New Zealand Football Re-Signs with CoachMate to Strengthen Grassroots Football
Auckland - CoachMate is proud to announce that New Zealand Football (NZF) has re-signed, extending a successful partnership that has already made a profound impact on grassroots football across Aotearoa.
A Partnership That Delivers
Since New Zealand Football joined CoachMate in 2023, the community has grown to over 25,000 members, with engagement continuing to climb year on year.
In 2025, the partnership achieved a new milestone, recording a record-breaking week of new registrations as well as the most sign ups across a calendar year, underlining the demand for easy-to-access coaching support. Monthly active participation has peaked at nearly 9,000 unique users, demonstrating the strength of the New Zealand Football community on CoachMate.
A survey of the New Zealand Football community on CoachMate conducted in January 2025 highlighted the impact of this partnership:
93% of volunteers said they felt more supported by New Zealand Football due to having a resource like CoachMate.
90% of volunteers said CoachMate led to a better sport experience.
81% of coaches said they were a better coach as a result of using CoachMate.
Whole of Football 2.0 - A Shared Vision for the Future
This renewal is closely aligned with New Zealand Football’s Whole of Football 2.0 Plan, which sets out a bold vision for the future of the game. At its heart is the belief that community clubs are the lifeblood of football, and that volunteers and coaches must be equipped with the right tools to deliver positive, consistent, and memorable experiences.
Football is continuing to grow across New Zealand, with more people playing football than any other team sport. Participation has surged in recent years, especially among young people and women, reinforcing the importance of investing in resources that make it easier for volunteers to give their time and energy to the game.
CoachMate - Powering Those Who Power Football
CoachMate is designed to do exactly that. By digitising football education into bite-sized, accessible resources and combining them with easy-to-use team management tools, CoachMate lightens the load for volunteers, helps attract new people into clubs, and ensures quality experiences for every participant.
Just as importantly, CoachMate fosters stronger community connection, helping clubs bring people together on and off the field while making volunteering more enjoyable and sustainable.
Andy Boyens, Technical Director at New Zealand Football, said:
“As we head into a new future with Whole of Football 2.0, we know that community clubs and volunteers are the lifeblood of our game. Our partnership with CoachMate has already shown how digital tools can support and empower these people, making it easier for them to deliver great experiences.
Extending this partnership ensures we can continue to grow the game, strengthen connections in our communities, and support the thousands of volunteers who make football possible.”
Leigh Kenyon, Co-Founder and Chief Programme Officer at CoachMate, said:
“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with New Zealand Football. Together, we’ve seen the community grow to record levels and the feedback has been incredible - volunteers and coaches feel more supported and more capable.
As football continues to grow, tools like CoachMate are essential to making volunteering easier, attracting more people to the game, and helping clubs strengthen their role at the heart of communities.”
Looking ahead
The renewed agreement will see NZF and CoachMate continue to expand access to football education and resources nationwide, supporting Whole of Football 2.0 and strengthening the community club network that underpins the game. Together, the organisations are committed to ensuring football continues to thrive as New Zealand’s most popular team sport.