Featured image credit: Eden Park
Auckland’s Eden Park stadium has backed a campaign to launch a new National Rugby League (NRL) franchise in the city.
Plans were unveiled on Friday for the Mana Pasifika bid, which aims to deliver a second NRL team for the New Zealand city.
The project aims to “unite the rich traditions of the Pacific Islands” with the New Zealand rugby league community.
It would represent the Pacific diaspora, including Samoa, Tonga, the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau. The bid has also received the support of Tangata Whenua, the local indigenous people.
An expansion franchise could play its home games at Eden Park, whose chief executive Nick Sautner said: “We are excited by Mana Pasifika’s bid to join the NRL and would welcome the opportunity to be their home ground.
“Eden Park is home to some of sport’s most historic moments and we have a strong record of hosting international and domestic rugby league matches, drawing large crowds of rugby league fans. The legacy of Eden Park, both on and off the field, shouldn’t be underestimated and with rugby league’s increasing popularity, we are committed to supporting the growth of the game across New Zealand.”
The bid has been endorsed by Fred Ah Kuoi, a former rugby league player for Auckland and New Zealand, while Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown said the team would strengthen rugby league in the region and serve as a “symbol of unity for all our communities”.
Auckland is already home to the NRL’s only non-Australian franchise, the New Zealand Warriors, which play home games at Go Media Stadium.
In December, the NRL announced plans for a new franchise in Papua New Guinea as part of a wide-ranging 10-year deal involving the Australian government.
The team, which will be based in the capital city of Port Moresby, is due to begin playing in 2028. The NRL is also expected to launch a new franchise in Perth, Western Australia.
The Mana Pasifika team could follow a similar model to Moana Pasifika, which plays in the Super Rugby Pacific competition. Moana Pasifika is primarily based at Go Media Stadium in Auckland but also plays games in other Pacific Island nations.
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