Mainland Football

What Mainland Football does

Mainland Football is a non-profit regional football federation — the No 6 District Federation of New Zealand Football — incorporated as Mainland Football Incorporated and headquartered at English Park, 127 Cranford Street, Christchurch, New Zealand. It holds delegated governing authority from FIFA via NZ Football over the Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough, and West Coast regions, serving approximately 20,000 individual members through 51 affiliated clubs and schools under a regional structure with separate boards or district management groups for Marlborough and West Coast.

The organisation operates a multi-programme portfolio spanning grassroots entry (McDonald's First Kicks, Junior Football, Mini Football, MILO Fantails), talent development (Talent Development Programme, Pride Youth Pathway, Girls' National League), senior competitions (Dettol Southern League, New World Premierships, Chatham Cup, Reta Fitzpatrick Cup), inclusive formats (Walking Football, Adaptive Football including Blind and Powerchair, Street Football, Beach Soccer), coach and referee education (NZF Learn, CoachMate App, Green Shirts campaign), and charitable programmes (Centre Circle, Scorching Goal Football Fund, Football For All). Core technology infrastructure centres on the Sporty.co.nz platform (replacing COMET from 2026) for online registrations, club member management, team entries, competition management, and live scoring, supplemented by NZF Learn for online coach/referee education and CoachMate as a coaching support app.

Revenue is generated through a combination of recurring registration and membership fees processed via Sporty, pay-as-you-go programme pricing (e.g., $25-$45 per MILO Fantails player, $5 per Walking Football session, $80-$120 per youth camp), and grants from NZ Football, corporate partners (McDonald's, New Balance, Ford, Wellington Phoenix FC, Xero), and government/sport organisations. The 35% increase in female football and futsal players since 2022 following the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 has reinforced the strategic emphasis on girls and women's pathways, while the staged rollout of Whole of Football 2.0 (Canterbury/Nelson 2026, Marlborough 2027) reshapes competition formats across the territory.

Name

Mainland Football

Legal name

Mainland Football Incorporated

Website

https://mainlandfootball.co.nz

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Mainland Football is a non-profit regional football federation governing football across Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough, and West Coast, serving approximately 20,000 individual members through 51 affiliated clubs and schools under delegated authority from New Zealand Football and FIFA.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Regional Football Federation Services

NAICS

Sports Teams and Clubs (711211), Other Spectator Sports (711219), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional/Continental Confederations & Associations (MPAKAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

National Governing Bodies (NGBs) (MPAKAFAC), Association Football (Soccer) Leagues (MPAKAAAA)

Keywords

• Regional football federation
• Youth football development
• Football competition management
• Coach education programs
• Referee development pathway

Headquarters

HQ city

Christchurch

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership and Registration Fees: Revenue generated through football club registrations, competition entries, and event fees processed via MyCOMET/Sporty platform. Individual members belong to Mainland Football through their associated football club.
2. Holiday Programmes and Camps: Fee-based holiday football and futsal programmes for children and youth, including MILO Fantails sessions, holiday camps, and youth development camps.
3. Partnership and Grant Funding: Funding from NZ Football, corporate partners (McDonald's, New Balance, Ford, Wellington Phoenix FC), and government/sport organisations to support programmes like Football For All and development initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Mainland Football is a regional football federation that organizes, governs, and develops football across the Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough, and West Coast regions of New Zealand. It delivers grassroots youth programmes (McDonald's First Kicks, Junior Football, Mini Football, MILO Fantails), talent development pathways, senior and youth competitive leagues and cups (Men's Dettol Southern League, Women's South Island League, Premierships, Championships, Chatham Cup, Kate Sheppard Cup, Ford Futsal Superleague), coach and referee education through NZF Learn, lifestyle football (Walking Football, Beach Soccer, Street Football, Adaptive Football), inclusive programmes (Football For All for refugees/migrants, Kickin' It, Women in Leadership), and charitable funding support through Centre Circle and Scorching Goal Football Fund.

