Te Ala Moana Fund

Te Ala Moana Fund supports proven, large-scale Māori and Pacific community sport events that bring whānau, aiga and hapori together through sport, culture and identity.  

The one-off fund is provided over 2 years to help keep these important community events affordable and accessible in a challenging economic environment. It is part of the 2025 one-off funding from TAB New Zealand. 

Recipients  

The first 5 recipients of the fund are: 

1. Aotearoa NZ Māori Rugby League – Tamariki tournament: A Rotorua and Hāwera-based tournament bringing together more than 6,000 participants. 
2. Poitūkohu Māori o Aotearoa – National Māori basketball tournament: A large, intergenerational event in Rotorua with more than 2,500 players across 300 teams from 25+ iwi. 
3. Pacific Tag Cup – National tournament: A fast-growing, high-energy event in Auckland featuring around 140 teams representing their islands, families and communities. 
4. Māori Softball – Iwi-based national tournament: An iwi-led tournament with teams competing as representatives of their pā, hapū and iwi – hosted across the motu by a local pā or rohe. 
5. Pasifika Wellbeing Carnival – Mini-mod rugby league: A culturally grounded, vibrant event in Auckland for tamariki and their aiga, with around 200 teams participating. 

A further 5 more recipients will be confirmed at a later date.