Published on 19 Aug 2025

Kicking Goals for the Future: Capital Football Strategy Refresh

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Anton Davis Director Consulting (NZ) Contact me
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Jodie O'Neill Strategy + Planning Lead (NZ) Contact me

Allen + Clarke delivered a strategic refresh for Capital Football Federation, the governing body for 44 clubs across Wellington. Using a collaborative approach, we helped reframe their mission as kaitiaki (custodians) of the game. Our work created a forward-looking vision that placed their football community at the heart of everything they do.

 

  • Our workshop methodology transformed diverse stakeholder interests into a cohesive framework with clear focus areas and measurable outcomes.
  • By positioning Capital Football as kaitiaki of the game, we shifted their strategic focus toward community wellbeing rather than purely administrative functions.
  • Our pro-bono delivery model gave Capital Football access to high-quality strategic support despite financial constraints, reflecting our commitment to community impact.
The strategy provided a practical roadmap balancing aspirational goals with resource realities. It united diverse stakeholders around a shared purpose and positioned Capital Football to respond effectively to changing community needs.

Creating Unity from Diversity

Capital Football Federation faced a pivotal moment in their history when their 2017-2021 strategic plan ended. As the governing body for football across Wellington, they needed a refreshed strategy to unite their diverse community while addressing emerging challenges.

Their role extended beyond running competitions. They supported about 44 clubs ranging from small community organisations to larger competitive entities, each with different priorities. This diversity presented both an opportunity and a challenge—how to create a unified direction while respecting these differences.

The timing was significant. COVID-19 had disrupted competitions and changed participation patterns. Consumer expectations were evolving, and barriers to access remained for key demographic groups. The Federation also needed to align with New Zealand Football's 2020-2026 Strategic Direction while maintaining their regional identity.

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Collaboration and Engagement

We structured our approach to maximise stakeholder input and ownership:

  • Project Scoping - we began by reviewing the current strategic plan and relevant documents to understand Capital Football's context before developing our engagement approach. 

  • Stakeholder Engagement - we facilitated targeted workshops, starting with the Board to reflect on mission and values, before incorporating staff perspectives, and then engaging club representatives to ensure member voices also shaped the strategy. 

  • Strategic Plan Finalisation - following a sensemaking session with leadership, we drafted and refined a framework that incorporated the diverse perspectives gathered through engagement. 

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Values-Based Framework

Our recommendations and development of the Strategy directly addressed the challenges Capital Football was facing. Capital Football's membership had varying priorities that sometimes competed with each other meaning that members wanted more flexible participation options. Access issues remained for women and girls, Māori and Pasifika communities. 

The volunteer base - critical to sport delivery - was under strain. COVID-19 highlighted the need for greater organisational adaptability. 

  • We developed a values-based framework built around Integrity, Innovation, and Tūrangawaewae (providing everyone a place to stand). 

  • We incorporated flexibility to accommodate new formats and participation models to meet player needs and consumer demands. 

  • We explicitly addressed access and inclusion with specific outcome targets for underrepresented groups. 

  • We elevated the importance of volunteers, coaches and referees in the strategy. 

  • We built organisational agility into the framework to ensure Capital Football could adapt to future disruptions. 

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The Capital Football strategic refresh shows what's possible when strategic expertise meets collaborative engagement. By bringing diverse stakeholders together around a shared vision, we helped create a framework that will guide the Federation's work for years to come, ensuring that football in Wellington continues to thrive and benefit all community members.

A Strategy that Unites and Inspires

The strategy shifted Capital Football's focus from purely administrative functions toward community wellbeing outcomes, reinforcing sport's vital role in building healthy, connected communities. We achieved this transformation through a collaborative process that built ownership across the organisation and its member clubs. 

The project also demonstrated Allen + Clarke's commitment to community impact. We delivered the strategic refresh under budget through a significant pro-bono contribution. This approach reflected our shared values and belief in sport's power to drive positive social outcomes. 

The strategic refresh delivered: 

 

  • A clear, compelling vision: "A thriving game | A thriving football community." 

  • Reframing their role as kaitiaki of the game, emphasising their responsibility to nurture football for community wellbeing. 

  • Three focus areas with specific outcomes to measure progress. 

  • Meaningful values that could be brought to life to guide decision-making. 

  • Integration of Te Ao Māori concepts to reflect their commitment to inclusivity. 

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Interconnected coloured pathways forming abstract network diagram