12 Jun 2014

Phoenix play Perth Glory first up

6:44 pm on 12 June 2014

The Wellington Phoenix will play Perth Glory at home in their opening A League football match of next season.

The A-League draw has been released with the Phoenix playing three of their first five matches at Westpac Stadium.

Their season kicks off on Sunday, October 12th against Perth.

Melbourne City, formerly Heart but now owned by billionaire English Premier League club Manchester City, will be in Wellington in round eight on November 30th, with their new high-profile signing Spanish international David Villa.

The Phoenix General Manager David Dome says the draw for the 2014-15 season was complicated by Australia hosting the Asian Cup, which shuts down the A-League over January.

New Zealand and Australia host the Cricket World Cup through February and March which means Westpac Stadium won't be hosting football matches over that period.

Dome says they're still working on finding venues for those months.

Phoenix home fixtures:

Round 1: Perth Glory, Westpac Stadium, Sunday October 12, 5pm.

Round 3: Newcastle Jets, Westpac Stadium, Sunday October 26, 5pm.

Round 5: Western Sydney Wanderers, Westpac Stadium, Friday November 7, 7.30pm.

Round 8: Melbourne City, Westpac Stadium, Sunday November 30, 5pm.

Round 9: Sydney FC, Westpac Stadium, Thursday January 8, 7.30pm.

Round 11: Central Coast Mariners, Westpac Stadium, Saturday December 13, 5pm.

Round 13: Western Sydney Wanderers, Westpac Stadium, Sunday December 28, 7pm.

Round 15: Brisbane Roar, Westpac Stadium Sunday January 4, 5pm.

Round 18: Melbourne City, venue to be confirmed, Saturday February 14.

Round 19: Newcastle Jets, venue to be confirmed, Sunday February 22.

Round 21: Adelaide United, venue to be confirmed, Saturday March 7.

Round 24: Sydney FC, Westpac Stadium, Sunday March 29, 5pm.

Round 25: Melbourne Victory, Westpac Stadium, Sunday April 5, 7pm.

Round 27: Central Coast Mariners, Westpac Stadium, Friday April 17, 7.30pm.

Wellington Phoenix home game analysis: