Once again, Te Awamutu Association Football Club is excited to invite entries for the 2025 Fred Amess Festival, taking place on Friday, April 4th, 2025, at Sherwin Park, Te Awamutu.

This much-loved event, first held in the late 1970s, has become a highlight on the calendar for local primary schools. Since 2006, schools from across the district have come together to enjoy a fun-filled day of football. Last year, we welcomed 34 teams, and we’re hoping to see even more join us in 2025!

Festival Details

The festival will feature 7-a-side round-robin matches across the following categories:

• Boys’ teams
• Mixed teams
• Girls’ teams

The event is open to all primary school-aged children, with a rule that only two Year 7/8 players may be on the field for a team at any one time.

Key Changes for 2025

• Boys’ and mixed teams will now play 7-a-side, which is fewer players than in previous years.
• Each school can enter up to four teams.
• Teams may have three or more substitutes. We recommend keeping to around three for easier team management, but this is flexible.
• There is no requirement to have girls in mixed teams, and all-boys teams are permitted.
• There will again be a separate competition for all-girls teams.

Trophies & Awards

Teams will compete for:

• The Cup
• The Plate
• The Shield (for girls’ teams only)

Important Entry Information

• This is not a ‘schools of origin’ event — all players must be enrolled at the school they are representing. The only exception is for home-schooled children, who are welcome to join any school team.
• We will set up a dedicated registration portal in our Football system (Friendly Manager) for your school. To get started, please let us know the name and email address you’d like to use for your login, and we’ll create your account. Once your account is ready, you’ll receive a temporary password to access the system and register your teams.

Click here for an information guide to walk you through the registration process and manage your Friendly Manager account.

Key Dates & Fees

• Entries close Wednesday, March 26th, 2025, or when we reach our limit of 48 teams — whichever comes first.
• Entry fee: $50 per team. Once your registration is approved, an invoice will be emailed to you.

To avoid disappointment, we recommend registering your teams as soon as possible.

Referees

Where possible, referees will be provided, thanks to the support of Te Awamutu College Sports Science students and TA AFC volunteers. However, we do suggest each team bring a whistle and someone willing to step in as a referee if needed.

We can’t wait for another incredible day of football, fun, and community spirit. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Festival Coordinator at info@teawamutuafc.co.nz.