John Kerkhof Park

John Kerkhof Park
John Kerkhof Park is located in New Zealand
John Kerkhof Park
John Kerkhof Park
Location within New Zealand
LocationCambridge, New Zealand
Coordinates37°53′8.9″S 175°27′17.6″E / 37.885806°S 175.454889°E / -37.885806; 175.454889
Opened1948
Map

John Kerkhof Park is a venue for football (soccer) matches in Cambridge, New Zealand. It is the all-year home[1] of Cambridge FC who compete in the Northern League (New Zealand).[2]

The ground was also the training base and home ground [3] for WaiBOP United between 2013 and 2015 when they played in New Zealand's highest level domestic competition, the ASB Premiership.

In 2016, John Kerkhof Park became the training base and home ground for the WaiBOP team in New Zealand's National Women's League, hosting three NWL games in each of the 2016 and 2017 seasons. In 2019, Cambridge was named as the host club for six NWL games and the training base for the WaiBOP team.[4] In 2020, the ground was again named as the host venue for WaiBOP's ISPS Handa Women's Premiership fixtures.[5]

The ground was also used for two National Youth League games and one ISPS Handa Premiership match (between Hamilton Wanderers and Eastern Suburbs) in 2018.[6] In 2019, the ground hosted a national league double header when Hamilton Wanderers played Auckland City in the National Youth League and the ISPS Handa Premiership.[7]

The grounds in Vogel Street, Cambridge, are owned by the Waipa District Council which leases them to Cambridge FC on a long-term basis.

They consist of a premium pitch used for Northern League (New Zealand) and feature games such as national league fixtures, and 25 pitches used for senior, youth and junior games.

For major games, volunteer workers erect a mini-stadium using temporary grandstands and seating, providing a ground capacity for up to about 1,200 spectators, with seating for about 600.

  1. ^ "History of Cambridge Football Club". Cambridgefootball.co.nz. Retrieved 17 February 2018.
  2. ^ "Cambridge back in NRFL". nrfl.co.nz. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
  3. ^ [1], WaiBOP United move to John Kerkhof Park
  4. ^ "" Top women players heading to Cambridge for 2019 NWL season". cambridgefootball.co.nz. 26 August 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  5. ^ "Cambridge to host more national women's league games". cambridgefootball.co.nz. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  6. ^ [2], Cambridge to host national league double header
  7. ^ ""Clear Premiership leader yet to emerge"". nzfootball.co.nz. 17 November 2019. Retrieved 18 November 2019.