New Zealand Football wins 2026 Diversity Awards NZ™

New Zealand Football is driving a bold shift to address the historic underrepresentation of Māori across all levels of the game — from players and coaches to referees and leadership — reshaping football to better reflect and serve communities across Aotearoa New Zealand.

This mahi saw the sport’s national body take out the Supreme Award at the 2026 Diversity Awards NZ™.

Te Uru Tāngata Centre for Workplace Inclusion Chief Executive Maretha Smit says New Zealand Football has tackled historic and systemic inequity by embedding tikanga Māori and building authentic partnerships as a foundation for change.

“They have worked closely with Māori Football Aotearoa (MFA) and iwi partners such as Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei to co-design a range of initiatives to strengthen participation, leadership pathways, and cultural capability.”

These include the development of Te Whāriki o te Tiriti, a cultural framework guiding governance and operations, integration of tikanga into football events, and investment in Māori leadership development through coaching pathways and national programmes.

The changes have driven a nine per cent increase in Māori player participation and delivered 90 per cent engagement in cultural learning across the organisation’s staff.

“What stood out for our judges was the depth of partnership and co-creation, ensuring that Māori are not only included but are actively shaping the direction of the organisation,” Maretha says.

“The combination of governance reform, capability building, and participation outcomes reflects a highly credible example of Tiriti-led transformation. This positions New Zealand Football as a leading example of how national bodies can meaningfully respond to Te Tiriti obligations while strengthening identity and performance.”

New Zealand Football also won the He Ara Māori Tohu at the awards.

The Diversity Awards NZ™ programme showcases the full breadth of workplace inclusion in Aotearoa New Zealand, recognising excellence at every level — individual, team, and organisation.