While most sides at the newly expanded FIFA Club World Cup can lay claim to being among the best in their respective nations, Auckland City doesn’t even hold top billing in its own city.
That distinction belongs to Auckland FC, who drew crowds of nearly 30,000 and finished top of the table in their inaugural A-League campaign this year. But with Australia now part of the Asian Football Confederation since 2006, the responsibility of representing Oceania in the U.S. this month falls to Auckland City—a team of amateurs with full-time jobs.
“We’re representing 99% of club teams in world football—those who are amateurs,” said centre back and real estate agent Adam Mitchell in an interview with Fox Sports. “We all have day jobs. We work nine to five. It’s extremely difficult and tiring, but the opportunity to compete at this level is a privilege for everyone at the club.”
The New Zealanders booked their place by defeating Papua New Guinea’s Hekari United 2-0 in April to win the Oceania Champions League for a record 13th time in 18 years. Despite their regional dominance, Auckland City is ranked 4,957th globally in the Opta Power Rankings.
Now, they face a daunting task in Group Stage matches against European giants Bayern Munich (ranked 6th), Portuguese powerhouse Benfica (24th), and Argentine legends Boca Juniors (131st) at what will be their 12th appearance in the Club World Cup.
The club’s most memorable run came in 2014, when they finished fourth after victories over Morocco’s MA Tetouan and Algeria’s ES Sétif. More often, though, they’ve exited early—long before the tournament’s marquee names take the field.
This year’s edition, however, is on a different scale entirely: 32 clubs, including global heavyweights, and a staggering $1 billion prize pool.
Mitchell, 29, who once had stints with Red Star Belgrade and Bolton Wanderers, is now preparing to face England star Harry Kane in Cincinnati on Sunday.
“He’s been one of the most prolific strikers in world football for the past five or six years,” Mitchell said. “I can’t say I won’t let him score—but I’ll do everything I can to stop him.”
Auckland City offered a glimpse of their potential with a narrow 1-0 defeat to UAE side Al-Ain in a warm-up game in Virginia this week. It was a much-improved performance compared to last year’s 6-2 defeat against the same side in the Intercontinental Cup.
“Back home, we’re used to having most of the possession, being on the front foot,” said captain Mario Ilich. “Against these bigger teams, we have to adapt. But we’re learning quickly, and today was a step in the right direction.”
Off the pitch, mediation continues between the club and New Zealand Football over how any prize money will be divided. For now, Mitchell and his teammates—many of whom took unpaid leave to make the trip—are focused on the challenge ahead.
“We’ve been through tough competitions before, and somehow this team always finds a way,” Mitchell said. “We come from behind, we grind out wins, and now we want to show the world who we really are.”
