A sublicense agreement between OFC and SKY Sport has been finalised and the terms of the deal include live broadcasting of each match involving Auckland City, as well as the final, which is set to take place in Yokohama on December 16 and will reveal the identity of the club champions of the world.
OFC Champions League winners Auckland City open their Japan 2012 campaign on December 6 in Yokohama with a play-off against hosts and J.League champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima and, should the Oceania champions win that match, they will then go on to meet Egyptian outfit Al-Ahly (CAF) in the quarter-finals in Toyota on December 9.
A semi-final against Brazil’s Corinthians (CONMEBOL) on December 12 in Toyota would then beckon as the next step on the road to the final.
Auckland City could potentially also be involved in the match for fifth place, fought out between the losers of the quarter-finals on December 12 in Toyota.
The other teams involved in the world’s premier club competition are South Korea’s Ulsan Hyundai (AFC), Mexico’s Monterrey (CONCACAF) and England’s Chelsea (UEFA).
In addition to Auckland City, OFC will also be represented at the event by a match official trio consisting of referee Peter O’Leary (New Zealand) and assistant referees Jan-Hendrik Hintz (New Zealand) and Ravinesh Kumar (Fiji).
OFC General Secretary Tai Nicholas is pleased to have confirmed coverage of Auckland City’s FIFA Club World Cup appearance and says the arrangement is part of the confederation’s ongoing goal of increasing television coverage of football across the Pacific.
“We are committed to seeing an increase in football exposure so we can promote the sport and deliver OFC’s social responsibility messages to a wider audience,” he says.
“Confirmation of the FIFA Club World Cup coverage comes hot on the heels of our media partner MP & Silva securing a deal to distribute the rights for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ in all territories of Oceania, excluding New Zealand. This increased level of coverage can only be good for the game as it continues to grow in popularity within the Pacific region.”
Richard Last, Director of Sport at SKY Television, is equally enthusiastic about the event being broadcast on SKY Sport.
“There will be many passionate followers of this FIFA Club World Cup in Japan and we are delighted to secure the rights to bring this event to our SKY Sport fans in New Zealand,” he says. “I’d also like to wish Riki van Steeden, who is a SKY Sport producer and also a member of the Auckland City squad, the very best of luck for the tournament.”
Auckland City were eliminated at the first stage of last year’s FIFA Club World Cup, losing 2-0 to J.League champions Kashiwa Reysol, but will be looking to repeat their heroics of 2009 in the United Arab Emirates. On that occasion, the Oceania representatives defied the odds to win the play-off match against hosts Al-Ahli before succumbing to Atlante (CONCACAF) in the quarter-finals and beating TP Mazembe (CAF) to finish fifth in a remarkable campaign.
Auckland’s match against Sanfrecce Hiroshima takes place on December 6 at 7.45pm local time (11.45pm NZ time) and will be screened live in New Zealand on SKY Sport 3.

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