Whanganui Athletic FC

Whanganui Athletic
Full nameWhanganui Athletic Football Club
Nickname(s)WAFC
Founded1929
GroundWembley Park, Whanganui
LeagueCentral Federation League
2024Central Federation League, 8th of 9
Websitehttps://www.sporty.co.nz/wafc/fixtures/mens

Whanganui Athletic FC are an association football team based in the New Zealand North Island city of Whanganui. They are traditionally the strongest team from the city, and played in the top flight of New Zealand football in both league and cup competitions. The team was founded in 1929 as Wanganui East Athletic, but briefly changed their name to Wanganui FC between 1974 and 1976 before reverting to their original name before dropping the East to just become Wanganui Athletic, changing to Whanganui Athletic when their home city was officially re-named.

National competition

Athletic played in the 1993, 1994, and 1995 regional superclub championships, reaching the national league stage in 1993, where they finished seventh.

Athletic reached the last 16 stage of New Zealand's premier knockout cup competition, the Chatham Cup in 1970, and went one stage further to become quarter-finalists in 1996.

After the clubs 19-2 undefeated at home[1] season they were able to secure promotion into the Central League (New Zealand)[2] for the 2023 season[3], were they won their first Central League (New Zealand) game in 27 years[4].

Wanganui United

In 2009 the team entered a partnership with local rivals Wanganui City to form a top-level team, Wanganui United, with both clubs feeding the squad. The idea behind this was to push the level of football in Wanganui. The idea was short-lived; after the 2010 season Wanganui United disbanded, with the players released back to their respective clubs.

Honors

  • 1981 Central League Division Two
  • 1987 Central League Division Three North
  • 1992 Central League Premier Division
  • 1994 Central Super-club Plate
  • 1996 Central Super-club Championship
  • 2010 Western Premiership Championship
  • 2014 Federation League Championship[5]
  • 2022 Central Federation League[3][6]
  • 2025 YORB Western Premiership[7][8]

New Zealand representation from Whanganui Athletic

References

  1. ^ "A Red Hot season for Whanganui Athletic". Issuu. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  2. ^ "The Home of Football & Futsal | New Zealand Football". www.nzfootball.co.nz. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  3. ^ a b Tweed, Mike. "Promoted! Whanganui Athletic up with the big boys next year". NZ Herald. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  4. ^ "Whanganui Athletic nabs first Central League win in 27 years". NZ Herald. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  5. ^ King, Jason (14 November 2014). "Buzzing with possibilities". Whanganui Chronicle. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
  6. ^ Tweed, Mike (15 September 2022). "Whanganui Athletic finally have playoff opponent". NZ Herald. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  7. ^ Brown, Fin Ocheduszko. "Football: Whanganui sides 'itching' to get season started". NZ Herald. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  8. ^ Brown, Fin Ocheduszko. "'I'd have bit your hand off': Athletic coach thrilled with title win". NZ Herald. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  9. ^ Smith, Jared (2 September 2019). "Football: Whanganui's James Musa's Phoenix Rising dominating USL Championship". NZ Herald. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  10. ^ Smith, Jared. "Football: Musa in the Major League". NZ Herald. Retrieved 13 August 2025.


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