Football

New Zealand's All Whites, including Cantabrians Ryan Nelsen and Ben Sigmund, have made it to the great sporting arena of the 2010 World Cup.

New Zealand will play in Group F, along with Italy, Paraguay, and Slovakia. It is first time New Zealand has made the World Cup finals since 1982. The finals will be held in South Africa in June and July 2010.

Football in Canterbury

Football is played across all ages and levels of competitiveness in our region. Mainland Football administer local leagues from headquarters at English Park.

Community information directory CINCH has contacts for Football clubs and organisations and club websites are listed in localeye.

Fans can watch Australasian A-League (where New Zealand is represented by the Wellington-based Phoenix) and many of the great competitions of the “beautiful game” on television – British Premier League, UEFA competitions and more. In January 2010 A-League football will come to Christchurch when the Phoenix play Adelaide United on Saturday 30 January, 2010 at AMI Stadium.

We recommend these online resources

• New Zealand Football home of New Zealand football and the All Whites, including player profiles
• Football links to websites of football clubs and organisations in Christchurch and Canterbury. From localeye
• Football clubs and organisations contact information for clubs and organisations in Christchurch and surrounding areas. From CINCH
• Hyundai A League Australasian professional football league
• Wellington Phoenix New Zealand’s A League professional football team
• Mainland Football Organisation for soccer in soccer in the Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury, Mid-Canterbury and West Coast regions. Fixtures, results and events for the region
• Football recommended national and international websites from our Internet Gateway, including:
  • 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa
  • British Premier League
  • Uefa Champions League the most prestigious international competition for leading football clubs in Europe
  • UEFA Cup the second most important international competition for European football club
  • FIFA The official site of the international governing body of football with news, national associations, competitions, results, fixtures etc.

Our libraries have a great selection of football books, magazines and DVDs.

• Football - books about football
• Football magazines footballing magazines you can borrow or view online
• Football in New Zealand
• Football DVDs - view some great games and get some great coaching tips.

There are some great Playstation football games at our Upper Riccarton and New Brighton libraries too.

Did you know?

The first New Zealand interprovincial soccer game was played in Christchurch on August 16, 1890. Canterbury beat Wellington 2-0.