Sky Stadium will play host to two of the Wellington Phoenix reserves’ matches in the inaugural men’s National League Championship.
The team’s round-robin matches against Auckland United and Melville United will be played as curtain-raisers to A-League men’s fixtures and will be broadcast live on Sky Sport.
Phoenix reserves head coach Chris Greenacre has welcomed the news.
“It’s immense,” Greenacre said. “Having the first team back here in itself is great for Wellington, great for the supporters and great for the whole country, and the icing on the cake for the younger players is to be able to play before the first team.
“To step out on to Sky Stadium is amazing. It’s a wonderful stadium and people have been hungry for football so I’m sure there will be a good turn out for them as well.
“I think it’s a great time to be around football in Wellington and being at Sky Stadium for our young players will be immense. It will give them a feeling of what it’s actually like to be out there and be on the big stage.”
The reserves will travel to Hawke’s Bay in the opening round this weekend to face Central League rivals Napier City Rovers.
Northern League qualifiers Auckland United and Melville United will travel to Wellington the following two rounds to play the Phoenix reserves at Sky Stadium on Sunday, October 9 and Sunday, October 16 respectively.
Two of the reserves’ other home matches against Miramar Rangers and Birkenhead United will be played at their training base, Fraser Park in Lower Hutt.
The venue for their seventh round match against Central League champions Wellington Olympic on Sunday, November 13 has yet to be confirmed.
Every game in the National League Championship will be broadcast live with the vast majority free to air on Sky Sport Next and the New Zealand Football YouTube channel.
Wellington Phoenix reserves 2022 National League Championship draw (home games in bold):
Saturday, October 1 vs Napier City Rovers at Bluewater Stadium, Napier – 2pm
Sunday, October 9 vs Auckland United at Sky Stadium, Wellington – 12pm
Sunday, October 16 vs Melville United at Sky Stadium, Wellington – 12pm
Saturday, October 22 vs Christchurch United at Christchurch Football Centre, Christchurch – 3pm
Saturday, October 29 vs Miramar Rangers at Fraser Park, Lower Hutt – 2pm
Saturday, November 5 vs Auckland City FC at Kiwitea St, Auckland – 1pm
Sunday, November 13 vs Wellington Olympic at TBC venue, Wellington – 12pm
Sunday, November 20 vs Cashmere Technical at English Park – 1pm
Sunday, November 27 vs Birkenhead United at Fraser Park, Lower Hutt – 1pm
