NRF is launching Festival of Football, an exciting new match day experience for Auckland junior teams starting on 8 June with Under 12 Mixed competitions.  

The concept came from listening to feedback from Auckland clubs wanting the chance to play with teams they don't normally come across on regular Under 11 and 12 gamedays.

What you need to know 

• 8 June festival was for U12 mixed
• 15 June festival is for U11/12 girls - get the draw
• 22 June festival is for U11 mixed - get the draw
• The draws ARE NOT in the usual fixtures - you need to check the schedules above. They are also linked in the junior football pages  
• All this season's junior competition dates are here 

The festivals involve teams converging on central venues to play 3-4 25 minute games against 3-4 different teams. Many venues across Auckland will be used for the hubs.

“This is an exciting experience for the kids to play at new venues against teams they may not have seen before," said Competitions Manager Morgan Maskell. 

"We wanted to design this to give kids on the grass a unique experience, but could still administratively operate as similar to a regular gameday as possible and this achieves that goal. It's a unique logistical challenge for Auckland to put this together, considering our geography, but we're confident it will be an enjoyable experience for players, their parents and clubs. 

Article added: Friday 31 May 2024