The Auckland A-League club is moving closer to reality. Photo: Photosport
The American billionaire owner of an English Premier League football club and Stanley Cup winning NHL side is the front-runner to own the new Auckland A-League football club.
Bill Foley who is the general partner of the global multi-club football operator Black Knight Football Club which owns AFC Bournemouth of the English Premier League and has a minority ownership interest in FC Lorient of France's Ligue 1 has been identified as the preferred bidder for the A-Leagues expansion licence in Auckland.
The Auckland club will have a men's and women's team and will enter the A-League in 2024-25.
The Australian Professional Leagues and Football Australia still have to approve the licence.
Once approved by Football Australia, it will work with its regional governing body, the Asian Football Confederation, and Oceania Football Confederation and New Zealand Football for endorsement.
Foley, who is based in the US, also owns the NHL's Vegas Golden Knights, which was an expansion team in 2017 and won the Stanley Cup in 2023.
In New Zealand he owns Foley Wines Ltd, a public company listed on the NZ stock exchange consisting of five wineries in Martinborough, Marlborough and Central Otago, a restaurant group with venues in Auckland, Wellington and Queenstown including the iconic SOUL bar in Auckland as well as the luxury lodge Wharekauhau on the South Wairarapa Coast.
The Wellington Phoenix have been in the A-League since 2007. Photo: Photosport
The commissioner of the A-Leagues, Nick Garcia, said the awarding of preferred bidder status was an important step towards new professional women's and men's teams in Auckland - which will join the Wellington Phoenix as representatives from New Zealand in the competition.
"Importantly, Bill is passionate about Auckland and has a long-term relationship with New Zealand through his business interests.
"Auckland has been the largest city in Australia and New Zealand without a professional football team, despite football being the most popular team participation sport nationally in New Zealand. We look forward to building on the success of the FIFA Women's World Cup, providing football fans in Auckland with their new home team."
Foley said his family had a "genuine appreciation and love for New Zealand".
"Black Knight Football Club operates with a commitment to excellence on and off the pitch. Our goal will be to build a winning organisation while simultaneously serving the community and growing the sport - and passion for the sport - at all levels. We are extremely excited to reach this stage in the process and look forward to the next steps."