CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee – At the heart of Auckland City FC’s Club World Cup campaign is not only the football team representing Aotearoa – but a quiet, powerful voice capturing it all from behind the social media lens.
Bianca Tarawa, a proud wahine Māori with whakapapa to Ngāti Ranginui and Ngāpuhi, is part of the club’s media team.
Her journey from the clubrooms at Kiwitea Street to the media zones of the FIFA Club World Cup is more than a career milestone – it’s a cultural statement.
“I’m really proud to be Māori,” Bianca says. “I grew up with both sides of my culture – Māori from my dad and Croatian from my mum. I’ve done kapa haka, I’ve been around it my whole life. It’s something that grounds me, even in small but important ways.”
That deep cultural grounding came to life in a special way earlier this year, when Auckland City FC hosted the Club World Cup Trophy Tour – and Bianca’s whānau helped lead the pōwhiri at Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei marae.
“My uncle did the karanga and kōrero, and my dad and brother, Niko Tarawa, were there too. To see the club I’ve grown up with – a club that’s been a big part of my life – wrapped in that kind of kaupapa was really powerful. It just made it all feel more meaningful.”
As Auckland City FC walks out onto some of the biggest stages in world football, Bianca is there – capturing the emotion, telling the stories, and bringing Māori presence into places where it’s rarely seen.
“Being here, representing not just the club but also my culture, feels like something bigger,” she reflects.
“It’s not every day a Māori girl ends up working at a tournament like this. It makes me proud, and I hope it shows others that it’s possible too.”
For Bianca, this moment is about more than content creation. It’s about representation.
“I’ve learned that even if I’m not on the field, I still have something to bring. Being behind the camera matters. And being Māori in this space makes it even more meaningful – because I know there aren’t many of us with these opportunities.”
Bianca Tarawa may not wear a playing jersey, but make no mistake – she’s part of the team. And for every photo, every social media post, every moment shared from the Club World Cup, there’s a heartbeat of Māori pride running through it.
Ko te mana motuhake e whiti ana, ahakoa kei mua, kei muri rānei.
