the right to host the Grand Final after finishing the regular season in third place and have certainly put in a shift in the Finals Series.
First defeating Melbourne City via a dramatic penalty shootout in the Elimination Finals, the Black Knights then dispatched Adelaide United over two legs – the second of which saw them run out 3-0 winners at Coopers Stadium – to book their spot in the Big Dance.
As for Sydney FC, Patrick Kisnorbo’s side went into enemy territory in the Elimination Finals, defeating old foes Melbourne Victory 1-0 at AAMI Park before then edging Premiership winners Newcastle Jets via a penalty shootout last weekend.
In the home corner is Sydney FC icon and now Black Knights boss Steve Corica, who is looking to win his second trophy with the club having won the Premiers Plate last season.
Meanwhile, in charge of the Sky Blues is former Socceroo Kisnorbo, a man who knows what it takes to win major honours.
DONE DEAL: Sydney FC hand Patrick Kisnorbo new three-year deal
Boasting a CV that contains two Premierships and a Championship win whilst in charge of Melbourne City, Kisnorbo secured the latter by defeating Corica’s Sydney side 3-1 in the Grand Final back in 2021.
Appointed in late March following the sacking of former Head Coach Ufuk Talay, Kisnorbo is unbeaten since taking charge of Sydney FC seven games ago.
How he’d love to make that eight.
Friends reunited as Sky Blues old boy looks to inflict misery on boyhood club
There are PLENTY of storylines heading into this Grand Final, but arguably one of the biggest centres around a young man now plying his trade at the heart of the Auckland FC defence.
On loan from MLS side St. Louis City SC, defender Jake Girdwood-Reich came through the ranks at Sydney FC but now has the job of stopping his old side in the biggest game of Auckland’s short history.
The 21-year-old established himself as one of the Isuzu UTE A-League’s brightest young talents after breaking through at the Sky Blues before he then secured a lucrative move to Major League Soccer (MLS), thus netting Sydney FC a tidy profit for his services.
MAN IN THE MIDDLE: King to referee Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final after taking out top award
“Obviously I was there for about eight years, grew up there, started my career there,” said Girdwood-Reich when speaking to the media on Thursday morning.
“It was pretty weird versing them during the season, but I’m a bit used to it now, and obviously me and Steve (Head Coach Steve Corica) have won a trophy there.
“He’s obviously won more than me, but I’ve got one from there, and I mean we’re gonna have to stop them this weekend.
“It’s a little bit emotional. Obviously, I actually supported the club growing up, so yeah, it’s a little bit weird. But you know, I want to be an A-League champion, so I’ll do whatever it takes to do that.”
Since arriving at the club on loan Girdwood-Reich has established himself as a key figure at the heart of an Auckland FC defence which finished only second behind Sydney FC when it came to goals conceded.
Whilst he’s in the side to protect his own goal, the Sydney-born defender made the all-important breakthrough against Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium last week, heading home the opener before the Black Knights went on to seal an emphatic 3-0 win, 4-1 on aggregate.
“I think the big thing that week was a lot of people writing us off, which gave us, you know, the underdog mentality, which we had to go to Adelaide and pull off a good result, which we did.
“Obviously our main goal this season was to get to the Grand Final and win the trophy. So we’ve got ourselves this far, so we need to just get the job done now.”
GOLD DUST: First-ever Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final in New Zealand SOLD OUT
Safe as Houses: Devenish-Meares primed for whatever comes his way
Standing in Auckland’s way will be a man who’s had a standout season in goal for Sydney FC; Sky Blues shot-stopper Harrison Devenish-Meares.
The 29-year-old was the runaway leader when it came to clean sheets this season, keeping 11 in total as the Sky Blues finished fifth on the ladder.
“I don’t know how I feel,” said Devenish-Meares when speaking to the media from Auckland on Thursday morning.
“I hope I’m nervous, because I think it’s a beautiful thing, having the pressure.
“It’s like having the occasion. It’s like a really, really nice feeling. I think I thrive off that feeling as well. But yeah, I mean, I’ve played in finals before, but none as big as this one.”
A regular presence throughout the entire campaign, Devenish-Meares has pulled off some remarkable saves this season, none more so than when he produced a Save of the Season contender to deny Auckland’s Sam Cosgrove back in February.
But whilst the Sydney custodian has been in outstanding form all season, Devenish-Meares knows this weekend will be another enormous test, especially given the threat the Black Knights pose at set-pieces.
“Yeah, of course, I think that’s that’s what they want,” said the Sydney keeper when speaking on Thursday.
“They want to put bodies in the box, they want to play for set pieces and I think, you know, that’s also one of our strong points is, you know, defending our area, organising.
“I think we’ve gotten really good at that since the PK (Sydney Head Coach Patrick Kisnorbo) has come in as well.”
He added: “It’ll be a big occasion, but I think both sides have been pretty defensive all year, so I think it could potentially be a bit of a cagey one.
“But you know, once you walk out there, anything could happen, really.”
Head-To-Head Record
When it comes to the tale of the tape between these two sides it’s pretty straight forward: Auckland FC own the bragging rights.
Since the club’s formation ahead of the 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League season Auckland FC and Sydney FC have faced each other five times in the league, with the Sky Blues yet to taste victory.
The Black Knights have recorded two victories whilst the pair have then played out three draws, all three of which have been incredibly dramatic affairs, with late goals prevalent in almost all of their meetings.
A controversial Nando Pijnaker winner earned the Black Knights a 1-0 win in their first ever meeting before the pair then played out a frantic 2-2 draw at Allianz Stadium, with former Sydney star Adrian Segecic scoring a pair of screamers.
This season, Golden Boot winner Cosgrove proved to be the difference between the two sides as his 20th minute goal earned Auckland a 1-0 win before late drama then ensued in the remaining two matches.
The Sky Blues thought they’d won it back in February as defender Alexandar Popovic made it 1-0 in the 84th minute only for defender Alex Grant to score a dramatic own goal to earn Auckland a point.
The two sides then faced off in the final game of the regular season and Sydney twice took the lead in that game only to twice be pegged back by goals from injured Uruguayan forward Guillermo May.
