Grassroots to Glory: Auckland's Whirlwind Preparation for the FIFA WWC 2023

I helped upgrade nine grassroots football clubs.

To become training sites for the world's third largest sporting event.

In 18 months.

I’m spilling the beans on my time working on the Auckland Training Venues programme for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.

Strap in. 

The Auckland Training Venues Story

In 2023, for a stretch over five weeks between July and August, the world of football took centre stage in Australia and New Zealand. By the tournament's close, pundits hailed the event for its unprecedented attendance, exceptional gameplay, and its significant boost to women's sports.

Yet, while the FIFA WWC basked in its well-deserved limelight, a closer look reveals a deeper narrative: a tale of triumphs, challenges, and the myriad decisions that marked the journey.

My personal chapter in this story began unexpectedly in late 2022.

A surprise call came from Neil Coventry, Training Venues Programme Manager for Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (Auckland’s Lead Host City Organisation), and my old boss at Auckland Council.

"Interested in giving me a hand with the FIFA WWC?"

Neil was in a race against the clock to bring nine community parks up to FIFA’s rigorous standards.

How could I say no.

Upgrading nine community sport parks

The FIFA WWC 2023 left an indelible mark on Auckland, notably in the form of enhanced training venues. This initiative stands as one of the most significant leverage and legacy achievements stemming from the event.

By The Numbers:

• $18 million from 20+ different funders

• Execution of 50 legal accords.

• Renovation of 9 sports fields.

• Introduction of 8 floodlit pitches.

• Construction and upgrade of 7 changing facilities, housing 100 fresh showers.

• 3 clubroom overhauls and new builds.

• Hosting of 120 international team training sessions, augmented by countless hours put in by club volunteers.

All these accomplishments took place on council parks, realised in collaboration with community football clubs. And in the backdrop of the pandemic, the entire project had a tight 18-month window.

However, the journey wasn't without its hurdles:

• A massive flood nearly obliterated the Play-Off Tournament in Auckland in January 2023.

• Whack a-mole anyone? Auckland's harsh winter weather played havoc (again), blowing over 6km of temporary fences across the region again and again.

• The jubilation of the Opening Day was tainted by an active shooter incident in downtown Auckland.

• One particular Football Club found itself under media scrutiny for weeks due to its perceived mishandling of internal gender equity issues.

🚀 The Takeaways – Navigating Through Challenges and Peering into the Future 🚀

Hey, let's be real – meshing grassroots organisations, volunteers, and local infrastructure with the colossal FIFA engine and the world’s elite athletes? That’s a concoction that could easily spell chaos and a cascade of tissues for dried tears.

But, when faced with the electrifying opportunity to harness community resources and bodies to orchestrate major sports events, there's a treasure trove of wisdom to unearth.

Here’s a few nuggets that I picked up…

📍 For Clubs and Community Hubs:

🛠️ Own Your Construction Programme (As Much as Possible!)

An intriguing experiment emerged from our experience with eight club and changing room projects. With six orchestrated by a centrally appointed construction firm and two steered by a company chosen by the clubs, guess who saw, on the whole, the sunnier outcomes? Yep, the latter.

Why? Well, the nuances are many, but here's a peek at a couple of key takeaways:

• Heartfelt Connections Matter: Those managing and operating the local companies often had pre-existing ties with the clubs. This familiarity bred a deeper sense of responsibility and care.

• Local Insight Is Gold: When racing against the ticking clock, having local companies with their fingers on the pulse of local networks and resources proved invaluable for last-minute scrambles.

💸 Keep a Hawk’s Eye on Your Cash Flow

The allure of a funder’s cheque might paint a rosy picture of a cost-neutral adventure in hosting a Major Event, but beware – financial ebbs and flows lie in wait. The disruption to Business as Usual activities could throw a wrench in your revenue streams.

Ask the tough questions: Does a postponed programme mean waving goodbye to bar revenue for half a year? How might your tax filing rhythm be impacted when you can’t snag those GST, VAT, or other tax benefits within the fiscal year?

🤫 Utilise Those Back Channels (But Shh, You Didn’t Hear It from Me)

Here’s a not-so-secret secret: While FIFA had ironclad protocols around team communications (i.e., all comm should be FIFA-mediated), the clubs that slyly initiated dialogue with teams through their own secret channels reaped the most rewards, both on the pitch and beyond.

📍 For Sport Admins and Event Maestros

🌱 Grass Isn’t Just Green – It’s Golden!

Remember, grass is a living, breathing entity, and ensuring that the pivotal infrastructure of a football tournament – the pitch – is top-notch, requires a delicate blend of skill, care, and unwavering dedication. Elevating community park turf to stadium standard? Ensure your on-ground team has the expertise to make it happen. If not, don’t hesitate to enlist the pros – and the sooner, the better.

🕰️ Secure Vital Infrastructure ASAP

Score one for foresight! A savvy member of our squad thought to import all the sports lighting infrastructure way ahead of time, dodging what could have been a logistical nightmare. When the clock is ticking down to kickoff, the last thing you need is procurement woes. So, secure those essential infrastructural elements at the get-go!

📢 Communicate, Communicate, and When in Doubt... Communicate Some More

Nurturing a symphony of seamlessly interacting organisations to orchestrate an event of the FIFA Women’s World Cup’s magnitude is no small feat. Oftentimes, clubs and community hubs find themselves last in the communication chain. While sometimes there’s a rationale behind this, ensuring a steady, reliable communication flow, peppered with face-to-face interactions, becomes a priceless asset when the going gets tough.

📼 This Week’s Mixtape 📼

• WHOOP launch a personalised AI-powered performance coach.

• Esports isn’t dead according to STWS. Get their 59-page report on the state of Esports here or an abridged summary here.

• Investment in professional women’s sport is picking up. The Collective outline the bull case here.