Wānaka, with a population of just under 17,000, are underdogs in the Dettol Southern League, which features teams from larger centres such as Nelson, Christchurch and Dunedin.
In their first season in the league the team experienced a steep learning curve, finishing 8th out of 10 teams.
For the club’s manager and director of football, Thomas van Hees, this represented a strong first season at the highest level of domestic football in New Zealand, but he said there was more to come.
‘‘We started last season really well, and we were very competitive in almost every game.
‘‘If you look at how we progressed in a competition that’s quite tough, it was a very successful season,’’ van Hees said.
Historically, Wānaka Football Club had punched well above its weight thanks to the steady flow of international players from Europe and South America who passed through the town.
However, since being promoted to the Dettol Southern League for the 2025 season, the team had been subject to a strict quota to protect opportunities for New Zealanders in the sport.
Now, each team could only include four international players, and one player from an Oceanian nation (not including Australia) in their matchday squad.
‘‘That’s been quite challenging for a small town like us,’’ van Hees said.
Unable to rely so heavily on international players, and with a town of Wānaka’s size not yet able to produce the quantity and quality of players required for the standard of the league, recruitment had become a significant task, he said.
‘‘We spoke to about 400 players about coming to play for Wānaka, and from those, we need to pick people that we think are good characters that can move here and contribute to our community.’’
The ability for players to integrate with the community was crucial because they were not paid to play and the club relied on its network to find work and accommodation.
‘‘This is where the community is super important,’’ van Hees said.
‘‘We reached out to the 450 families who are involved in the football club to help find accommodation and work for the players.’’
The recruitment drive had seen players join the club from Sweden, the Netherlands, Australia and the United States, and slotting into employment across the community.
‘‘Some of them are working in our academy, but others are working in Subway, in trades, or retail.
‘‘They’re pretty well spread out.’’
Recruiting so widely was an arduous task, but for van Hees, who also oversees the club’s academy, it was part of a longterm plan to consolidate Wānaka’s place in the league, while gradually increasing the presence of players raised in Wānaka in the first team.
‘‘Back in the day, if a young player here wanted to achieve something with football, they’d have to leave Wānaka.
‘‘Now, we’re creating a pathway with the club so that young players can train and play at the highest level without having to leave.’’
Wānaka Football Club’s first team play at 2pm on Saturday at Wānaka Recreation Centre.
