Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Welcomes FIFA Club World Cup™

Words: ACFC Media

Thursday 13 March 2025

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Auckland City FC has been honoured with a traditional pōwhiri at Takaparawhau by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, marking a powerful cultural welcome as part of the FIFA Club World Cup™ Trophy Tour to New Zealand.

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, as mana whenua of central Tāmaki Makaurau, welcomed the Auckland City FC squad and staff, and a delegation of guests from the football community with karanga, whaikōrero, and waiata, reinforcing the deep ties between football, community, and tikanga Māori.

The ceremony was an opportunity to acknowledge the presence of the FIFA Club World Cup™ Trophy on the marae, the club’s achievements and offer blessings for their upcoming campaign on the global stage in the USA in June.

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Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Identifies with City

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei spokesperson Joe Royal reflected on the significance of the occasion:

"For Ngāti Whatua Orākei, we pride ourselves on caring for anyone that sits within our region, on our lands. And for Auckland City FC, their club and where they're situated, where they play, where they practice, sits in our boundary. And there's a big thing within Māoridom around caring and Manaakitanga. So for having Auckland City FC come onto our marae was a huge honour. And that's just to extend, the showcase of care and Manaakitanga.

"I was at the initial meeting with Gordon Watson and there are some similarities between the Auckland City FC story and Ngāti Whatua Orākei history overcoming through struggle and resilience.

"If I go back into our history we experienced loss and adversity as an underdog and I think for a club like Auckland City FC they are going to be the underdog at the FIFA Club World Cup™ in USA.

"For Ngāti Whatua Orākei we hope Auckland City FC can take today’s memory and these moments with them to America and do well and put it all out there knowing they have our support behind them."

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Auckland City FC Honoured by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei

Auckland City FC General Manager, Gordon Watson, expressed gratitude for the support and cultural connection: “To be welcomed by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei in such a meaningful way is a privilege for our football club.

"The pōwhiri was a special moment for our players and staff, reinforcing our connection to the whenua and the people of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. I spoke with Joe and Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei over the past few months and we've grown closer as a result of this process - these bonds will remain strong now and into the future.

"Without Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei generosity, support, resilience and hospitality, there would be no football in Tāmaki Makaurau for anyone. We also appreciate their heartfelt support for our kaupapa at the FIFA Club World Cup™ USA 2025."

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FIFA Club World Cup Trophy Gleams on Marae

Glittering in its resplendent surroundings, the new FIFA Club World Cup™ Trophy also made its own dramatic entrance as it took its place in the marae between hosts and visitors. Kalani Tarawa spoke on behalf of Auckland City FC.

The FIFA Club World Cup™ Trophy is one of football’s most prestigious symbols of club excellence. Designed by Tiffany & Co., the trophy features a 24-carat gold-plated finish with intricate engravings of the world map, the names of all 211 FIFA Member Associations, and inscriptions in multiple languages, including Braille.

Auckland is one of the final international stops before the tournament kicks off in June, with the trophy taking in 29 cities in 20 countries across 140 days in an epic tour that is redefining club football across the globe.

The trophy will spend three days in Auckland, the only stop in the Pacific region, before returning to the United States for the final build-up to the tournament.

Watson said: "Auckland City FC is honoured to host the FIFA Club World Cup™ Trophy as part of FIFA's tour circuit. It is impressive and we believe a fitting tribute to the most broad and inclusive FIFA Club World Cup™ tournament of them all. The club thanks FIFA for having belief and trust in our ability to host the FIFA Club World Cup™ Trophy.

"The club also wishes to thank the Tarawa whanau for their leadership at Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei having so recently experienced a bereavement. Kalani, Ron, Bianca and Niko are valued and loved club members who honoured us with their mana and aroha today."

Auckland City FC also acknowledged the support of Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), New Zealand Football (NZF), Northern Regional Football (NRF), Māori Football Aotearoa (MFA) and representatives of other Northern League clubs who attended.

The event concluded with a shared kai, symbolising unity and strength as Auckland City FC embarks on their FIFA Club World Cup™ campaign. The club’s qualification marks a historic achievement and underscores their position as a powerhouse in Oceania football.

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About Auckland City FC

Auckland City FC plays in the New Zealand domestic football competition (Northern League, National League Championship and Chatham Cup) and Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Champions League from its whenua at Kiwitea Street in Sandringham, Auckland and was founded in 2004.For more click here.

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei (in their words)

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, one of the hapū from the wider Ngāti Whātua iwi. Located in and around the Tāmaki isthmus, in the largest city in Aotearoa, we hold firm to our mana motuhake, history, culture, identity and language.

Occupation of Ngāti Whātua in Tāmaki Makaurau began in the 17th Century under the leadership of our rangatira Tuperiri. As such, every member of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei can trace their whakapapa to our shared ancestor Tuperiri and are descended from the three hapū; Ngā Oho, Te Taoū, me Te Uringutu, collectively referred to as Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.

We are the tangata whenua of Tāmaki with our mana over the land and sea being underpinned by take tupuna (ancestral relationships), take raupatu (taking of the land and sea by traditional warfare), ahi kā (unbroken occupation) and tuku whenua (traditional gifting of land )

Today, the collective affairs of the sub-tribe are looked after by the Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust with approximately over 7000 registered hapū members throughout Aotearoa and the world.

We celebrate our direct lineage from our common tupuna Tuperiri and the legacy our many tūpuna have left behind. This legacy is what has enabled our strong and everlasting connection to our whenua, our rohe and to each other.