Hopes for Christchurch ‘festival of football’ may be dashed by rugby rights to stadium

Thursday, 18 June 2026

David Yoo of South Island United in round one of the OFC Pro League, against Auckland FC, at Eden Park in January.

Time is running out to secure a day of international football matches at Christchurch’s new stadium next year as anchor tenants, the Crusaders, await their home game schedule.

New Zealand is in the grip of a football fever as the All Whites sit at the top of their FIFA World Cup grouping following a 2-2 draw against Iran on Tuesday.

It has emerged that moves are afoot to encourage the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) to choose Christchurch’s One NZ Stadium as a hub for at least one day of matches in next year’s competition of teams from around the Pacific.

Ryan Edwards, chief executive of South Island United - the South Island’s first professional football team - said it would be akin to rugby’s Super Round.

Thousands of Kiwis gathered in bars to watch the All Whites play this week.

“That would be massive for the city to have a whole football hub here - basically a festival of football with all the island nations,” said Edwards.

“I’m confident that you could get 15,000 plus to a game like this with the right marketing [and] with the right build-up.”

Tickets to One NZ stadium have sold out for Crusaders, All Blacks and Warriors matches, and a Six60 & Synthony concert, while Matatū attracted a record-breaking women’s rugby crowd of nearly 12,000.

However, Edwards needs to lock in space at the stadium by the end of this month, or the matches could go to Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin - and the Otago stadium is interested.

The OFC confirmed it was approached by Edwards and is interested in coming to Christchurch, or any other South Island location.

Dunedin Venues, the organisation in charge of Forsyth Barr Stadium, confirmed it has also been approached by Edwards and is game to host.

South Island United chief executive Ryan Edwards.

Edwards said he had been “going back and forward” with One NZ stadium over the last six months but it was “proving a little bit more challenging than I would have expected”.

He said the major issue was that NZ Rugby had yet to release next year’s SuperRugby schedule, which would determine when the Crusaders played home games. Edwards understands the schedule would be released in August, potentially too late for OFC.

In May, Auckland’s Eden Park hosted a double-header in the new Oceania Pro League football competition’s bottom-four Challengers Group; Solomon Kings, Tahiti United, Vanuatu United and PNG Hekari. Only 300 fans filled the 45,000-seat stadium.

Auckland FC sold out its match against Sydney FC at Mt Smart Stadium in May.

However, a few weeks later A-League team Auckland FC’s match against Sydney FC sold out the nearly 28,000-seat Mt Smart Stadium within minutes.

Edwards said Auckland got behind Auckland FC, which was established in 2024. For South Island United to get the same traction it needed the opportunity to gain a large fan base, such as hosting OFC games in Christchurch.

Venues Ōtautahi head Caroline Harvie-Teare said she would love to see football at the stadium.

A spokesperson for NZ Rugby said the organisation had not been in communication with Venues Ōtautahi about Edwards’ pitch.

He said anything to do with blacking out days for football, or rugby taking precedence over other events, was a question for “stadium management”.

“We confirm the schedule as soon as we can to allow fans and clubs to plan for the upcoming season.”

Venues Ōtautahi (VŌ) chief executive Caroline Harvie-Teare said she could not talk about events that may be coming to the stadium during negotiation due to commercial sensitivity.

Acting Mayor Victoria Henstock says bringing pro-league football to the city would be “fantastic”.

However, she said the Crusaders and Canterbury Rugby were anchor tenants of the stadium.

While that did not stop VŌ from making other bookings, staff worked to ensure the stadium was available for the anchor tenants, and communicated dates when the stadium might not be available, as they prepared their season draw.

“What we can confirm is we would absolutely love to have more football content at the stadium and we are actively working on making that happen.”

She said A-League football games would be played at the stadium in the next two years, including Wellington Phoenix coming to the city.

“We are confident there will be further football at One New Zealand Stadium for fans in the near future.”

OFC is one of the world’s six confederations recognised by FIFA, and is responsible for the development and organisation of football across the South Pacific.

South Island United, established in October as the Mainland’s first pro-league team, is one grade below A-League (in which Auckland FC and Wellington Phoenix play).

Christchurch deputy mayor Victoria Henstock, who is acting mayor while Phil Mauger is in China, said bringing the pro league to Christchurch would be “fantastic for the city and local football fans”.