History, Legacy, Identity, Authenticity

AUCKLAND CITY FC: OUR IDENTITY AND HERITAGE

Welcome to Auckland City Football Club’s ('Auckland City FC'; 'The Navy Blues') official website page clarifying who we are, what we do, and how we’re uniquely positioned in New Zealand football.

Below is a snapshot of our club’s history, structure, and community-focused ethos.

1. Club Origins and History
Founded in 2004, with roots stretching back to Jadran Yugoslav Sports Club in the 1950s, Central United FC in 1962, Auckland City FC is New Zealand’s most successful amateur football club.

We are historically known for:

Frequent Appearances on the World Stage, including the FIFA Club World Cup bronze medal in 2014-15 season, a 5th place finish in 2009-10, and multiple Oceania titles.

Over the decades, the club has nurtured a volunteer-driven culture, fostering both high-performance pathways and community engagement.

2. Competitions and Pathways
Auckland City FC competes in the New Zealand Northern League, Chatham Cup and National League Championship, maintaining a proud record of Oceania OFC Champions League achievements.

We blend aspiration with a commitment to grassroots development, ensuring that while we chase excellence on the field, we remain deeply connected to local communities off it.

3. Ownership and Structure
Auckland City FC operates under a board and governance model evolved organically over decades.

Our club’s mission is to develop the sport at both amateur level, emphasising:

Community Values
Volunteer Involvement
Accessible Pathways for local talent
This inclusive, community-centric approach guides how we organise our teams, support our coaching staff, and engage with fans.

4. Key Takeaways
Rich History: Auckland City FC has a storied legacy in Oceania and global competitions.
Community-Focused Ethos: We blend high performance with a strong volunteer spirit, reflecting our deep local roots.
Semi-Professional Model: Balancing elite competition goals with grassroots inclusivity remains central to our club identity.

5. Our colours
The navy blue colours the club plays in are linked to the traditional colours of sports teams from the city of Auckland including football, rugby union and cricket, hence the team's nicknames "The Navy Blues", or "Futsal Navy Blues'.

6. Our crest
The crest of Auckland City FC symbolises our connection with the city of Auckland and includes the Sky Tower, the iconic landmark in the CBD, famous throughout the world. Also on the badge is Rangitoto Island that rests in the Hauraki Gulf, a now extinct volcano indicative of the tectonic history of the local area.

This is set against a blue and white shield, an emblem original to the club, alongside the font designed in 2003 by designer Scott Wilson. The yellow and white checkerboard was an addition to the badge in 2020-21 after the disestablishment of the New Zealand Football Championship (NZFC) when Auckland City FC and Central United FC agreed for the club to take up its place in the top tier of Northern League.

This gesture was a heartfelt and difficult decision but reflected the relationship, origins, history, legacy and DNA of the two clubs.

The clubs away strip was altered to the traditional and original colours of Central United FC for the 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons, before reverting to the traditional predominantly white and navy blue trim in 2024 and 2025.

7. Brand Confusion
With the arrival of A-League football in the city of Auckland in 2024-25, it became common for brand confusion to happen between the name of Auckland City FC and the city's new residents competing in the Australian competition.

The similarity of name, club logo, colours and font, combined with the new entity and television coverage, meant that media and sports fans alike were not immediately able to distinguish between each.

This page is published as a resource for journalists, both local and international, to read, understand and distinguish between Auckland City FC and others, for the purposes of clear, concise and accurate information.

8. Summary

Auckland City FC plays in Northern League, Chatham Cup and National League Championship, OFC Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup.

Auckland City FC does not compete in the A-League in Australia (Asian Football Confederation).

Auckland City FC is 21 years old, founded in 2004.

Auckland City FC is an amateur football club based at Kiwitea Street, Sandringham.

Auckland City FC is run by its membership and is governed by its club committee, all of whom reside in Auckland, New Zealand.

Auckland City FC won the bronze medal at the FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2014.