On Sunday, starting at 1pm, the final of the Women’s National League Championship will kick off between Auckland United and CF-Waterside Karori at North Harbour Stadium. At 4pm, following the crowning of the Women’s National Champions, Auckland City FC and Birkenhead United will compete in the Grand Final of the Men’s National League.

Auckland United enters this final unbeaten throughout the year, earning an impressive 25 points out of a possible 27. The team, managed by Ben Bate, aims to defend the title they won in 2023 and claim national glory once again. Throughout 2024, they also secured the NRFL Women's Premiership, the OFC Champions League and the Kate Sheppard Cup. If they win, this will mark their fourth title of the year out of a possible four. Interestingly, the only match they did not win was against their rivals in the Grand Final, CF-Waterside Karori.

On the other side will be CF-Waterside Karori. The team, led by Tomas Godoy Fouquet and Tory Schiltgen, has had an excellent season, qualifying for the Grand Final a whole round early. Although they have yet to secure a title this year—finishing as runners-up in the regional league behind Wellington United; and reaching the quarter-finals of the Kate Sheppard Cup, where they lost to Wellington Phoenix Reserves—they have once again fought hard until the end and tomorrow they will be fighting for the national title.

In the Men’s Grand Final, two familiar foes will clash - Birkenhead United and Auckland City FC. “Birko” topped the league table this year, while Auckland City FC also secured their place in the final, for the third time in a row.

Paul Hobson’s team, finishing fourth in the Northern League, did not get off to the best start. In the first two fixtures, they only managed to collect a single point from a defeat against Auckland City FC and a home draw against Western Suburbs, making their qualification seem challenging given the league's brevity. However, the North Shore team bounced back with stellar performances from players like Daniel Bunch and Monty Patterson, finishing at the top of the standings with 20 points.

As for Auckland City FC, this has perhaps been one of their most difficult years since the National League adopted its current format. While Albert Riera’s side has consistently been in contention for the final, they experienced a three-match winless streak at home in Kiwitea Street (drawing 1-1 with Cashmere Technical, losing 1-2 to Western Springs and later losing 3-4 to Wellington Phoenix Reserves). Despite facing moments of uncertainty regarding their qualification, the “Navy Blues” demonstrated their resilience and commitment to winning up until the last minute, securing their spot in another national final. This year, Auckland City FC won the Northern League and the OFC Champions League but lost the Chatham Cup final to Wellington Olympic. They will be seeking their third title of the year against “Birko”, well-known rival, having faced them four times already this year. When it comes to their head-to-head this year, the teams drew their first match against each other in the Northern League 2-2, Auckland City FC then went on to win the second 3-1, triumphed 4-2 in the Chatham Cup semi-finals and emerged victorious again with a 3-1 win in the opening fixture of the National League Championship.

Don’t miss these finals that promise to be thrilling contests between teams that have demonstrated exceptional quality throughout the year. Both matches will be held at North Harbour Stadium, and you can purchase your tickets on Ticketek or watch the matches live for free on FIFA+.

Article added: Saturday 30 November 2024