ANZ Invests in Auckland FC and the Future of Football

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Image credit: TK Kurikawa / Shutterstock.com

ANZ has expanded its support for Auckland FC, stepping in as the club’s major sponsor ahead of its second A-League season.

ANZ has backed Auckland FC from the very beginning, and its increased support shows a shared goal with the club, building pride in Auckland and helping football thrive from grassroots to the elite level.

With the new agreement, ANZ’s logo will be seen on the front of the men’s and women’s kits. More importantly, ANZ will contribute to the growth of women’s football, invest in youth development, support local communities, and create better match-day experiences for families.

ANZ New Zealand Chief Executive, Antonia Watson, highlighted the vision they share with the Club to unify the city through football.

“With Auckland being New Zealand’s most diverse city, the unifying power of football was clear from day one. From hosting tailgate parties that celebrated our many cultures to lifting the Premier’s Plate, AFC’s first season was nothing short of inspiring,” she said via press release.

“At ANZ, we share Auckland FC’s vision of building pride in our city and growing the game from grassroots to elite. We’re proud to stand alongside the club as they continue to inspire the next generation and bring Aucklanders together through football.”

Auckland FC CEO, Nick Becker, emphasises ANZ’s deeper commitment is the natural progression of a relationship grounded in common purpose.

“From creating our Day 1 jerseys to pressing our record-breaking season onto vinyl, ANZ has been one of our biggest supporters every step of the way. Their support has gone beyond sponsorship, it’s been a true collaboration for the good of Auckland and the game,” he said via press release.

ANZ will take on the role of major sponsor for Auckland FC’s women’s team, planned to launch in 2027 (subject to A-League approval). Ahead of the team’s debut, ANZ is supporting initiatives to fast-track the growth of women’s football in New Zealand, including the opening of a Women’s Talent Development Centre this month, offering high-performance training and clear pathways for young female players.

Auckland FC has taken New Zealand by storm since its first season, driving a 50% rise in A-League viewership on Sky, leading the league in average attendance, and contributing significant economic value to the city.

The strengthened deal with ANZ builds on Auckland FC’s remarkable commercial impact since its debut, including record attendances, rising viewership, and increased economic activity further positioning the club as a key driver of sport and business growth in Auckland.

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Victory unites with Roasting Warehouse in culture-led partnership

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Image credit: Melbourne Victory

The Melbourne-based anf family-owned business will join the Victory family, uniting two institutions which represent the city’s culture and identity.

A partnership with local roots

As the newest partner of Melbourne Victory, Roasting Warehouse joins forces with a vital part of the city’s sporting landscape.

The club’s Managing Director, Caroline Carnegie, outlined why the partnership bears so much value to both parties.

“We are excited to collaborate with Roasting Warehouse, a community-oriented destination for high-quality coffee, proud of its foundations in Melbourne,” said Carnegie via official media release.

“Football and coffee sit at the epicentre of Melbourne’s culture. The two go hand-in-hand, consistently at the centre of the conversation that stirs Melburnians, which is no different to the conversation sport and Melbourne Victory stir in the State.”

Indeed, this is a partnership which combines the identity, passions and culture of an entire city, therefore giving it the foundations required for long-term, mutual success.

Representing the best of Melbourne

Both Victory and Roasting Warehouse are hugely successful in their respective industries. They are institutions with community-oriented philosphies, who pride themselves on craft and quality.

“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Melbourne Victory, a club that represents the heart, passion, and ambition of Melbourne,” revealed Roasting Warehouse Head of Brand, Alexander Paraskevopoulos.

“As a Melbourne-founded, family-run business, supporting a team that means so much to the local community feels very natural for us.”

Furthermore, through their high-quality blends, Roasting Warehouse will look to prepare Victory’s players and staff for high performances on the pitch as the seasons nears completion.

But this is about far more than just fueling athletes.

This is a partnership which embodies and unites two of Melbourne’s greatest strengths and cultural markers – a connection forged from the city’s very own DNA.

 

For more information about Roasting Warehouse, click here.

Marie-Louise Eta makes history as new Union Berlin head coach

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Image credit: FC Union Berlin

In an historic appointment, Eta will take over as head coach of Union Berlin until the end of the season.

History in the making

Previously the first female assistant coach in Bundesliga history with Union Berlin, Eta will now take the reigns of the men’s first team on an interim basis.

Currently, the club sit in 11th place in the Bundesliga table, but with only two wins so far in 2026, relegation appears an all-too-real prospect, and one which the club is desperate to avoid.

“Given the points gap in the lower half of the table, our place in the Bundesliga is not yet secure,” said Eta via official media release.

‘I am delighted that the club has entrusted me with this challenging task. One of Union’s strengths has always been, and remains, the ability to pull together in such situations.”

Eta will begin as Union’s new head coach with immediate effect, and will be in the dugout for the club’s matchup against Wolfsburg this weekend.

 

A step into an equal future

Eta’s appointment signals a major step towards a more level playing field in the football landscape.

Furthermore, Eta joins other coaches including Sabrinna Wittmann, Hannah Dingley and Corinne Diacre who, in recent years, have blazed a trail for female coaches to step into the men’s game.

Wittmann currently manages FC Ingolstadt in Germany’s third division, and was the first female head coach in Germany’s top three divisions.

In 2023, Dingley became caretaker manager of Forest Green Rovers, and thus the first woman to lead a men’s professional team in England.

Diacre, now head coach of France’s women’s national team, managed Ligue 2’s Clerment Foot between 2014 and 2017.

 

Final thoughts

The impact therefore, is that Eta’s appointment will show future generations of aspiring female coaches that men’s football is an equally viable and possible pathway as the women’s game.

The time is now to level the playing field.

And while it may be a short-term role, its effect on attitudes towards equality and fair opportunities in the game will hopefully resonate long after the season ends.

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