Soccer Ashes
| Founded | 1923 |
|---|---|
| Number of teams | 2 |
| Current champions | .svg.png){kind=small} Australia |
| Most successful team(s) | Australia (5 series wins) |
The Soccer Ashes is a soccer trophy contested by Australia and New Zealand.[1] It was initially held between the 1920s and 1950s before the trophy was lost.[2][3] The trophy was found in 2023, and a renewal was held in London in October.[1]
History
The concept of awarding a trophy made of ashes was inspired by the Ashes urn awarded to the winner of series between Australia and England in cricket.
The Soccer Ashes were created in 1923 after New Zealand had defeated Australia in the inaugural series in 1922. The ashes consisted of the remains of cigars smoked by the two captains, Alec Gibb (Australia) and George Campbell (New Zealand), after the first match between the two teams on Australian soil in June 1923. The ashes were encased in a razor case used by Australian soldier, William Fisher during the Gallipoli campaign during World War I. Fisher was also the secretary of the Queensland Football Association.[4] The case was then set in a box made of wood from both countries.[5][6][7]
The whereabouts of the trophy were not known from the mid-1950s until it was found in 2023 at the estate of former Australian Soccer Football Association chairman Sydney Storey by his grandchildren.[8][7] Upon the recovery of the trophy, the first edition of the match since 1954 was scheduled for October.[1] It was played in London, with Australia winning the series.[9][10][11]
List of Soccer Ashes series
| Ed. | Year | Host | Final | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Champion
|
Score |  Runner-up
| ||||
| 1 | 1922 |  New Zealand
|
New Zealand |
3–1 1–1 3–1 |
Australia | |
| 2 | 1923 | Australia
|
New Zealand |
1–2 3–2 4–1 |
Australia | |
| 3 | 1933 | Australia
|
Australia |
4–2 6–4 4–2 |
New Zealand | |
| 4 | 1936 | New Zealand
|
Australia |
7–1 10–0 4–1 |
New Zealand | |
| 5 | 1948 | New Zealand
|
Australia |
6–0 7–0 4–0 |
New Zealand | |
| 6 | 1954 | Australia
|
Australia |
1–2 4–1 4–1 |
New Zealand | |
| 7 | 2023 |  England
|
Australia |
2–0 | New Zealand | |
| 8 | 2025 | Australia New Zealand
|
||||
Editions
1922
| 17 June | New Zealand | 3–1 | Australia | Dunedin, New Zealand |
| Report |
|
Stadium: Carisbrook Attendance: 10,000~ Referee: M. Thornley (New Zealand) |
| 24 June | New Zealand | 1–1 | Australia | Wellington, New Zealand |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Athletic Park Attendance: 12,000 Referee: R.S. Lithgrow (New Zealand) |
| 8 July | New Zealand | 3–1 | Australia | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Report |
|
Stadium: Carlaw Park Attendance: 15,000 Referee: L.C.H. Dawson (New Zealand) |
New Zealand won 2−1–0 on series.
1923
| 9 June | Australia | 2–1 | New Zealand | Brisbane, Australia |
| Report |
|
Stadium: Brisbane Cricket Ground Attendance: 7,000[12] Referee: M. Thornley (New Zealand) |
| 16 June | Australia | 2–3 | New Zealand | Sydney, Australia |
| Report |
|
Stadium: Sydney Cricket Ground Attendance: 10,000 Referee: A. Jackson (Australia) |
| 30 June | Australia | 1–4 | New Zealand | Newcastle, Australia |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Newcastle Showground Attendance: 14,000 Referee: LB Tamlyn (Australia) |
New Zealand won 2−0–1 on series.
1933
| 5 June | Australia | 4–2 | New Zealand | Brisbane, Australia |
|
Report | Stadium: Brisbane Exhibition Ground Attendance: 5,000[13] Referee: Z. Korotcoff (Australia) |
| 17 June | Australia | 6–4 | New Zealand | Sydney, Australia |
| Report | Stadium: Sydney Cricket Ground Attendance: 5,000 Referee: D. Quinn (Australia) |
| 24 June | Australia | 4–2 | New Zealand | Sydney, Australia |
|
Report | Stadium: Sydney Cricket Ground Referee: D. Quinn (Australia) |
Australia won 3−0–0 on series.
1936
| 4 July | New Zealand | 1–7 | Australia | Dunedin, New Zealand |
| Report | Stadium: Logan Park Attendance: 8,000 Referee: W.P. Smith (New Zealand) |
| 11 July | New Zealand | 0–10 | Australia | Wellington, New Zealand |
| Report | Stadium: Basin Reserve Attendance: 8,000 Referee: G. Jackson (New Zealand) |
| 18 July | New Zealand | 1–4 | Australia | Auckland, New Zealand |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Blandford Park Attendance: 2,000 Referee: A. Firth (New Zealand) |
Australia won 3−0–0 on series.
