2026 Winter Season - Girls Football
2025 marked a major step forward for the club with the launch of our first-ever Junior Girls–only U9/10 team. The girls had an incredibly successful and confidence-building season, and the club is excited to build on this momentum in 2026.
Our focus moving forward is on girls-only development teams, supported by committed qualified and volunteer coaches, clear pathways that encourage skill development, confidence and enjoyment of the game. We are hopeful to field more teams across multiple age grades in the 2026 season.To discuss girls-only football in more detail, our Girls Football Coordinator, Clara Whittington, is happy to talk through the options: girls@warkworthfc.org
Introductory Programme Fantails (Ages 5–7)
Wednesdays 3.45pm - 4.45pm Starting 18th February
A fun, welcoming introduction to football for girls.The Fantails programme is designed for girls aged 5–7 and offers a relaxed, play-based introduction to football. This programme focuses on fun, movement, confidence and learning the basics of the game in a supportive environment. It is a wonderful first opportunity for girls to try football and fall in love with the sport.
Available Age Grades – 2026
We will be looking to form girls teams in the following age groups:
- Grade U8/U9 – School Years 3 & 4 | Born 2017–2018
- Grade U10/U11 – School Years 5 & 6 | Born 2015–2016
- Grade U12/U13 – School Years 7 & 8 & 9 | Born 2012–2014
- Grade U14 and upwards working towards an elite women's team
What Football Looks Like at Each Age
U8–U9 Football
For Grade 8–9 players, we offer two participation formats:
Inter-Club Football
For the 2026 season, we are working with Rodney District Sports (RDS) and Greenhithe Football Club to offer weekly matches between the three clubs.
- 5-a-side (including goalkeepers)
- 4m x 2m goals
- Played Saturdays 8:30am – 10:00am
- Venues rotate between Shoesmith Domain, Metro Park and Wainoni Park
- Match format:
- 3 × 15 minutes or 2 × 20 minutes (depending on team numbers)
- Pitch size: 1/8 of a full pitch, in line with NZ Football’s Whole of Football Refresh
In-House Football - Mixed boys and girls teams
For players not wishing to play inter-club football, an in-house only option will be offered (subject to sufficient registrations).
- Same format as inter-club
- Matches played between Warkworth teams only
- Saturdays 8:30am – 10:00am
Grades 10/11 and Upwards
From Grade 10/11 onwards, girls enter Junior and Youth Football and participate in NRF competition-level matches, which involve travel across the Auckland region for Saturday games.
Skills Centre (Optional)
Players will have the option to attend the Girls Skills Centre, run by qualified coaches, which is:
- Held on Wednesdays
- Optional for all players
- Designed to provide extra skill development in a structured environment
The Skills Centre is intended to support players who would like additional training alongside their regular team sessions and games. It also allows coaches to observe players and support ongoing development.
The Skills Centre will officially begin in April 2026, following pre-season and team selections.
Development Teams
Girls teams will be formed as development teams within each age bracket.
- Teams coached by qualified and volunteer coaches, supported by managers
- Focus on:
- Skill development
- Confidence and enjoyment
- Teamwork and game understanding
- Preparing players for future youth football opportunities
Team sizes:
- Grade U10–U11: capped at 10 players
- Grade U12–U13: capped at 12 players
Additional teams may be formed if player numbers allow.
Team Selections
The selection process is open to all registered players within each age bracket.Selections will take place across two identification sessions, run by club coaches:
- Session 1: Saturday 28th February 2026 10am - 11.30am
- Session 2: Saturday 7th March 2026 10am - 11.30am
Players will be assessed through games and drills using the following criteria:
- Technical ability
- Tactical understanding
- Physical ability
- Engagement and work rate
- Attitude
Following the identification sessions, squads will be confirmed and parents notified.
Players registering after the close date will be placed on a waitlist until sufficient numbers and coaching support are available.
Team coaching for grades 10 and up will take place either on a Wednesday following the skills centre or on a Thursday. This will be decided in consultation with each team's coach, as to their availability and what works best for the team.
Season Dates – 2026
- Season start: Saturday 2nd May 2026
- Season end: Saturday 5th September 2026
No football on:
- Saturday 30 May 2026 - King’s Birthday Weekend
- Saturday 11 July 2026 - Matariki
Fees – 2026
- Fantails: $35 per term
- U8–U9 Registration: $125
- U10–U17 Registration: $175
- Skills Centre Fee: $100
Registration Process
- Players register online and nominate interest in team placement
- Registration fees are paid at sign-up
- Skills Centre fees are invoiced separately if players opt in
- Late registrations will be waitlisted
- Registrations for Age Grade Football close on March 15th 2026
