This wasn’t the plan for the start of the season - but with Cyclone Vaianu, everyone’s safety comes first. 

Sunday 12 April 

Our partners Auckland Council have closed grounds for all sporting codes on Sunday out of safety concerns, given the potentially dangerous weather and travelling conditions that day. 

All matches scheduled for Sunday have been postponed. 

Auckland Council have shared this statement: 

Due to the incoming Cyclone all council fields will be closed for play this Sunday.

Auckland Emergency Management have put out a warning to avoid travel, stay inside and be aware of flood risk and high winds.

The cyclone is due to hit late Saturday early Sunday.

Council fields are open on Saturday to get the majority of weekend play away.

Please note: Whangārei District Council have closed all fields on Sunday and Monday also. 

Saturday 11 April 

Right now, all fixtures remain as scheduled, but this could change at short notice. Specifically, if Met Service ‘red’ warnings are issued that advise minimising non-essential travel, we’ll consider blanket postponement in affected regions for the warning period. 

What you need to know 

• Advise all teams to check their fixtures at nrf.org.nz before travelling

  • The website will show if games are postponed or to be played as scheduled 

• Watch NRF’s Facebook page for updates

• Obey all Civil Defence and local authority direction

• Watch Met Service for weather warnings 

We will prioritise people’s safety in all decision-making, and ask all clubs to do the same. 

Thanks - we understand this is frustrating just when we’re getting the season underway, and really appreciate clubs’ cooperation and understanding as we navigate Cyclone Vaianu.

Article added: Friday 10 April 2026