A fully inflatable football experience is set to bring a new level of excitement to the summer school holidays.

Fun First Football has teamed up with Tauranga Football Club and Papamoa Football Club to deliver two weeks of high-energy activities for children aged 4-14 from January 19-30.

Fun First Football founder Colm Kenny said the programme was perfectly timed as interest in the sport surged following the All Whites’ qualification for the 2026 Fifa World Cup.

“Any footballing parent will be interested in this, especially with New Zealand qualifying for the World Cup,” Kenny said. “We’re giving kids an all-action two weeks of football fun.”

The programme will utilise Fun First Football’s inflatable playing fields, alongside the brand-new AstroTurf at Tauranga Football Club’s Links Avenue grounds and the indoor sports hall at Pāpāmoa College.

Kids enjoying Fun First Football in an inflatable playing field. Photo / Supplied.

Children could attend either a half-day session from 9am -12pm or a full day from 9am-3pm.

Kenny said last summer’s programme attracted 64 children each day.

“All kids need was themselves, a snack for a half day — or snack and lunch for a full day — and a water bottle. We’ll bring the sunscreen and the fun football.”

Kenny said the holiday programme often served as a pathway into his after-school football initiatives, now operating across 12 locations in Mount Maunganui, Pāpāmoa, Tauranga and Ōmokoroa.

“It builds their confidence, so they then go on to our three local clubs — Tauranga, Pāpāmoa and Ōtūmoetai — and create more success.”

The holiday sessions included inflatable football fields and a range of fast-paced games for the younger kids such as Foot Bowling, Tunnel of Death, Shark Game, Big Giant Ball Game and the Ninja Noodle Game.

For the older kids, there will be lots of fun football matches.

“These games are all about kids learning through fun rather than structured coaching,” Kenny said.

“It’s important to make sport fun when they start playing, and not about being the best.”

Kenny has been running children’s football programmes for eight years.

What began with just a handful of kids at Arataki Park has grown into a thriving after-school initiative with more than 420 children taking part each term.

“We started with six or seven kids,” he said.

“Before long, we were up to 24, then expanded to Pāpāmoa and Ōmanu. I found myself running all over the field after balls — and that’s when the idea for inflatable fields came to me.”

The custom-built inflatable fields were manufactured in China and now number four, providing safe, enclosed playing spaces for young athletes.

Kenny believed Fun First Football was the largest independent school-based football programme in New Zealand.

Kids enjoying Fun First Football. Photo / Supplied

He also acknowledged the support of local businesses such as Lone Star, Freeport, CBK and Village Green Bar & Kitchen, which provide Player of the Day vouchers.

Kenny pointed to recent successes at Tauranga Moana FC as evidence of the region’s growing football strength.

“The U17 Girls recently won the massive NZ Western Springs Football Tournament, and the U15 Boys’ won the Gold Coast Premier Invitational Tournament in Australia. These are incredible achievements — the future is bright in the region.”

He said the All Whites’ 3-0 victory over New Caledonia, which secured their place at the 2026 World Cup in front of more than 25,000 fans at Eden Park, has boosted interest even further.

“New Zealand qualifying for the World Cup is awesome!” Kenny said.

“Also, the draw has not been too bad for them, so it really is a great chance to make it out of the group stages for the first time in their history.”

The All Whites would face Belgium, Egypt and Iran in Group G and are expected to play their matches in major venues, including Los Angeles and Vancouver.

With an improved Fifa ranking and a wider tournament format, hopes are rising for a competitive Kiwi showing on the world stage.

For more information about Fun First Football or to book for the January 19-30 school holiday programmes or afterschool term programme, visit their Facebook page or funfirstfootball.co.nz