Oceanian kings Auckland City brace for Club World Cup baptism of fire

The new Club World Cup opens the door to Oceania's most dominant club of the 21st century, Auckland City. Founded in 2004, in its young age it has risen to 13 OFC Champions League titles, seven of them in a row between 2011 and 2017 and the last four in a row from 2022 to this year 2025, when the New Zealanders were crowned champions after beating Papua New Guinea's Hekari United. They are clearly unrivalled in their football, but the leap in level is massive.

Their continental titles saw Auckland become a regular in the previous Mundialito, where the furthest they got was third place in 2014 after losing to San Lorenzo in the semi-finals and beating Cruz Azul on penalties. They now find themselves in the group stage with Bayern Munich, Benfica and Boca Juniors, three very demanding opponents. A point would already be a major success.

Many of Auckland City's successes have a Spanish flavour, as the Spaniard Albert Riera Vidal played and coached there. As a player, in two stints between 2011 and 2021, he won three Oceania Championships. As a coach, he won three more, as well as two leagues, but his time on the bench came to an end last January. Since then, the New Zealanders have been coached by Paul Posa, although he will not be present in the United States for personal reasons.

Squad list

Players to watch

The level of Auckland City's squad has logical reservations in a top-level context such as the Club World Cup, but it has its benchmarks to try to compete. Among them, striker Myer Bevan, a 27-year-old New Zealander who stands out for his strength and eye for goal. A senior international, he scored a brace on 12 April to give his team victory in the OFC Champions League final and scored in the Intercontinental against Al-Ain. He will be the main attacking asset alongside Colombian winger Lagos Giraldo.

Behind him, Rwandan-born playmaker Dylan Manickum is a threat with his second-line finishing. He has 40 goals in his seven seasons with Auckland City, where pivot Mario Ilich is also more than established. This is his ninth season in various stints and he will struggle as the more defensive midfielder against clubs of Bayern or Benfica's potential. In midfield he is usually accompanied by the young Jackson Manuel, formerly of Wellington Phoenix, or the more attack-minded Spaniard Gerard Garriga. In the final of the Oceania Champions League he was a starter.

Coach

Paul Posa took over at the end of January after Spaniard Albert Riera Vidal (not to be confused with the former Espanyol or Liverpool player) officially stepped aside to continue his coaching education and be with his family. The 62-year-old was returning to Auckland City 15 years after his first stint, which lasted from 2008 to 2010. During that time he won the Oceania Champions League and La Liga, as well as a fifth-place finish in the old Club World Cup. On 12 April he won his second continental trophy.

The peculiarity with Posa is that he will not be at the Club World Cup. Last week, Auckland City issued a statement informing that their coach would not be travelling to the United States for personal reasons. Instead, his assistants Ivan Vicelic, Kim Dae-wook, Jonas Hoffmann and Spaniard Adria Casals will be in charge of the team.

Group stage fixtures

Matchday 1

Auckland City will face Bayern Munich, one of the tournament favourites and two-time winners in the old Club World Cup format, on Sunday 15 June at the TQL Stadium in Cincinnati. They have never faced a European club in an official match in their history.

Matchday 2

Next up, Auckland City visit another European football classic, Benfica, at the Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando) on Friday 20 June. Although they do not come with high expectations, they will be in contention to join Bayern in the play-offs.

Matchday 3

The New Zealanders will close the group stage on Tuesday 24 June at Geodis Park (Nashville) against Boca Juniors. The only time the New Zealanders have played an Argentinian opponent was in the 2014 World Cup semi-final, when they lost 2-1 to San Lorenzo.

Possible starting XI​