Auckland FC: Nick Becker’s wishlist for 2026 – A-League, OFC Pro League and fans
The fan experience was a key part of Auckland FC's success last season. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
Last year was an extraordinary period for football in Aotearoa – and for Auckland FC in particular. The team won the A-League Premiers Plate, being the first New Zealand team to win A-League silverware, and recorded the biggest crowd for a regular season match in New Zealand history (27,009 playing against the Wellington Phoenix back in February).
It will be hard to top that, but Auckland FC chief executive Nick Becker believes it’s possible. Here he shares his 2026 football wishlist.
More family magic
We had great success on the field last year – but the real magic was in the crowds. Auckland FC’s fans turned on a special atmosphere with crowd numbers that eclipsed anything else in the A-League and a fabulous, fun atmosphere for all.
We’re still clocking the biggest crowds in the competition! And we’re still putting on Auckland’s greatest family show.
Win the A-League double
Last season ended on a bittersweet note. We won the Premier’s Plate but lost our Championship semi-final battle against Melbourne Victory. This season, we want to go one better and win both the Premiership and the Championship. It’s been the club’s main motivator since the start of the season, a promise we’ve made to ourselves to go one better. Now we need to fulfil that promise.
World Cup glory
Okay, so winning the whole thing may be a stretch, but not many players get to say they’ve played at a World Cup, and this is a huge moment for the national team.
Each game will be real test and I’m optimistic the team will step up and perform. The March internationals against Chile and Finland will be a good indicator of what to expect. We have several Auckland FC players eager to get on the pitch and prove themselves. I just hope they get the chance to enjoy what for most players is the highlight of their careers.
Growth of the women’s game
Our bid for a women’s A-League team may have been delayed, but we’re not sitting on our hands. More and more women and girls are playing football, and we want to do all we can as a club to support that. In March, we’re planning to host the biggest one-day girls’ tournament in the country and by the end of the year I want to see further progress with our women’s talent development centre team playing more games and entering more competitions.
Both initiatives should support the growth of the women’s game and ensure we’re in the best position possible to launch our women’s team in 2027.
Win the OFC Pro League
We only enter competitions with the intention of winning, so we’ve got big expectations when it comes to the inaugural OFC Pro League. The finals are in May, and winning it means we qualify for the Fifa Intercontinental Cup later this year.
The Pro League will provide additional opportunities for Kiwi players to experience professional football, and it will also strengthen competition amongst our A-League and Reserve squads, which can only be a good thing for football in this country. It is also the only path to the Fifa Club World Cup, which is played every four years.
Pump up the Port’s volume
Auckland FC has the best fans in the A-League and – in my opinion – the best fans in NZ sport. Our incredibly passionate fanbase, the Port, just keeps getting bigger and louder – they bring such a special energy to our home games at Go Media Stadium.
We’ve only been in the competition for one year, and the Port are already the loudest and most committed fans on show.
