The best-performing players, coaches, teams and referees will have their efforts recognised when the annual New Zealand Football Awards are held in Auckland on 27 July.

Brought to you by Rembrandt and staged in conjunction with Friends of Football and the NZ Football Foundation, the awards celebrate performances and achievements in the calendar year of 2018 (in the case of the ISPS Handa Premiership, it is the 2018/19 season that is taken into account).

A total of 17 awards are on offer which serve to recognise excellence on both the international stage and the domestic game, covering both football and the small-sided code of futsal.

There are three finalists in each category, which were selected from a wider shortlist by an independent voting panel.

The panel, which consists of football journalists and former international players and coaches, have also determined a winner in each category to be announced on the night. 

A complimentary ticket to the ceremony will be provided to each finalist and a limited number of tickets are also available for the wider public to purchase, see below for details.

New Zealand Football Awards
Orakei Bay, 231 Orakei Road, Remuera
6:30pm, Saturday 27 July
Tickets on sale for $89 (inc GST), includes two-course meal and live band
For more information or to book please email kerry.ellis@nzfootball.co.nz

New Zealand Football Awards Finalists

International Player of the Year

Awarded to a player who has excelled for a senior New Zealand Football national team. Performances for clubs can also be taken into consideration but the player must have represented a senior New Zealand Football national team during the calendar year to be eligible.

Men:

Sarpreet Singh (All Whites/Wellington Phoenix)
Tom Doyle (All Whites/Wellington Phoenix)
Cameron Howieson (All Whites/Auckland City) 

Women:

Betsy Hassett (Football Ferns/KR Reykjavík) 
Meikayla Moore (Football Ferns/MSV Duisburg)
Ria Percival (Football Ferns/West Ham United) 

Domestic Player of the Year

Awarded to a player who has excelled in one or more of New Zealand Football’s national competitions. There is no requirement for the winner to be eligible to represent New Zealand.

Men:

Andre de Jong (Eastern Suburbs) 
Callum McCowatt (Eastern Suburbs) 
Tim Payne (Eastern Suburbs) 

Women: 

Sarah Gregorius (Capital Football) 
Annalie Longo (Canterbury United Pride) 
Mikaela Hunt (Southern United/Dunedin Technical)

Futsal Player of the Year

Awarded to a player who has excelled for a New Zealand Football national futsal team and/or in one or more of New Zealand Football’s national futsal competitions.

Men:

Stephen Ashby (Futsal Whites/AFF) 
Jordi Ditfort (Futsal Whites/New Zealand University Men/WaiBOP/University of Waikato) 
Luc Saker (Futsal Whites/New Zealand University Men/Capital/Victoria University) 

Women:

Shivi Anthony (New Zealand University Women/AFF/University of Auckland)
Tessa Leong (New Zealand University Women/AFF/University of Auckland) 
Dayna Manak (New Zealand University Women/AFF/University of Auckland)

Young Player of the Year

Awarded to a player aged 20 and under who has excelled for a New Zealand Football national team. Performances for clubs can also be taken into consideration but the player must have represented a New Zealand Football national team during the calendar year to be eligible.

Men:

Joe Bell (New Zealand U-20 Men/University of Virginia)
Sarpreet Singh (All Whites/Wellington Phoenix) 
Liberato Cacace (All Whites/Wellington Phoenix)
 
Women:

Anna Leat (Football Ferns/New Zealand U-17/U-20 Women/Northern Lights)
Aneka Mittendorff (New Zealand U-17/U20 Women/Northern Lights)
Sarah Morton (Football Ferns/New Zealand U-20 Women/Auckland Football) 

Coach of the Year

Awarded to a coach who has achieved excellence with a New Zealand Football national team and/or in one or more of New Zealand Football’s national competitions.

Men:

Jose Figueira (New Zealand U-17 Men/Team Wellington) 
Danny Hay (Eastern Suburbs) 
Leon Birnie (New Zealand U-17 Women)

Women:

Gemma Lewis (New Zealand U-17 Women/Northern Lights) 
Alana Gunn (Canterbury United Pride)
Wendi Henderson (Football Ferns)

Futsal Coach of the Year

Awarded to a coach who has achieved excellence with a New Zealand Football national futsal team and/or in one or more of New Zealand Football’s national futsal competitions.

Callum Holmes (Capital Men/Victoria University) 
Marvin Eakins (Futsal Whites/New Zealand University Men/AFF Men) 
Nic Downes (New Zealand University Women/AFF Women)

Team of the Year

Awarded for the most outstanding performance by a New Zealand Football national team or a team competing in one of New Zealand Football’s national competitions. Performances in the OFC Champions League/FIFA Club World Cup can also be taken into consideration. Can be either male or female.

Team Wellington
New Zealand U-17 Women
New Zealand U-20 Men

Futsal Team of the Year

Awarded for the most outstanding performance by a New Zealand Football national futsal team or a team competing in one of New Zealand Football’s national futsal competitions. Can be either male or female.

AFF Men
AFF Women
New Zealand University Women

Referee of the Year

Awarded to a referee or assistant referee who has excelled on the international stage and/or in one or more of New Zealand Football’s national competitions.

Men:

Nick Waldron
Matt Conger
Campbell-Kirk Kawana-Waugh

Women:

Nadia Browning
Morgan Archer
Anna-Marie Keighley

Futsal Referee of the Year

Awarded to a referee who has excelled on the international stage and/or in one or more of New Zealand Football’s national futsal competitions.

Antony Riley
Chris Sinclair
Campbell-Kirk Kawana-Waugh

Player of the Year

Celebrating outstanding achievement by any player eligible to represent New Zealand. The achievements may be at club or national team level but there is no requirement to have represented a New Zealand Football national team during the calendar year.

Sarpreet Singh (Wellington Phoenix)
Chris Wood (Burnley) 
Abby Erceg (North Carolina Courage)

Article added: Tuesday 18 June 2019