Onehunga Sports FC has become the 11th club within Northern Region Football (NRF) to achieve accreditation through New Zealand Football’s Xero 'Together Stronger' Club Support Program, marking another significant milestone in the club's ongoing commitment to building an inclusive, equitable, and sustainable football environment.

The accreditation process provided the club with an opportunity to review its operations, governance, and culture against recognised best-practice standards. While the club found the process straightforward and easy to navigate, it also served as valuable confirmation of the strong foundations already in place.

"Yes, the process was easy to navigate and complete," said the club. "We used the resources mainly for a few job descriptions and found those useful."

More importantly, the accreditation reinforced the club's commitment to inclusion and community engagement.

"The biggest thing we got out of it was that the process validated how inclusive the club is and that we already had most of the required practices in place, we just needed to formalise them."

The club believes the program offers significant value to organisations looking to strengthen their structures and identify opportunities for improvement.

"It is worth doing to see any areas that your club structure is missing out on having in place."

As Onehunga Sports FC continues to grow, the club remains focused on creating opportunities for all members of its community. "We are focusing on being an equitable and sustainable club while trying to have options for all our members in the community, social and competitive spaces."

As part of its accreditation rewards, Onehunga Sports FC has selected the equipment packs and a place on the next NZF C Licence Coaching course, further supporting the development of both its playing and coaching pathways.

The achievement comes during a busy but rewarding period for the club. In May, Onehunga Sports FC hosted NRF's Annual General Meeting and more recently, it hosted 77 teams from across Auckland for NRF's inaugural Auckland-wide Junior Festival at the beginning of June, helping create memorable football experiences for hundreds of young players and their families.

NRF and NZF congratulate Onehunga Sports FC on becoming the latest accredited club in the Xero 'Together Stronger' Club Support Program and thanks the club for its continued commitment to strengthening football in its community.

Article added: Monday 29 June 2026