Auckland FC will take\u00a0on one of the world\u2019s most recognised clubs\u00a0when Tottenham Hotspur visit for a pre-season friendly this winter.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Premier League icons and current UEFA Europa League champions will be visiting New Zealand as part of the New Zealand International Football Festival.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Scheduled to take place at Eden Park, on Sunday 26, July, the game\u00a0represents\u00a0a significant landmark in Auckland FC\u2019s\u00a0short history\u00a0and huge moment for the growth of the game\u00a0in New Zealand.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a huge occasion for the club, for football in this country,\u00a0and most importantly for our fans,\u201d says Auckland FC CEO, Nick Becker.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u00a0haven\u2019t\u00a0had a club of this size in New Zealand for over 10 years. Now\u00a0clubs like Tottenham are seeing what\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0doing over here, the growth of football and our\u00a0passionate fanbase and wanting to get involved.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The New Zealand International Football Festival is a celebration of football\u2019s ability to connect communities, inspire the next generation, and deliver world-class sporting experiences. Blending global icons with the rise of the local game, the festival will see a range of activity across Auckland, including open training sessions and corporate events to complement the on-field action.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is going to be fantastic event for Auckland and a great chance for some of our squad to really test themselves against top-class players,\u201d added Becker.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhatever happens to Tottenham this season they remain an\u00a0incredibly\u00a0high-profile team with a worldwide fans\u00a0base,\u00a0and we\u2019re\u00a0delighted to have them here in Auckland with us.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wayne Brown, Auckland Mayor said:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cAuckland FC have done wonders for football in the city since the club came into existence two years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheir CEO Nick Becker and his team have created a loyal and passionate fan base from nothing. It\u2019s been fantastic to see so many people regularly turn up to their games at Go Media Stadium.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTottenham Hotspur are known as a team that always tries to play attractive football, so hopefully it will be a great game at Eden Park.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis will help fill hotels, restaurants and bars and show Auckland off as a vibrant, world-class destination,\u201d he said.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is exactly the kind of activity we want more of and if we had a bed-night levy we could regularly bring the world\u2019s best football teams to Auckland.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rachael Carroll, TEG Sport Managing Director said:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cThe New Zealand International Football Festival is launching in Auckland for the very first time, bringing a premier international football experience to fans.\u201d The excitement goes beyond the pitch, with a confirmed Spurs Open Training session and a full week of\u00a0additional\u00a0events designed to bring world-class football and experiences directly to fans.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Even more events will be revealed in the coming weeks, adding to what promises to be\u00a0a truly unique\u00a0celebration of the beautiful game.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Minister Louise Upton said:\u00a0<\/p>\n
This is an outstanding opportunity for fans and helps build the momentum of football in New Zealand as our most popular team participation sport,\u201d Louise\u00a0Upston\u00a0says.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0also a win for our tourism industry as we expect international visitors to stay on and explore the many attractions our beautiful country has to offer.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cA showcase like this gives New Zealand an economic boost by supporting hospitality and tourism businesses, creating more\u00a0jobs\u00a0and strengthening our economy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGiven the international appeal of premier league football teams, there\u2019ll also be a global broadcast in place, showcasing New Zealand as a world-class destination for sport, culture and entertainment,\u201d Louise\u00a0Upston\u00a0says.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ticketing Information\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tickets for the New Zealand International Football Festival will go on sale to the\u00a0general public\u00a0on Tuesday, 7 April\u00a0at 10:00am\u00a0via\u00a0Ticketek.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ahead of that there are\u00a0several\u00a0pre-sale windows fans can take advantage of.\u00a0These include:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Wednesday, 1 April 2026 at 10:00am \u2192 Thursday, 2 April 2026 at 10:00am\u00a0
ANZ Visa cardholders will receive exclusive\u00a0early access\u00a0to tickets for\u00a0Tottenham Hotspur v Auckland F.C\u00a0at Eden Park, with a dedicated pre-sale opening on\u00a01 April for one day only. Eligible customers can\u00a0purchase\u00a0tickets using their ANZ Visa debit or credit card. Terms and conditions apply.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Thursday, 2 April 2026 at 10:00am \u2192 Tuesday, 7 April 2026 at 10:00am\u00a0 In addition to general admission tickets, a suite of New Zealand International Football Festival premium experiences will also be available, offering unparalleled access and elevated event-day hospitality. These include:\u00a0<\/p>\n Premium Hospitality: Packages\u00a0across all fixtures, featuring exceptional seating, curated dining, premium beverages, and exclusive match-day inclusions.\u00a0<\/p>\n Tottenham Hotspur Open Training Session: Offering fans rare behind-the-scenes access to watch world-class teams prepare on the training pitch. Saturday, 25th July, tickets $15 via\u00a0Ticketek.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Auckland FC will take\u00a0on one of the world\u2019s most recognised clubs\u00a0when Tottenham Hotspur visit for a pre-season friendly…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":355396,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[42,43,40,38,41,39],"class_list":{"0":"post-355395","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-headlines","8":"tag-headlines","9":"tag-news","10":"tag-top-news","11":"tag-top-stories","12":"tag-topnews","13":"tag-topstories"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/355395","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=355395"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/355395\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/355396"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=355395"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=355395"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=355395"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Auckland FC members and fans subscribed to the database will\u00a0have a six-day window to\u00a0purchase\u00a0tickets ahead of the general sale.\u00a0Look out for further details, including a ticketing link in your emails.\u00a0Make sure friends and family subscribe to the mailing list\u00a0by clicking\u00a0here<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n