MILO Fantails Programme

Since 2023, New Zealand Football (NZF) has delivered Fantails programmes across the country to grow participation in football among young girls by providing fun, welcoming, girls-only hubs where they can build confidence, develop skills, and enjoy the game. In 2025, the New Zealand Football Foundation (NZFF) invested in the programme to support grassroots growth and help remove barriers to participation, with sessions capped at $5 to keep cost accessible.

In 2025, Fantails continued to demonstrate strong impact as an entry point into football, with 34% of participants new to the game and only 22% currently involved in club football, highlighting its role in widening access rather than competing with clubs. Retention was also strong, with 28% of participants having joined through the programme previously.

The majority of participants were aged 6–8, with enjoyment (94%) and feelings of safety (98%) consistently high. Key motivations for attending were learning and improving skills (34%) and having fun (31%), while social connection increased significantly year-on-year, rising from 5% to 15%, showing the growing strength of the community aspect.

The programme continues to show strong overall satisfaction (76%) and value perception (93%), alongside high advocacy, with 93% likely to recommend and 92% likely to continue participating in football. Ease of access also improved significantly over the year, increasing from 87% to 94% following the expansion of hubs into harder-to-reach communities.

Overall, Fantails is proving to be a highly effective pathway into football for young girls, combining accessibility, enjoyment, and community connection to grow the game at grassroots level.

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