The Wellington Phoenix have unveiled their eye-catching new away strip for the 2025-26 A-Leagues.
The predominantly white shirts feature fetching kākāriki (green) detailing, drawing inspiration from the green belt around the city and the wider Wellington region.
The Phoenix men and women will sport the new kit when they play matches on the road this season.
The men’s strip, with OPPO front-of-shirt, features white shorts and will make its debut this weekend when the Phoenix visit Perth Glory in the opening round of the Isuzu UTE A-League.
Entelar Group are front and centre on the women’s shirt for the Ninja A-League, which is complemented by kākāriki shorts.
Both kits are designed by apparel partner Dynasty Sport using their cutting-edge Ecotek fabric, which is made from ethically sourced recycled plastic bottles.
The production of Ecotek fabrics use 62% less energy, 99% less water, create 35% less waste and upwards of 20% less CO₂ emissions.
As is the case with the home strip, a key design element of the away kit is the tohu gifted to the Phoenix by local iwi Te Āti Awa.
The tohu is a subtle feature throughout the shirt, while Te Raukura (the plume of white feathers), which is an important symbol to the tribes who affiliate to Te Āti Awa and other Taranaki iwi, once again takes centre stage.
The new replica away shirt is available for pre-order now from our club store.
About the tohu gifted to the Wellington Phoenix:
Acclaimed designer Charmaine Love created a tohu on behalf of Te Āti Awa ki Te Whanganui a Tara in 2022. This taonga was gifted to the Wellington Phoenix and the design was first incorporated into the teams’ kits for the 2022-23 A-Leagues.
Te Raukura (the white feather or plume of white feathers) is centred on the front of the shirts. It is an important symbol to the tribes who affiliate to Te Āti Awa and other Taranaki Iwi. Te Raukura symbolises the peaceful resistance of their tupuna at Parihaka in the 1880s and the white feather is still worn by their descendants today. Te Raukura represents spiritual, physical, and communal harmony and unity. It is an acknowledgement of a higher spiritual power and is a symbol of faith, hope, and compassion for all.
Ngake and Whātaitai, the two taniwha of Wellington harbour Te Whanganui-a-Tara feature on either side of the tohu. Taniwha are mythical Māori creatures and guardians and represent mauri (life force) of a place in physical form and kaitiakitanga (guardianship). A surrounding element of the tohu features koru (the unfurling new leaf of the ponga fern), symbolising new life, growth, strength and peace. The koru represents the whenua and tangata of Te Whanganui-a-Tara.
Ngaru (waves) and mangōpare (hammerhead shark) are also integrated in the tohu. The ngaru represents the cutting of the waves when waka travelled the waters of Te Whanganui-a-Tara. The mangōpare represents and symbolises strength, courage, determination, leadership and a fighting spirit, all values shared with the Wellington Phoenix.
The tohu also features Taranaki maunga which is hugely important to mana whenua and considered tapu.
