Ticket prices for Wellington Phoenix v West Ham United start from 59 NZD (£30.20) for Adults and 20 NZD (£10.25) for Children. To buy now, click here.
Ticket prices for the Sydney FC v West Ham United and Wellington Phoenix v Newcastle United double-header start from 95 NZD (£48) for Adults, 45 NZD (£22.80) for Children and 235 NZD (£119) for a Family (Two Adults/Two Children). To buy now, click here.
Flight, ticket and accommodation packages for the Football United Tour are also on sale now, with prices starting from as little as NZ $216 (£110) per person. For full details, click here.
About New Zealand
New Zealand, also known by its Maori name Aotearoa - the Land of the Long White Cloud - is a country filled with wondrous natural landscapes and a diversity of people making it a popular destination with visitors from around the world.
New Zealand is made up of two main islands - the North Island (Te Ika-a-Maui) and South Island (Te Waipounamu) - and is roughly the size of the British Isles. A population of 4.5 million makes the country feel peacefully uncrowded, providing a perfect balance between wide open spaces and thriving urban areas perfect for outdoor adventures and a laid back lifestyle.
M?ori are the indigenous people of New Zealand and their rich and dynamic culture can be explored and experienced throughout. Maori, European, Pacific Islander and Asian cultures make up the framework of modern New Zealand, forming a welcoming and diverse cultural landscape.
New Zealanders are affectionately known as 'Kiwis', named after the small flightless bird that is an iconic symbol of the country. Few countries in the world can boast New Zealand's range of natural features - from high peaks and glaciers in vast mountain ranges to sub-tropical rainforests, lush rolling farmland to geothermal activity, white and black sand beaches to desert-like plains, and unpopulated islands - all within one compact land.
New Zealand may have a relatively small population but what it lacks in numbers, it certainly makes up for in spirit. New Zealand can often be found punching above its weight in many areas - including sport where the country continues to produce some of the world's top athletes, most notably in rugby with the globally recognised New Zealand All Blacks.
New Zealand was the last habitable land mass on earth to be settled by humankind - contributing to its reputation for creative thinking and leading innovation. The Kiwis' 'can do' attitude has placed them at the top of many fields.
The legendary Kiwi ingenuity and innovation is a result of the youthful pioneering heritage and the tourism industry in New Zealand is no exception. The Hamilton Jetboat, ski plane, bungy jump, blokart and Zorb are all examples of Kiwi inventions that have pushed traditional boundaries of travel and embody the Kiwi sense of adventure.
For more information on holidaying in New Zealand, click here.
Football in New Zealand
Football is one of the most popular participation sports in New Zealand. With strong ties to the United Kingdom and Europe, it was only natural that the game would have an impact on the country.
The various national football teams of New Zealand are made up of the New Zealand National Football Team - also known as the All Whites - the Football Ferns, Junior All Whites, Young All Whites, Junior Football Ferns, Young Football Ferns and the Futsal Whites.
The All Whites' biggest success to date has been reaching the finals of two FIFA World Cups - Spain 1982 and South Africa 2010 - capturing the hearts and imagination of football fans the world over at the latter before exiting as the only unbeaten team of the tournament
Wellington - New Zealand's capital city - is a key player in the continuing New Zealand football story and home to New Zealand's only professional football franchise - the Wellington Phoenix.
The team, also known as the 'Nix, play in the Hyundai A-League. Their home ground is Westpac Stadium - affectingly know to local football fans as 'The Ring of Fire.'
Famous New Zealand football players on the international stage past and present include former All Whites and Werder Bremen striker Wynton Rufer, ex-Blackburn Rovers and All Whites captain and current manager of MLS club Toronto FC Ryan Nelsen, West Ham's own current All Whites skipper Winston Reid and rising star Marco Rojas of German club VfB Stuttgart.
All of these players have helped put New Zealand football on the map and continue to play a pivotal role in the development and promotion of New Zealand football.
Football in New Zealand will get its chance to shine on the global stage once again when the country hosts the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2015. The 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup is the third major international football tournament to be held in New Zealand after the country hosted the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 1999 and the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in 2008.
Must-dos!
From thrilling adventures to enthralling landscapes and laid back afternoons spent in the winter sun there is so much to do and see in New Zealand that visitors are literally spoilt for choice.
