Details have been confirmed for New Zealand Football’s U-17 Regional Training Centres for 2020. 

The centres will run in Christchurch (3-5 Aug, 7-9 Sept, 2-4 Nov), Wellington (10-12 Aug, 14-16 Sept, 9-11 Nov) and Auckland (17-19 Aug, 21-23 Sept, 16-18 Nov), bringing together a group of promising young players as they begin a journey that could lead to representing the U-17 National Team and beyond in the future.

Whilst they are linked, the centres are not directly for the U-17 World Cup cycle, but instead are to capture a wider group of identified players who are classed as U-17 each year during that year. The programme will be piloted for men's players during the tail end of 2020 with the intention of gaining feedback and refining the programme to encompass both men and women during 2021 and beyond.

The monthly three-day training camps have been developed to provide an appropriately challenging environment for young players to be assessed as part of a longer and more transparent selection process for youth teams. The camps will give NZF more opportunity to connect with future All Whites, as well as introducing players to the culture and environment of the national team. They will also provide an opportunity for NZF to connect with coaches and technical experts around the country, supporting and sharing idea on the game. Local coaches and technical experts are invited to attend training sessions at any time to observe and experience the environment.

Identification of the players involved has been through the regional federation and a network of coaches throughout the country. The identification process for players will be ongoing  providing opportunities for players to come into the Centres based on their ongoing development.