2024 Result: Champions
Head Coach: Paul Posa
The defending champions are back following their success in Tahiti in 2024, with this season’s campaign part of the club’s biggest year in recent history.
Victory over AS Pirae last May made it three titles in a row, with their recent dominance of the competition qualifying the New Zealanders for the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup™ in June of this year.
Before that challenge however, they face a tough Group A assignment, including a 2024 final rematch with AS Pirae, New Caledonia’s AS Tiga Sport and Rewa FC of Fiji standing in their way of another semi-final appearance.
There’s a couple of high-profile losses since last year’s success, with inspirational captain Cam Howieson and dangerous young forward Liam Gillion having both departed to join Auckland FC in the Australian A-League.
Albert Riera has temporarily stood down as head coach, with the highly successful Spaniard replaced by former coach Paul Posa.
Posa is no stranger to this level however, having previously led Auckland City to an OFC Men’s Champions League title, as well as a New Zealand National League championship and an appearance at the FIFA Club World Cup™.
He is also under no illusions as to how big a challenge advancing from Group A will be for this squad.
“This looks to be a particularly difficult group. All of our opposition teams are well experienced at this level and will be looking to do well.
“We will have huge respect for all of these teams. They will be well organised, strong, fast and skillful, so we will need to be at our best to get out of the group stage,” Posa said.
Despite the FIFA Club World Cup™ on the horizon, Posa is working to ensure that all of the focus in on the Solomon Islands this month, with no room for complacency.
“We are only focussing on the Northern League and OFC Men’s Champions League at this stage.
“I know there is a massive club effort going into background administrative work around participation in the FIFA Club World Cup™, but that is not affecting what we are doing on the field at the moment,” he said.
Photo Credit: OFC Media via Phototek
Auckland City FC fixtures
Kick-off times local
v AS Pirae
Sunday, March 30 | 3:00pm
v AS Tiga Sport
Wednesday, April 2 | 3:00pm
v Rewa FC
Saturday, April 5 | 3:00pm