Here are a few 'Must-Dos' while in Auckland and Wellington when the Hammers are not on the pitch.
Auckland
Auckland - New Zealand's largest city - is also known as the 'City of Sails' due to the large number of boats that fill the expansive harbour. As well as being the country's main gateway for international travellers, Auckland is home to a third of New Zealanders and ranks as one of the top 10 places in the world to live - and was listed by Lonely Planet in the Top 10 Cities to visit in 2014.
The blend of harbour, islands, Polynesian culture and a modern downtown has created a unique urban outdoors lifestyle and visitors to the city will find plenty of adventures to tickle their fancy.
Leap of faith
Visitors to Auckland can enjoy spectacular views of the harbour city from a unique vantage point. Towering 328 metres above the ground Auckland's Sky Tower offers the thrilling experience of either a SkyWalk or a SkyJump. Those wanting to experience one of New Zealand's most iconic thrill-seeking adventures can take a walk up Auckland's iconic Harbour Bridge with a Bridge Climb or take a leap of faith with Auckland Bridge Bungy.
Climb a volcano - Built on over 48 volcanos, Auckland is the perfect place to get up close and personal with one of these geological wonders. A short ferry ride lands visitors on the shores of Rangitoto Island with the opportunity to climb to the summit (260m) exploring lava caves and native New Zealand forest along the way - or sit back, relax and let the 4WD train trip to the top do all the work.
On the water - Auckland is known as the 'City of Sails' for a reason and there's no better way to experience the best of what the seafaring city has to offer than by getting on the water. Auckland
Adventure Jet - a super-charged, purpose-built jet boat takes visitors on an electrifying tour of the harbour. For low-key adventures, visitors can sail an America's Cup yacht or go wildlife spotting on a whale and dolphin safari.
Walk the waterfront - Visitors can watch the world go by as day turns to night at one of the many restaurants at the Auckland Viaduct, or check out the vast selection of pleasure crafts and super yachts on a stroll around the Viaduct Marina to the newly-developed Silo Park and Wynyard Quarter, offering a range of cool bars, restaurants and cafés.
Experience our world - New Zealand's largest city, Auckland is also the most multicultural. One of the best places to experience the unique culture of New Zealand and its people is at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Visitors wanting to learn more about M?ori culture can explore ancient M?ori artefacts or experience a spine-tingling M?ori cultural performance.
Wellington
Wellington, New Zealand's capital city, might be best known as the 'creative hub' of the country but this vibrant region - at the southern end of the North Island - is also known as the spiritual home of New Zealand football, part in fact because it is home to the Wellington Phoenix.
But, of course, this small-but-perfectly-formed city is not just known for its love of football - it is also one of the most creative cities in New Zealand and visitors don't have to travel far from the centre of Wellington to experience the magic.
Enjoy a pint - New Zealand might be best known for its award-winning wines, but Kiwis' love of beer has prompted a boutique brewery boom. There are 16 pubs, most within walking distance of each other, in the centre of Wellington that cater for the boutique beer lover. The region is New Zealand's self-styled 'Craft Beer Capital' and visitors can follow a pub-crawl outlined on the 'Craft Beer Capital Map' courtesy of the Beer Tourist website and highlighting all the best spots.
Foodie-heaven - Wellington is also foodie-heaven. With supposedly more bars and restaurants per capita than New York City, the taste-buds will be spoilt for choice. One of the hippest places for visitors to enjoy the flavour of Wellington is Cuba Street. This quirky inner city creative hub is brought to life with its range of critically-acclaimed restaurants, bars, cafés and street art.
A taste of Middle-Earth - Wellington is known for many things but it's movie magic - most notably the Sir Peter Jackson directed The Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit trilogies - that put 'Wellywood' on the map and visitors to don't have to go far to experience movie magic. Just a short drive from the city centre to the suburb of Miramar is Weta Cave. Here, visitors can enjoy a behind-the-scenes glimpse into Weta Workshop and the stunning work that has been created there.
Creative culture - Just a short walk from Westpac Stadium visitors can find themselves immersed in New Zealand's colourful and cultural history at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. Te Papa is a bold, creative and world-leading, free-entry national museum that explores and celebrates New Zealand's natural environment, M?ori culture and the arts.
