Auckland FC to play pre-season match at Napier's McLean Park

Auckland FC will take on Western Sydney Wanderers in a pre-season match at Napier’s McLean Park next month.

The reigning A-League champions will play the Australian side on Saturday, September 19, as they prepare for the 2026-27 season, which kicks off in mid-October.

The match will begin at 3pm, with tickets going on sale through Ticketek on Wednesday, September 2.

Napier City Council events manager Kevin Murphy said Auckland FC had developed a strong following during its first two seasons in the A-League and he expected a good crowd for the match.

“Auckland FC are the A-League champions and have built an incredible fan base across New Zealand in just two years,” Murphy said.

“We’ve been keen to get them to Napier, as they’re one of the country’s top sporting franchises.”

Auckland FC topped the table in its debut A-League season before losing in the semi-final, then won the championship in its second season.

The club also won the inaugural OFC Pro League championship in May, securing a place in the 2026 FIFA Intercontinental Cup. Its campaign ended this week following a loss to Al Ahli.

Auckland FC chief executive Nick Becker said the club was excited to bring one of the biggest matches on its pre-season calendar to Hawke’s Bay.

“This is going to be a great game for the region and one we’re really excited to play in,” Becker said.

“We have a lot of fans in Hawke’s Bay who are keen to see a winning team but can’t always make it to Auckland’s Go Media Stadium.

“We’ll be out in the community beforehand, living our values and giving fans a chance to meet the players. We’re working closely with Napier City Council on what these will look like and thank them for their support in making this game possible.”

Central Football chief executive Darren Mason said the fixture would give Hawke’s Bay football supporters the opportunity to see a successful professional side in the region.

“Player participation in football is on the rise in Hawke’s Bay, and there’s a strong football fan base here that we expect to front up to McLean Park.”

Napier hosted a pre-season Warriors match earlier this year which attracted more than 12,000 spectators, while more than 6000 people attended the Football Ferns’ pre-World Cup match against Vietnam in 2023.

Murphy said a crowd of more than 8000 for the Auckland FC match could strengthen the case for bringing an A-League fixture to Napier in the future.

“It would be great to get more than 8000, as it will give Auckland FC the confidence to look at bringing an A-League game here in future,” he said.

Adult tickets start at $20 in the family zone, while children’s tickets start at $15.