New Zealand fans will be able to watch their A-League action on Sky for the next three seasons, after the broadcaster extended their partnership with the competition owners.
The Australian Professional Leagues (APL) and Sky have confirmed one match a week involving a New Zealand team will be screened free to air on Sky Open.
All matches in the Isuzu UTE A-League Men (kicking off on October 18) and Ninja A-League Women (from November 1) will play on Sky Sport and stream on Sky Sport Now and Sky Go.
All matches featuring the Wellington Phoenix or Auckland FC will be broadcast live and one match a week will be shared free on Sky Open.
The 25/26 season will see the introduction of the Auckland FC women’s team, setting up a second Kiwi rivalry with the Phoenix women and ensuring more live coverage of New Zealand football.
Free-to-air schedule
The men’s A-League games confirmed to screen free on Sky Open in the first six rounds are as follows:
Round 1: Auckland FC v Brisbane Roar, Saturday October 19, 4.30pm (NZT)
Round 2: Auckland FC v Sydney, Sunday October 27, 3.30pm (NZT)
Round 3: Wellington Phoenix v Auckland FC, Saturday November 2, 4.30pm (NZT)
Round 4: Adelaide United v Western United, Saturday November 9, 9.30pm (NZT)
Round 6: Wellington Phoenix v Melbourne Victory, Sunday November 24 , 3pm (NZT)
The following women’s A-League game will screen on Sky Open:
Round 3: Newcastle Jets v Wellington Phoenix, Sunday November 17, 4.30pm (NZT)
Reaction to the new partnership agreement
Sky chief executive Sophie Moloney said: “Last year’s season was a breakout success for fan engagement with the A-Leagues in New Zealand, with the success of the Wellington Phoenix capturing the hearts and minds of Kiwi fans.
“Added to that, the excitement surrounding the addition to the leagues of a new team from Aotearoa in Auckland FC has made the upcoming season guaranteed to be appointment watching.
“We’re pleased that we will continue to be the broadcast home to a passionate and growing sporting code, spearheaded here in Aotearoa by a couple of really energised and ambitious local clubs.
“We’re excited to see what we can achieve together in terms of innovation around commercial partnerships as part of our home games production, alongside our broadcast coverage of every single minute of action.”
A-Leagues Commissioner Nick Garcia said: “New Zealand is really important for our continued growth, and it’s set to be a landmark year for New Zealand football following Wellington Phoenix’s standout season and the introduction of a new team, Auckland FC, into the Isuzu UTE A-League Men.
“Sky Sport is a world-class partner, and we are thrilled to extend our partnership and deliver more A-Leagues action – with one match broadcast free-to-air each week – to entertain New Zealand’s passionate football community and support our ambition to grow the game across the country.”
Nick Becker, Auckland FC chief executive, said: “Today’s announcement is another endorsement of the strength and ongoing growth of football in New Zealand. Thanks to Sky, fans across the country will get even closer to the game, to our club and to our players. We look forward to seeing our first ever match in every Kiwi home on October 19.”
David Dome, general manager of Wellington Phoenix, said: “Sky’s live broadcasts are unrivalled: they’ve done a great job of capturing the emotion of our passionate fans for the past 17 years. With the arrival of Auckland FC this season, there will be more local interest in the A-League than ever before, so it’s fantastic there will be one match a week free-to-air on Sky Open.”
Main photo credit: unsplash / Norbert Braun.
This story was first published on September 25, 2024.
More football stories
