OUR HISTORY

The Pacific Cup Tournament was launched in 2019.

The Pacific Cup Tournament was born in 2019 with a dream to create a stage where our Pasifika and Māori communities could come together, play together, and celebrate together. That first Sunday at Mountfort Park saw teams from Samoa, Niue, the Cook Islands and Pacific Māori take the field – from our tamariki in the Under 10–14 grades right through to our Open Men’s and Women’s teams. It was more than just Touch – it was about whakapapa, culture, and connection.

After two years of Covid cancellations, our whānau returned in 2022, this time over two days, with Tonga proudly joining our Pacific Cup village. From there the momentum grew: almost 100 teams at Mountfort Park in 2023, and a record-breaking 110 teams in 2024 when Fiji joined us at Bruce Pulman Park. With the backing of our community and the tautoko of Manurewa Local Board, the tournament will return to Manurewa in 2025 for what promises to be our biggest celebration yet.

The Pacific Cup Sports Trust is an Auckland-based, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to growing Pasifika and Māori participation in Touch and beyond. But our kaupapa is wider than the game. We are committed to nurturing identity, celebrating our cultures, and strengthening the roots of our indigenous and Pacific languages. Every event is a platform for tamariki, rangatahi and whānau to see themselves represented with pride, on and off the field.

Our kaimahi (volunteers) give their time and heart freely, and every dollar raised goes straight back into the tournament and our people. We believe that when our communities thrive, our languages live, and our cultures shine, the future for our next generation is brighter.

Pacific Cup isn’t just a tournament – it’s a village, a celebration, and a movement for our people.

OUR HISTORY

Our Inagural Organising Committee: Riki Enosa, Harley Wall, Pat Spellman, Lucky Smythe & Wade Brundon.

Nations were lead by Johanne Joe (Cook Islands), Lucky Smythe (Pacific Māori), Karl Samupo (Niue), Jerome Mika & Bernie Tovio (Samoa).