Moana Pasifika will not participate in the 2027 Super Rugby season after efforts to secure financial stability for the franchise failed, New Zealand Rugby announced on Wednesday. Established in 2020 to provide a professional pathway for players of Pacific heritage, the Auckland-based team’s owners withdrew earlier this year, citing an inability to maintain a sustainable commercial model.
Despite intervention by the governments of New Zealand, Samoa, and Tonga to help salvage the franchise, New Zealand Rugby confirmed that the financial demands exceeded what could be met. Chief financial officer Chris Kinraid stated that the long-term financial requirements necessary to compete were unattainable. Kinraid added that a commercially viable backer would need to generate more than NZ$10 million in revenue, excluding broadcast rights income.
The franchise's annual operational cost exceeded $5.9 million. The New Zealand government, which provided a $1.6 million loan, remains a creditor following the team's liquidation. New Zealand Sports Minister Mark Mitchell confirmed the government’s financial exposure. Meanwhile, New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters expressed disappointment at the decision, noting hopes that the governing body might grant additional time to resolve the issues.
Super Rugby, the southern hemisphere’s premier rugby competition, expressed regret over the outcome, acknowledging the impact on players, staff, fans, and stakeholders associated with Moana Pasifika.
From its inception, Moana Pasifika faced challenges related to recruitment and revenue generation. The team operated under restrictions that limited the recruitment of players from other Super Rugby teams and received significantly less television revenue compared to other New Zealand clubs. The team was based in Auckland and played its home matches on the North Shore, which is approximately an hour’s drive from South Auckland, a region with a significant Pacific Islander population.
Plans to host matches in Samoa and Tonga as part of expanding the game’s reach in the Pacific islands were largely unrealized due to television scheduling constraints. Over five seasons, Moana Pasifika managed only two home fixtures within the Pacific Islands—one in Samoa in 2023 and one in Tonga in 2024.
With Moana Pasifika's exit, Fijian Drua remains the sole team in Super Rugby not based in New Zealand or Australia. Moana Pasifika is the second franchise to fold in recent years, following the Melbourne Rebels’ withdrawal in 2024 due to financial difficulties.
Super Rugby’s structure has undergone multiple changes since its 1996 inception, evolving from a 12-team competition focused on Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, to expansions involving Japan and Argentina, before retracting to a 15-team format. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated restructuring, and from 2022 the competition has featured five teams from Australia, five from New Zealand, and the Pacific Island franchises Drua and Moana Pasifika.