Product overview

Mainland Football is a regional football federation governing football in Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough, and West Coast regions of New Zealand. The organization operates a multi-product portfolio comprising youth development programs (McDonald's First Kicks, Junior Football, Mini Football), competitive leagues and competitions (Southern League, Premierships, Championships), and lifestyle programs (Walking Football, Beach Soccer, Street Football, Adaptive Football). Key programs include the MILO Fantails programme for girls aged 4-12, Talent Development Programme for ages 13-17, and the Pride Youth Pathway for female footballers. The federation provides coach education through NZF Learn and the CoachMate app, referee development from entry to FIFA level, and charitable initiatives through Centre Circle and Scorching Goal. Futsal is offered as both competitive (Ford Superleague, National Youth Championships) and lifestyle programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MILO Fantails: Girls-only football hubs for girls 4-12 year olds, designed to develop positive values and skills through football in a supportive, girls-only environment.
• Centre Circle
• Scorching Goal Football Fund
• Football For All

Products and services

• McDonald's First Kicks Entry-level football programme for young children introducing them to football in a fun, age-appropriate environment as part of the Junior Framework.
• McDonald's Junior Football Structured football programme for junior players following the Junior Framework with age-appropriate games and coaching.
• McDonald's Mini Football Small-sided football format designed for young players with modified rules and smaller pitches.
• MILO Fantails Programme Girls-only football and futsal programme for ages 4-12 designed to develop positive values, confidence, and football skills in a supportive girls-only environment.
• Talent Development Programme Player development programme for ages 13-17 run by licensed clubs with clear training guidelines and aspiration pathways for talented youth footballers.
• Pride Youth Pathway Development pathway for young female footballers including Pride Youth Camps, Canterbury United Pride Youth squad selection, and progression to the fully funded Girls' National League.
• Futsal Programmes 5-a-side indoor football variant programmes including competitions, holiday programmes, and the Ford Superleague.
• Ford Superleague Elite futsal competition featuring Canterbury United Futsal Dragons and Pride teams competing at national level.
• Coach Education (NZF Learn) NZF Learn-based coaching courses from community level to advanced, including football and futsal certifications combining online modules with in-person practical components.
• CoachMate App Mobile application developed with McDonald's support providing practice games, plans, team management, and coaching guidance for football coaches.
• Referee Development Referee education and development pathway from Level 1 to FIFA level, including the Green Shirt campaign encouraging new referees.
• Walking Football Non-contact version of football for adults aged 50+ played at walking pace in inclusive mixed-gender teams.
• Beach Soccer Football variant played on sand with modified rules including lower ball pressure and no shoes required.
• Street Football Free, informal football played on outdoor hardcourts with minimal equipment and no coaching required.
• Adaptive Football Inclusive football programmes for people with physical or mental impairments including Blind Football, Powerchair Football, and Sunshine Football, delivered with Halberg Foundation, Parafed Canterbury, and Special Olympics Canterbury.
• Football For All Programme removing barriers to football participation for children and youth aged 6-17 from refugee and immigrant backgrounds, including registration costs, equipment, and transport assistance.
• Kickin' It Non-competitive football and futsal programme for young females aged 13-19 in a fun and social environment, delivered through hubs at schools including Murchison Area School, Avonside Girls High School, and Darfield High School.
• Women in Leadership Programme Leadership development programme for women in football community roles, delivered in partnership with NZ Football to grow female participation in coaching, managing, and administration.
• Centre Circle Football charity founded in 1999 focused on raising funds through social events and grants to assist those in the Canterbury football community, particularly juniors, via the 'A Helping Hand' programme.
• Scorching Goal Football Fund Sustainable long-term football fund established in 2012 to support players through reducing financial barriers, providing up to 50% coverage of club fees ($100), uniforms ($80), and tournament fees ($250).
• Senior Football Competitions Senior competitive leagues and cup competitions across all levels, including Men's Dettol Southern League, Women's South Island League, New World Premierships, New World Championships, Veo Go Women's Division One, English Cup, Reta Fitzpatrick Cup, Saturday/Sunday leagues, Masters, Delivereasy Chatham Cup, and Delivereasy Kate Sheppard Cup.
• Girls Holiday Camp Two-day holiday camp for kōhine aged 13-14 providing football skill development and community building at $80 per player.
• Futsal Holiday Programme Three-day futsal holiday programme for children aged 7-12 with limited numbers to ensure quality delivery.

