New Zealand Football has been named the Supreme Winner at the 2026 Diversity Awards NZ™ for its work to address the historic underrepresentation of Māori across all levels of the game.
The awards are delivered by Te Uru Tāngata Centre for Workplace Inclusion.
Chief Executive, Maretha Smit says New Zealand Football has tackled historic and systemic inequity by embedding tikanga Māori and building authentic partnerships as a foundation for change.
“They have worked closely with Māori Football Aotearoa (MFA) and iwi partners such as Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei to co-design a range of initiatives to strengthen participation, leadership pathways, and cultural capability,” said Ms Smit.
These include the development of Te Whāriki o te Tiriti, a cultural framework guiding governance and operations, integration of tikanga into football events, and investment in Māori leadership development through coaching pathways and national programmes.
The changes have driven a 9% increase in Māori player participation and delivered 90% engagement in cultural learning across the organisation’s staff.
“What stood out for our judges was the depth of partnership and co-creation, ensuring that Māori are not only included but are actively shaping the direction of the organisation,” Ms Smit says.
“The combination of governance reform, capability building, and participation outcomes reflects a highly credible example of Tiriti-led transformation. This positions New Zealand Football as a leading example of how national bodies can meaningfully respond to Te Tiriti obligations while strengthening identity and performance.”
New Zealand Football also won the He Ara Māori Tohu at the awards.
The Diversity Awards NZ™ programme showcases the full breadth of workplace inclusion in Aotearoa New Zealand, recognising excellence at every level — individual, team, and organisation.
The full list of 2026 winners are:
INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Inclusive Leader of the Year Award
Joint Winners – Ed Collett, Air New Zealand and Superintendent Tracey Thompson, New Zealand Police
Workplace Inclusion Professional of the Year Award
Winner – Anna Paris, New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi
Highly Commended – Max Wallace, Tap In
Emerging Inclusion Champion of the Year Award
Winner – Einnee Facey, Northland Regional Council
ORGANISATION AWARDS
Inclusive Workplace Award
Medium-Large Organisation Winner – Hind Management
Medium-Large Organisation Highly Commended – Chorus
Breaking Barriers Award
Medium-Large Organisation Winner – Kinetic
TEAM AWARDS
Respectful Culture Award
Winner – Rio Tinto
Employee Networks Award
Winner – Air New Zealand – Employee Networks
FEATURE AWARDS
Gender Equity Award
Winner – Mums in Blue
He Ara Māori Tohu
Winner – New Zealand Football
Neurodiverse Talent Award
Winner – Accessibility Network, AIA NZ
Rainbow Belonging Award
Winner – SkyCity Pride
PINNACLE AWARDS
Supreme Award
Winner – New Zealand Football
People’s Choice Award
Winner – Kinetic.
