Auckland City at FIFA Club World Cup: A group of amateur footballers on unpaid leaves

Auckland City at FIFA Club World Cup: A group of amateur footballers on unpaid leaves

Auckland City FC, an amateur team from New Zealand, is making headlines at the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 in the USA. Despite a heavy 10-0 loss to Bayern Munich, the team’s underdog story has captured global attention as some of their players have taken unpaid leaves from their jobs to play the tournament.

Auckland’s city players pose ahead of the Club World Cup 2025 Group C match against Bayern Munich. Image: AFP