Quantifiable outcome

• 35% increase in female participation since 2022
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments12 records

Ideal customer profiles10 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sporty.co.nzcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2026National football registration and competition management system. Replaced COMET from 2026. Official provider for NZ Football for online registrations, club member management, team entries, competition management, and live scoring.
• Sport CanterburycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Supporting partner in Football For All programme since 2024. Collaboration helping expand the programme and develop other partnerships.
• Pōwhiri (Purapura Whetu Trust)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Refugee resettlement support service in Christchurch. Partnership allows local refugee support workers and Mainland Football staff to connect, working together to identify family needs and provide tailored support for football participation.
• Halberg FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the Halberg Foundation which aims to enhance the lives of physically disabled New Zealanders through sport and recreation. Supports Adaptive Football programmes for people with physical disabilities.
• Parafed CanterburycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNot-for-profit organisation focusing on people with physical or visual impairments. Offers adaptive equipment, sports wheelchairs, and after-school programmes. Key partner for Adaptive Football delivery.
• Sunshine FootballcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYear-round programme for children and young adults with developmental delays including Down Syndrome and Autism. Provides footballing opportunities for players with learning impairments.
• Special Olympics CanterburycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSports club for people with intellectual disabilities providing sport, fun, friendships, and team spirit. Partnership supports inclusive football opportunities.
• Wellington Phoenix FCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal Football For All programme established through Wellington Phoenix FC and Capital Football. Wellington Phoenix provides gear for Football For All participants in Mainland Football region.
• New BalanceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProvides boots for Football For All participants, helping remove equipment cost barriers for refugee and migrant families.
• McDonald'scoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity football's biggest supporter contributing close to $500,000 worth of new goals to clubs across the country for Whole of Football 2.0 implementation. Supports Junior Framework, Skills Centres, and coach development.
• NZ Football (NZF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoverning body providing strategic direction, national programmes (NZF Learn, Talent Development Programme), integrity framework, and funding support for regional federations.
• NZF LearncoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline learning platform home for Coach and Referee Education for football in Aotearoa New Zealand. Provides online modules combined with practical components.
• XerominorGTM or Marketing PartnerXero Together Stronger - Club Support Programme providing governance, financial planning, and operating capability support for clubs.
• FIFAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational governing body for football. FIFA has delegated sporting powers in New Zealand to NZ Football. Supports associations financially and logistically through various programmes.
• WaiBOP FootballminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional federation partnership. Mainland Football drew inspiration from WaiBOP's Wāhine Toa programme for their girls holiday camp design.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Hockey New Zealand: National governing body for hockey in New Zealand, structured as a non-profit federation with regional associations. Operates a similar member-club federation model with comparable revenue streams (membership, grants, partnerships) and inclusive community programmes.
• Netball New Zealand: National governing body for netball in NZ with regional centres including Mainland Netball. Operates similar community participation programmes, junior pathways, and women's-focused development — comparable non-profit sport governance structure.

Regional players

• Football Queensland: Australian state football federation governing football in Queensland. Comparable in regional federation scope, member-club model, and youth/development pathway design — though operating in a different national jurisdiction.
• Football Tasmania: Smaller Australian state football federation. Comparable in regional scale, member-club structure, and community football focus — useful benchmark for smaller-population federation economics and sustainability.

Broad incumbents

• Sport New Zealand: Crown entity providing strategic leadership and funding for sport and recreation in NZ. Provides funding to Mainland Football through community sport programmes — relevant comparator for funding models and government-policy alignment in NZ sport governance.
• Football Federation Australia: National federation governing football across Australia, structurally analogous to NZF. Operates at a larger scale across multiple states/regions, providing useful benchmarking on federation economics, programme design, and federation-to-club distribution models.

Direct peers

• WaiBOP Football: Waikato/Bay of Plenty regional football federation. Mutual partner with Mainland Football (Wāhine Toa programme inspired the girls' holiday camp design) — directly comparable in federation structure and women's football development focus.
• Capital Football: Wellington region football federation and original Football For All partner with Wellington Phoenix FC. Comparable in scope (single region, member-club federation model) with similar programmes and revenue structure to Mainland Football.
• New Zealand Football (NZF): The national football governing body under which Mainland Football operates as a regional federation. NZF sets strategy, provides funding, and runs national programmes (NZF Learn, Talent Development) that Mainland delivers regionally — the most direct structural comparable.
• Auckland Football: Largest New Zealand regional football federation, serving the Auckland region. Operates a similar member-club governance model, competitions, and development pathways — the largest comparable regional federation in NZ.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mainlandfootball
• Facebookfacebook.com/mainlandfootball
• Instagraminstagram.com/mainlandfootball
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mainland-football

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Mainland Football