What’s the best way to get Tottenham Hotspur fans back onside in the aftermath of sacking your second head coach in the course of this absolute disaster of a Premier League season? A tour to the other side of the world, of course!
I wrote around a week ago on a report from New Zealand media stating that Spurs were reportedly planning an additional leg in Auckland on their Antipodean tour, with fixtures already planned in Australia against Chelsea and an A-League A. That report has now been confirmed via an official announcement - score one for the Kiwi media, I guess!
This will be Spurs’ first preseason fixture as the club heads into the 2026/27 season, and will be against A-League side Auckland FC - not, as I mentioned in last week’s piece, Auckland City FC, the semi-professional outfit that was slaughtered by all and sundry at the Club World Cup.
Coming only weeks after the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup, Spurs are unlikely to have a full squad with them on the tour (and will they even have a new head coach at that point?); nonetheless, it’ll provide a good opportunity for some young prospects and lesser seen players to ply their trade in New Zealand’s largest stadium.
That in and of itself is something of a surprise given Auckland FC typically hold their home matches at the much smaller Mount Smart Stadium; Eden Park has triple the capacity at 50,000, extending up to 60,000 if temporary seating is made available. That seems to indicate that Spurs’ top brass are expecting a bumper crowd, given the cost of using a facility like Eden Park; expectations that could prove costly given Spurs’ precarious status as a Premier League club.
Seemingly, though, the thinking is that no matter what happens in the next couple of months, Spurs will be a significant drawcard. It’s not often a club of Spurs’ stature travels to New Zealand, so it’s a great opportunity for Kiwi fans to see the players they love up close.
And maybe Roberto De Zerbi as well. Hurray.