Mt Roskill Intermediate Welcomes FIFA Club World Cup™ Trophy

Words: ACFC Media

Friday 14 March 2025

AUCKLAND, New Zealand - Auckland City FC and the prestigious FIFA Club World Cup™ Trophy Tour received a heartfelt welcome at Mount Roskill Intermediate today, with a traditional whakatau marking the occasion.

The event brought together students, staff, and the local community in celebration of Auckland City FC’s historic qualification for the FIFA Club World Cup™ USA 2025, and the glittering trophy itself.

The whakatau, a formal Māori welcome ceremony, was led by Mount Roskill Intermediate students and local kaumātua, acknowledging the mana of both the club and the globally renowned FIFA Club World Cup™ trophy. The event highlighted the deep cultural connections between football, community, and indigenous heritage, reinforcing the values of unity and respect.

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Auckland City FC Chairperson, Ivan Vuksich, expressed gratitude for the warm reception.

“This was a truly special occasion for our club, and we are humbled by the support from Mount Roskill Intermediate and the wider community.

"Football has the power to inspire and connect, and today’s whakatau reinforced our deep commitment to the people who support the game at the grassroots level.

"It also confirms our deep commitment to the Mount Roskill Schools Project which we hope will realise an all-weather playing surface, administration building, lights and a warm-up area."

As part of the visit, students had the rare opportunity to see the FIFA Club World Cup™ trophy up close, a moment that left many in awe. When the trophy was unveiled, there was an audible gasp from the students and staff, as the reality of the moment sunk in.

The trophy, symbolic of club football excellence, will be lifted by the world’s club champion team in July in New York, and its presence at Mount Roskill Intermediate served as an inspiration for the next generation of youngsters in the central Auckland catchment.

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Mount Roskill Intermediate School Board chairperson Kerry Martin welcomed the partnership with Auckland City FC and highlighted the significance of the event.

“We are immensely proud to host Auckland City FC and the FIFA Club World Cup™ trophy at our school. It is an honour to have the special new FIFA Club World Cup™ Trophy come to our school and community.

"As Oceania's representative at the newly expanded FIFA Club World Cup, Auckland City FC is preparing for a historic challenge against some of the world's biggest clubs and we stand proudly with Auckland City FC."

"This beautiful trophy represents inspiration, achievement, partnership and the global reach of football. At our school over 200 students access the Auckland City FC community coaching programme which gives our students real and lasting change in the heart of Mount Roskill.

"The development of the Mount Roskill Schools Project is a multi-million dollar initiative that will provide our local community with a state of the art sports facility. This will strengthen the connection between football and education and provide opportunities for our young people for years to come," she said.

The visit to Mount Roskill Intermediate is part of Auckland City FC’s wider engagement strategy leading up to the FIFA Club World Cup™ USA 2025.

Following the conclusion of the whakatau, the Auckland City FC coaching programme was delivered on the site of the future infrastructure project alongside the presence of other schools in the area and Māori Football Aotearoa.

The club is committed to using its platform to inspire young footballers and reinforce the importance of community connections as they prepare to represent Oceania on the global stage.

The FIFA Club World Cup Trophy™ will also be on display at Auckland City FC's first competitive match of the year when they host Tauranga City FC at Kiwitea Street at 3.00pm in the first game of the Northern League season.

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