Association football in New Zealand

Association football in New Zealand
Association football in New Zealand
Country	New Zealand
Governing body	Football
National team(s)	New Zealand
Nickname(s)	All Whites
Clubs	500
National competitions
	New Zealand National League; National Women's League; Chatham Cup; Kate Sheppard Cup
Club competitions
	Northern League; Central League; Southern League; Mainland Premier League; Footballsouth Premier League; Capital Football W-League
International competitions
	OFC Champions League; FIFA Club World Cup
Audience records
Single match	43,217 – (2023); 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup - 3 matches (international); 37,034 – (2017); All Whites vs Peru (national team record); 32,792 – (2010); Wellington Phoenix FC vs Newcastle Jets (club – competitive); 31,853 – (2007); Wellington Phoenix FC vs Los Angeles Galaxy (club – exhibition)
Season	11,683 – (2007–08); Wellington Phoenix FC (average); 173,614 – (2009–10); Wellington Phoenix FC (cumulative)

Association football, also known as football (or sometimes as soccer), is a popular recreation sport in New Zealand. The sport is administered by the governing body New Zealand Football (NZF). It is the third-most popular men's team sport after rugby union and cricket.

Among New Zealand adults in 2000, it was the 12th most participated sport, at seven percent. Among boys ages 5–17, it was the most participated in sport, with a 17 percent participation rate; among girls, it ranks fifth in popularity at six percent, behind swimming, netball, horse riding, and tennis.