Sky New Zealand greenlights ‘real-life Ted Lasso’ sports docuseries Forever Auckland FC

Sky New Zealand Originals has commissioned eight-part sports documentary series Forever Auckland FC, which will take viewers behind the scenes of A-league football team Auckland FC.

Dame Julie Christie

Produced by NHNZ Worldwide, the factual prodco owned by Kiwi producer Dame Julie Christie, it will screen on Sky Open, Sky Sport and streamer Neon later this year.

Described as a “real-life Ted Lasso story,” the series follows entrepreneur Anna Mowbray as she pursues her dream of establishing an Auckland-based football team in the Trans-Tasman A-League competition.

It gives insight into the owners’ and players’ private and professional lives, as well as the cutthroat decisions made both in the boardroom and in the team’s changing sheds.

Nick Ward, senior commissioner for Sky New Zealand and Originals, said: “Forever Auckland FC is documentary making at its finest, with larger-than-life characters, unprecedented access and all the excitement of high-stakes competitive sports.”

Christie added: “Documentaries often claim to be ‘all-access’ but I don’t believe New Zealand sport has seen access like this. It’s remarkable. From three months before their first A-League game, we have had unrestricted behind-the-scenes access to the club, management, owners, the dressing sheds and the players.”