Ticket to ride - Visitors wanting to experience the capital city from a different vantage point can take a ride on Wellington's historic cable car - one of the city's most popular tourist attractions. The route of the cable car takes in various sites, including the Lookout, Carter Observatory, Planetarium and Cable Car Museum. Visitors can also choose to walk back down through the Botanic Gardens and the historic Bolton Street cemetery, before ending up at another iconic Wellington landmark - New Zealand Parliament - also known as 'The Beehive' for its distinctive shape.
Useful links
Auckland Bungy
SkyWalk & SkyJump
America's Cup sailing experience
Auckland Adventure Jet
Auckland Whale & Dolphin Safari
Viaduct Harbour
Auckland War Memorial Museum
Craft Beer Capital
Ten fun New Zealand facts!
1. Auckland is the only city in the world that is built on an active volcano field.
2. Dunedin plays host to the annual Nude Rugby International - the unofficial curtain raiser to international rugby tests held in the South Island city.
3. At 328 metres, Auckland's Sky Tower is the tallest free standing structure in the Southern Hemisphere.
4. At 41.2 degrees south, Wellington is the most southerly capital city on the planet.
5. Located on the South Island and standing at an impressive 3,754 metres (12,316 ft) is New Zealand's highest mountain - Aoraki Mount Cook.
6. New Zealand's Head of State is Queen Elizabeth II. 'God Save The Queen' and 'God Defend New Zealand' are New Zealand's two official national anthems. Although they have equal status, 'God Defend New Zealand' is sung at 100% of sporting occasions and in both M?ori and English.
7. New York City temporarily sprang up in Seaview, on Wellington's harbour fringe, for the King Kong film set.
8. The Blue Lake - also known as Rotomairewhenua - in Nelson Lakes National Park holds the title of the world's clearest lake.
9. New Zealand is home to the Hector's Dolphin - the smallest and rarest dolphin in the world.
10. New Zealand is known to be an adventure tourism pioneer with the first commercial bungy jump in the world taking place in the South Island tourist mecca of Queenstown in 1988.
More information: Facts about New Zealand, click here.
Ten New Zealand Do's and Don'ts!
1. DO try one of New Zealand's extensive ranges of hot pies topped with lashings of red sauce - we hear Pete's Possum Pie is a real winner.
2. DO'T get offended if Kiwis refer to football as 'soccer' - it's so they don't get it confused with rugby, or something.
3. DO make like a Hobbit and visit the Hobbiton Movie Set in Matamata, where you can enjoy a pint in the same pub where Bilbo Baggins once drank.
4. DO'T get confused when you realise that chips and crisps in New Zealand are both called 'chips'!
5. DO expect adventure. New Zealand is known for thrilling its visitors with some of the most extreme tourism activities in the world.
6. DO'T forget to actually put food on it if you're invited to a BBQ and someone asks you to 'bring a plate' - the hosts don't just want you to bring an empty plate!
7. DO remember to look up. New Zealand's clear skies and International Dark Sky reserve in Tekapo on the South Island make it one of the best star-spotting places on the planet.
8. DO'T worry if someone calls you 'Bro' - it's not because they think they're related to you, it's just a Kiwi term of endearment.
9. DO get outside and explore New Zealand's amazing scenery and beautiful landscapes.
10. DO'T ever speak ill of the All Blacks. Ever.
Immigration information
Please note visitors from with a UK passport on a holiday of up to six months do not generally need a visa to enter New Zealand. Other nationalities may need a visa, so it is best to check out immigration information here.
Consular information
Consulate General of the United Kingdom - Auckland
Level 17 IAG House
151 Queen Street
Auckland 1010, New Zealand
Tel (local): 09 303 2973
Tel (international): +64 9 303 2973
Fax (local): 09 303 1836
Fax (international): +64 9 303 1836
Email - [email protected]
Website - http://ukinnewzealand.fco.gov.uk/en/
British High Commission- Wellington
44 Hill Street , Thorndon
Wellington 6011
New Zealand
Tel (local): 04 924 2888
Tel (international): +64 4 924 2888
Fax (local): 04 473 4982
Fax (international): +64 4 473 4982
Tourist information
Site Auckland
I-Site Wellington
Public transport information
Eden Park - Visitors can get to Eden Park from Auckland city centre by bus, train or taxi.
Westpac Stadium - Visitors can get to Westpac Stadium easily on foot from the city centre. Other transport options below.
Further information
For more information on holiday deals and itineraries in New Zealand, please visit -