Women in Sport Aotearoa

🩷Where to watch women's sport this week!💜

⚽️Auckland United are the two-time defending OFC Women's Champions League champions and won their opening match 11–1 on Saturday. They play Tuesday in their second match.

🏉Super Rugby Aupiki is on this weekend and the Warriors get their season underway with a home game at FMG Stadium in Hamilton against the Bulldogs.

🏐Looking ahead our Silver Ferns, athletics squad, Black Ferns 7s, and more are deep in prep for the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, which kick off 23 July. Big weeks ahead for NZ wāhine in sport!

There's lots on this weekend!

On Saturday we have:
🩷Match 3 of the T20 World Cup for the White Ferns at 5.30am, live on Sky Sport NZ
💜Round 2 of Super Rugby Aupiki with Chiefs Manawa v The Blues at 2pm on Sky Sport and live at FMG Stadium, Hamilton.
🩷FIH semi final for the Vantage Black Sticks vs USA, 6.30pm at the Harbour Hockey Centre in Albany, Auckland or on TVNZ+.

And on Sunday there's more!
💜 The second match of Round 2 for Super Rugby Aupiki with Hurricanes Poua v Matatū at Maidstone Park, Upper Hutt and live on Sky Sport.
🩷 ANZ Premiership Elimination Final between Southern Steel and Mainland Tactix at ILT Stadium in Southland and live on TV2 & TVNZ+.

💙Where to watch women's sport!💚

There is SO much sport on over the next week - tennis, football, athletics, rugby, netball, and cricket!

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Details on our website https://www.wispainsighthub.org/events

💗WHERE TO WATCH WOMEN'S SPORT THIS WEEK!💜

The spotlight is on netball and football this week, with Round 9 of the ANZ Premiership and the Football Ferns playing two friendlies.

Make sure you check out what's coming up - next week we have Super Rugby Aupiki, the T20 Cricket World Cup, FIH Nations Cup for hockey, plus the crunchy end of the ANZ Premiership!

Plus, while you're here, we're looking for WISPA Sport Spotters! We think visibility of women's sport matters, but we need a hand keeping across everything!

So we’re putting together a small, informal WhatsApp group of people who follow women’s sport closely and want to help make sure great things happening around the country don’t fly under the radar.

There’s no formal commitment - just a space to share things you come across that may be worth elevating through WISPA channels.

If you're interested, DM us or email [email protected] and we'll add you to the group!

During her seven-season reign as captain of the White Ferns, Suzie Bates was called Queenie by her teammates. From the moment Beatrice Faumuinā became the world’s best discus thrower in 1997, she’s been known as Queen Bea.

Today the 2 Queens are among 11 Kiwi women in sport honoured in the Kings Birthday Honours.

Congratulations to all 11 women in sport acknowledged in the Kings Birthday Honours!

Read about them in Suzanne McFadden's story👇

Two Queens of NZ sport hailed by the King Outgoing White Ferns hero Suzie Bates and discus legend Beatrice Faumuinā are among 11 women recognised by the King for bettering NZ sport

"Sport diplomacy is often talked about through the lens of relationships between countries. Delegations, partnerships, handshakes and photos – which, don’t get me wrong, have their place.

"But as I arrive in India as part of a sport diplomacy delegation supported by the Asia New Zealand Foundation, I’ve been thinking about sport diplomacy differently – particularly with women in sport. And aligning my own values with a version of sports diplomacy that resonate with me."

WISPA Board member Erin Roxburgh shared her thoughts on sport diplomacy in this piece published by LockerRoom.

Understanding why a 'national game' comes a distant second A trip to India shows the importance of money, profile and political influence in advancing a sport - popularity doesn't happen by accident

🩷💜WHERE TO WATCH WOMEN'S SPORT 💜🩷

So much sport coming up this week!

Athletics New Zealand are competing at the Oceania Athletics Championships in Darwin, the World Surf Pro League continues in Raglan, Lydia Ko sits in 4th at the Kroger Queen City Championship, the White Ferns' England tour continues with the T20 Internationals, there is ANZ Premiership action in Dunedin and Auckland and live on TV2 and TVNZ+, and the Ford Football Ferns U-20s are in Australia in two warm up matches ahead of the FIFA U-20 World Cup in September this year.

Phheewwww!😍

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💚💜Where to Watch Women's Sport💜💚

This week we have the White Ferns in England playing their 2nd and 3rd ODIs, the World Surf League's 4th stop is in our very own Raglan and features 15 year old local surfer Alani Morse as the wildcard! And the first NZ team to make an A-League Grand Final, the Wellington Phoenix FC play Melbourne City.

Plus all the ANZ Premiership action this weekend!

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The first Aotearoa team to make an A League Grand Final!
⚽️Congratulations to the Wellington Phoenix FC Wahinix!⚽️
🌟Grand final on Saturday 16 May at 6.15pm on Sky Sport NZ🌟

Phoenix keep on rising to an historic final Before a record women's A-League crowd, the Wellington side did what no other NZ team has done and made the competition final

Congratulations Andrea!

From Māngere markets to the helm of NZ rugby league Only the second woman to run New Zealand Rugby League, Andrea Nelson is returning to the sport determined to make the most of "an incredible moment of opportunity", she tells Suzanne McFadden