Unity Pitch replica will be utilised by community in South Auckland
One of the key beneficiaries will be Netball Manurewa
Installation follows an earlier pitch handover at Beach Haven Primary School
The legacy of this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup will live on in Manurewa through a partnership between FIFA and Auckland Council which will see a brand-new half football pitch installed at the suburb’s netball centre. The pitch is a replica of the Unity Pitch that football fans used at The Cloud in the city centre during the tournament. The partnership saw Auckland Council receive the new pitch to become an anchor feature in the south Auckland community for residents – particularly the young – to enjoy and play sport on. Mayor Wayne Brown said the Unity Pitch is a great example of a partnership which leaves a legacy for Aucklanders.
“The FIFA Women’s World Cup was a showcase for Auckland / Tāmaki Makaurau. Beyond the tournament itself, we have been able to reinvest into many of our clubs and community facilities, which will be a legacy for a generation to follow.” The new pitch for Netball Manurewa was brokered by Matt Winiata, the Deputy Chairperson of the Manurewa Local Board. Briar Martindale, General Manager of Manurewa Netball was equally thrilled. “The Unity Pitch is a welcome and exiting addition to the Manurewa Netball Community & Events Centre. It will provide more opportunities for local rangatahi to be active, get involved in sport and participate in community football activities” she said.
I congratulate FIFA on the tournament and also on its promise to struggling and marginalised communities around the globe. The pitch will be a colourful and vibrant asset to Manurewa and will inspire thousands more to try out football and futsal.
Another Auckland community also has a legacy to enjoy from the FIFA World Cup, with the original Unity Pitch, being gifted to Beach Haven Primary School. Speaking last month, Primary School Deputy Principal Anoushka Dallow said: “The kids couldn’t believe their eyes when they showed up on Monday, It was so exciting for us and for the students. That court was hardly used by our students and today it was packed with kids playing all kinds of sports on it.”
Did you Know?
FIFA established a collaborative working group to help to amplify and measure the legacy of the ninth edition of the tournament co-hosted by Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. The group – comprised of stakeholders from New Zealand Football, Football Australia, OFC, AFC, and FIFA - united to ensure that years of hard work and outcomes by the respective Member Associations and Confederations are accurately captured and brought under one umbrella by FIFA through a Legacy Impact Report. The first iteration of the report will be published in the coming months.