1948
| 14 August | New Zealand | 0–6 | Australia | Wellington, New Zealand |
| Report |
|
Stadium: Basin Reserve Attendance: [14] Referee: V. Wheeler (New Zealand) |
| 28 August | New Zealand | 0–7 | Australia | Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Report | Stadium: Lancaster Park Referee: T. Gottermeyer (New Zealand) |
| 4 September | New Zealand | 0–4 | Australia | Wellington, New Zealand |
| Report | Stadium: Basin Reserve Attendance: 3,000 Referee: J. Sanderson (New Zealand) |
Australia won 3−0–0 on series.
1954
| 14 August | Australia | 1–2 | New Zealand | Melbourne, Australia |
| 14:45 UTC+10 |
|
Report |
|
Stadium: Melbourne Showgrounds Referee: George Gatt (Australia) |
| 28 August | Australia | 4–1 | New Zealand | Brisbane, Australia |
| 15:15 | Report |
|
Stadium: Brisbane Cricket Ground Attendance: 6,400 Referee: V. Robertson (Australia) |
| 4 September | Australia | 4–1 | New Zealand | Sydney, Australia |
| 15:00 | Report |
|
Stadium: Sydney Sports Ground Attendance: 5,798 Referee: Dick Thorpe (Australia) |
Australia won 2−0–1 on series.
2023
         Australia[15]
|
     New Zealand[15]
|
|
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|
Assistant referees:
|
2025
| Team 1 | Agg. Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | New Zealand | 5 Sep. | 9 Sep. |
| 5 September | Australia | v | New Zealand | Canberra, Australia |
| 19:45 UTC+10 | Source | Stadium: GIO Stadium |
| 9 September | New Zealand | v | Australia | Auckland, New Zealand |
| 19:00 UTC+12 | Source | Stadium: Mount Smart Stadium |
Performances
| Team | Winners | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| Australia
|
5 | 2 |
| New Zealand
|
2 | 5 |
Statistics
Goalscorers
See also
References
- ^ a b c "All Whites to face Socceroos for historic Soccer Ashes trophy this October in London". www.nzfootball.co.nz. New Zealand Football. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
- ^ Rugari, Vince; Bossi, Dominic (11 April 2019). "FFA backing fresh push to find the lost 'Soccer Ashes'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
- ^ Bertram, Gavin (22 April 2015). "Anzac Ashes the forgotten sporting battle played between Australia and New Zealand". Stuff. Retrieved 24 August 2019.
- ^ Houston, J., (1952) Association football in New Zealand, Wellington: A.H. & A.W. Reed, p. 50.
- ^ "Soccer Ashes". Sun-Herald. 5 September 1954. Retrieved 19 February 2014 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "The Soccer Ashes of Australasia". Hawera & Normanby Star. 3 May 1924. Retrieved 19 February 2014 – via National Library of New Zealand.
- ^ a b "ANZAC Soccer Ashes Trophy recovered". Football Australia. 24 April 2023. Retrieved 24 April 2023.
- ^ "Anzac 'Soccer Ashes' trophy found after vanishing for 69 years". Guardian Australia. 25 April 2023. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
- ^ Lynch, Joey (18 October 2023). "Jackson Irvine seals Socceroos win over New Zealand to claim 'Soccer Ashes'". Guardian Australia. Retrieved 22 November 2023.
- ^ Curulli, Chris (13 July 2023). "What is the Soccer Ashes Trophy? Find out more about the prize for October's match v New Zealand". socceroos.com.au. Football Australia (FA).
While the Soccer Ashes trophy was not masterminded and built until 1923, it was actually played for a year earlier. Australia and New Zealand took to the pitch for their first 'A' Internationals in June 1922 in Dunedin, Wellington and Auckland, before a return tour in Australia in 1923. With a well-organised set-up, boosted by the heroics of their captain George Campbell, New Zealand had the edge throughout these fixtures, winning two and drawing one of the first series.
- ^ Gibson, Tim (18 October 2023). "Socceroos secure Soccer Ashes with comfortable New Zealand win". Socceroos. Football Australia.
- ^ "Socceroo Internationals for 1923". ozfootball.net.
- ^ "Socceroo Internationals for 1933". ozfootball.net.
- ^ "Socceroo Internationals for 1948". ozfootball.net.
- ^ a b "Tactical Line-ups – Australia v New Zealand". espn.com. ESPN. 17 October 2024. Retrieved 22 June 2025.