Auckland City FC

There’s one team at this year’s FIFA Club World Cup that had to do something no other club did — ask their bosses for unpaid leave just to attend. That team is Auckland City Football Club. A squad made up of PE teachers, factory workers and accountants is now preparing to face global giants like Bayern Munich. No pressure, right?

So let’s #GetTheBadgeIn and take a closer look at this remarkable bunch of legends.

First things first — how on earth did they make it to the finals? The answer is simple: by being crowned Champions of Oceania. Auckland City FC won the OFC Champions League, a competition featuring the best sides from across the Pacific islands. That victory booked them a place in the Club World Cup, putting them on the same platform as the biggest clubs in the game.

Now, just to clear things up — this isn’t Auckland FC. Yes, they’re from the same city, but they’re an entirely different beast. Auckland FC are fully professional and backed by Black Knight Football Group, the same ownership behind the Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL and Bournemouth in the Premier League. Their badge looks like something out of Gotham City, dipped in Inter Milan colours. It’s slick, well-funded, and very modern. But let’s not get too carried away — the owner is a Trump-supporting clown, so we’ll keep our admiration in check.

Because they’re a professional outfit, Auckland FC play in the A-League — the trans-Tasman top flight made up of clubs from across Australia and New Zealand. Winning that league sends you to the Asian Champions League, not the Oceania one. Auckland City FC, on the other hand, play in New Zealand’s Northern League. They’ve dominated regional football for years and, by conquering the Oceania route, they’ve ended up on football’s biggest stage.

Interestingly, Auckland FC have just won the A-League and will represent New Zealand in Asia next year. That raises the mouth-watering possibility that the city of Auckland could one day send two separate clubs to the same Club World Cup — one as champions of Oceania, the other of Asia. Could we see a future FIFA World Cup hosting an Auckland Derby? Let’s hope we get to see that one day.

Not bad for a team that had to file holiday forms to get there.

So, let’s take a closer look at this badge – and what a beauty it is. It’s exactly the kind of badge I love: there’s an absolute tonne going on, and every element tells a story.

Let’s start with the most obvious feature – the anchor. Or… is it? Yes, it is an anchor – but it’s more than that. The anchor pays tribute to Auckland’s identity as a maritime city. Its nickname, after all, is “The City of Sails,” and with good reason – roughly one in three Auckland households owns a boat (yes, really). Geography plays a huge part in that: Auckland sits on a narrow isthmus with the Tasman Sea on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other. You’re never far from a harbour, and the city regularly hosts major events like the America’s Cup yacht races.

But look again – the top of that anchor is shaped like the Sky Tower, Auckland’s most iconic landmark. It dominates the skyline, rising above the business district, complete with a rotating restaurant and glass-floored viewing platforms. Including the Sky Tower in the badge brings a modern edge to the club’s identity. It reflects Auckland as New Zealand’s economic powerhouse, home to major international firms and the gateway for most visitors arriving in the country.

Now shift your eyes to the background – behind the anchor is a green silhouette. That’s Rangitoto, the volcanic island that looms just offshore from the city. Rangitoto is Auckland’s youngest and most recognisable volcano – now extinct, but one of more than 50 volcanic cones scattered across the region. Featuring Rangitoto on the badge is a tribute not just to Auckland’s striking natural landscape, but to New Zealand’s volcanic origins – remember, this is Middle-earth terrain we’re talking about.

But Rangitoto also carries deeper meaning. It’s a nod to the land and the history of the Māori people. On 20 March 1840, Apihai Te Kawau, paramount chief of Ngāti Whātua–Ōrākei, signed the Treaty of Waitangi in nearby Manukau Harbour. Seeking protection from rival iwi, Te Kawau made a strategic gift (tuku) of about 3,500 acres around Waitematā Harbour to Lieutenant-Governor William Hobson. That act opened the way for the founding of the European settlement that would become Auckland. Rangitoto, in this sense, represents the land, legacy, and layered history of the city.

And finally – check the pattern behind it all. That yellow and white checkerboard? It’s a direct tribute to the club’s roots. Auckland City FC was born from Central United, a team formed by Croatian migrants from the Dalmatian Coast. While their kits were yellow and white, the checkerboard design echoes the red-and-white Croatian flag – a proud nod to the club’s community origins and cultural heritage.

So there you have it. Probably my favourite badge in the whole competition. It’s bold, it’s meaningful, and it’s packed with history – a badge that doesn’t just look good, but says something real about the place it represents.

Let’s hope this bunch of amateurs can put on a good show and enjoy the experience – certainly the guaranteed $3.58 million they’ll get just for qualifying will help them enjoy themselves – (and an additional $1 million if they can steal a draw). What is perhaps best about Auckland City however is that because they compete in amateur leagues – that money cannot go on player salaries and transfer fees – so instead it will all be ploughed back into the club’s infrastructure, youth teams and community outreach programmes. Auckland will benefit from the legacy of this competition for decades to come.

Choice, bro.

As they say.