CAIRO, Egypt – The stage is set in Cairo for a thrilling encounter as Auckland City FC prepare to face African champions Pyramid FC in their FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2025™ opener on Sunday night (local time).
14 September 2025
With the final training session wrapped and media duties completed, the Navy Blues are locked in and ready for battle.
Captain Mario Ilich, speaking to Egyptian journalists after Saturday’s mixed zone session, summed up the mood in camp:
“Absolutely excited to be here. We obviously don’t take these trips for granted. We’ve been on the international stage representing Oceania and New Zealand… Tomorrow is another opportunity for us.”
It’s been a whirlwind year for Auckland City FC, from competing in the revamped Club World Cup in the United States to acclimatising in the Middle East ahead of this clash. The team spent several days in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to adjust to the warmer climate, a stark contrast to New Zealand’s winter.
“First time to Egypt—so yeah, it’s a cool experience,” Ilich added. “We’ve done our homework. We’ve got a game plan. And hopefully we can stick to that and put in a good performance.”
Facing Pyramid FC, a side that has conquered continental giants like Al Ahly, is no small task. But Auckland City FC are no strangers to adversity. As Oceania champions, they’ve earned their place on this stage and are determined to make it count.
“We know we’re an amateur side coming up against African champions. But we’re here for a reason… We want to play every game to win.”
With a 9pm local kick-off, the cooler evening air may offer some relief, but the intensity on the pitch will be anything but mild. The Navy Blues are focused, ambitious, and ready to give everything.
“Football is football, you know. Anything can happen on the day… Let the football gods do the rest.”
Ends
Match Details
FIFA Intercontinental Cup / FIFA African-Asian-Pacific-Cup™
Sunday 14 September / Monday 15 September
30 June Stadium, Cairo, Egypt
Pyramids FC (EGY) v Auckland City FC (NZL)
Kick-off: 9.00pm local / 6.00am NZST
AC: 24. Nathan GARROW (GK), 2. Mario ILICH (c), 3. Adam MITCHELL, 4. Christian GRAY, 5. Nikko BOXALL, 7. Myer BEVAN, 8. Gerard GARRIGA, 10. Dylan MANICKUM, 12. Jeremy FOO, 13. Nathan LOBO, 14. Jordan VALE, 15. Jackson MANUEL, 16. Paris DOMFEH, 17. Jerson LAGOS, 18. Sebastian CIGANDA (GK), 19. Dylan CONNOLLY, 20. Matthew ELLIS, 21. Adam BELL, 22. Tong ZHOU, 25. Michael DEN HEIJER, 26. David YOO, 27. Haris ZEB.
HEAD COACH: PAUL POSA
ASSISTANT COACH: Ivan VICELICH
ASSISTANT COACH: Adria CASALS
GK COACH: Jonas HOFFMANN
PHYSIO: Matt PAYNE
PHYSIO: Zara ELLIS
TEAM MANAGER: Keith COTON
EXTRA INFORMATION:
How to Watch the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2025
Fans back home in New Zealand can catch the action live on FIFA+, with coverage starting at 5:50am NZT on Monday. Visit FIFA+ for further information.
