AdviceKiwi Twilight Football
Term 1 2026: A Waimak United Football Club, Award Winning Programme for North Canterbury Primary Schools
We’re excited to invite schools from across North Canterbury to take part in our six-week league, where teams get the chance to play fun, competitive games against one another. Get your teams together and join us for another fantastic season of Twilight Football!
📣Now is an ideal time to get teams together and players registered before the end of the school year, so that we have the majority of teams organised well in advance of the registration close off date.
❔Please let us know if there is any additonal information we can provide or help with to make registration of your school and subsequent teams as easy as possible.
🆕If your school is new to Twilight Football - we would love to have you on board, please contact info@waimakunited.org.nz or call 021 192 4625 if you have any questions.
👉 Important details:
- We recommend that you set an earlier date of individual player registration deadline to enable you to register teams with accurate player count.
- If a team is short on players, please reach out to other schools to combine or fill gaps (No individual player registrations this term).
- Each team must be entered individually.
- 🏫Team Registrations close: 22nd January 2026.
✅Registration is available through participating schools.
Dates: 6 Weeks Term 1 2026*
🗓️Session 1/6 Monday 9th February 2026
🗓️Session 2/6 Monday 16th February 2026
🗓️Session 3/6 Monday 23rd February 2026
🗓️Session 4/6 Monday 2nd March 2026
🗓️Session 5/6 Monday 9th March 2026
🗓️Session 6/6 Monday 16th March 2026
🌩️*The Club will do its utmost to run all sessions. However, there may be times, outside our control, when a session will be cancelled or rescheduled for a later date. We understand this may not suit everyone, however we will do our best to suit the majority.
Times: Subject to entries, games will be played at:
⏰4.00pm/
⏰4.50pm/
⏰5.40pm
⏳If a particular team has a time slot request, please ensure you let us know two weeks before the first session date (before the draws are published). Whilst we will do our best to accommodate any time slot preferences, it may not be possible and cannot be guaranteed.
Venue:
📍Maria Andrews Park, Coldstream Road, Rangiora
🍦Food & Drink vendors will be at each session
🚻Public Toilets are available onsite
🚰Water refill available at Club shed
🚮Rubbish disposal available onsite
🅿️Parking: Car Park is located in Maria Andrews & can also park across the road at MainPower Stadium.
🛑Please do not use the graveyard as a car park, doing so will result in your car being ticketed by the council.
2026 Grades
⚽Year 0/1/2 – Tier 1 (Confident/Experienced Players) - Playing 5-a-side, max of 8 players per team – ½ Junior pitch
⚽Year 0/1/2 - Tier 2 – (Limited Football experience) Playing 5-a-side, max of 8 players per team – ½ Junior pitch
⚽Year 3/4 – Tier 1 (Confident/Experienced Players) Playing 7-a-side, max of 10 players per team – Junior pitch
⚽Year 3/4 – Tier 2 (Limited Football experience) Playing 7-a-side, max of 10 players per team – Junior pitch
⚽Year 5/6 - Tier 1 (Confident/Experienced Players) Playing 7-a-side, max of 10 players per team – Junior pitch
⚽Year 5/6 - Tier 2 (Limited Football experience) Playing 7-a-side, max of 10 players per team – Junior pitch
⚽Year 7/8 - Tier 1 (All Players) Playing 9-a-side, max 12 players per team – Intermediate pitch (Must be a minimum of 4 Teams)
🏃🏃🏾♀️Please be fair when grading teams/allocating players to ensure an enjoyable experience for all.
🏃🏽🏃🏼♀️Teams may be regraded over the 6 Weeks of the Competition
🥅The number of Teams for each grade is limited to ensure we have enough fields each round.
Entry fees for Teams Term 4 2025:
💲$30 per player (prices are now inclusive of GST already).
Invoicing
🧾Schools will be invoiced, and payment must be made before the first game. If Invoices are still outstanding from Term 4, teams will not be allowed to enter until all Invoices have been paid. Please note, refunds/cancellations are to be determined by the Club treasurer (accounts@waimakunited.org.nz),a non refundable administration fee of $50 may apply.
Competition Information:
🧦 Players MUST wear shin pads and appropriate footwear as these are compulsory under FIFA laws
👕 Schools are to provide school issued playing shirts to players prior to the first session.
🎽 Bibs will be provided by WUFC if any opposing teams have kit clashes.
📌Teams must have no more than the maximum number of players.
📌20-minute halves with a 2-minute half-time.
📌Each team will require a manager to coordinate the team.
📌An email address and contact mobile number for this person will be required on the Registration Form to ensure updates to draws or cancellations are communicated with teams.
📌Our WUFC Youth Players will referee games.
📌Schools are to provide playing tops to their players
📌No Smoking/Vaping on the grounds.
📌All Players, Supporters, Parents/Caregivers agree to adhere to Waimak United FC Code of Conduct when entering and attending our Twilight matches.
Player of the Day Certificates
🏅These will be available for collection from the Shed at the 1st Term 1 2026 game (packs will include certificates for the whole term)
Referees
📢 Our Twilight Football league is officiated by referees. Our refs are able to give back to the game and help develop the younger generation of players by encouraging our players to give it a go and have fun, while learning the rules of the game.
📢 Refs are for each match they officiate. It is a great opportunity for players to develop their reffing abilities whilst being supported by our onsite staff.
📢 We are always looking to add to our register of volunteers, if you know of a young person who would be a great fit, please ask them to contact info@waimakunited.org.nz for more information.
Onsite Staff Support
🗺️Copy of the Field Map and Draws will always be available at the Club Shed upon arrival.
🧑🧒🧒We will have staff floating around on the day who will be able to assist with any problems you have.
Waimak United FC Communications:
🗒️In Term 1 2026 we will have a weekly mailout (via supplied email address provided when registered)of draws and any relevant information.
🗒️We will aim to have these out by the Thursday prior to each game, to enable you enough time to pass along communications to your teams and players.
🗒️Draws and maps will always be available on this page and updates as per the above timeframes.
⭐Twilight Football is growing in popularity each term, so ensure you get your teams registered earlier rather than later.
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