Source: Radio New Zealand
Auckland FC fans, aka The Port. Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
Auckland FC will host the A-League grand final in New Zealand for the first time on Saturday and the club says tickets are “selling like hotcakes”.
Just after 4pm on Monday, the first day that tickets went on sale, chief executive Nick Becker said just over 20,000 tickets had been sold for Go Media Stadium which has a capacity of around 25,000.
“So we’re expecting, whether it’s tonight or first thing tomorrow, there’ll be a sellout,” Becker said.
“It’s going to be such a special occasion, and to be able to make a grand final, but also host it for the first time in your own backyard is an incredible piece.
“I’m so proud of the boys and their effort from the weekend and we can’t wait for the weekend to roll on and to get out there in front of a full house.”
Becker had been among the travelling Auckland supporters in Adelaide for the semifinal on Friday night when Auckland won 3-0 to book their play in the grand final.
“I got to actually go down and see some of the fans who had come all the way over to the game. They’d come last minute, they’d spent a lot of their own money and to sort of celebrate with them was amazing.
“There’s only probably 30 or 40 of them in the stadium at Coopers and so that was an incredible moment.”
Becker said Auckland “obviously” wanted Sydney FC to win their semifinal to give Auckland the hosting rights for the showpiece event.
Auckland are hosts for finishing the regular season in 3rd compared to Sydney’s fifth placing.
“I think we’ve got the best fans in the league or in the country by a mile and to have that support so early on has been super important.
“You can’t underestimate how important it is for the players when the place is near full or as it will be on Saturday night at full capacity, it really lifts them.”
Becker believed Auckland had embraced the club.
“For me to see just a mix of really passionate hardcore fans in The Port through to whole families or families and neighbours and friends and just generations of people being at our games, it’s incredibly special.
“It shows that when you actually go out there and meet people, go to football clubs, go to schools, sort of actually put your boots on the ground and be part of a city, that people repay you and they come to your games and they celebrate it.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/05/18/auckland-fc-on-track-to-sellout-a-league-grand-final/