Wellington Phoenix will return to New Zealand to play A-League Men's games after the NZ government removed restrictions on outdoor gatherings.
The Phoenix haven't played in NZ since May 30 last year and have been based in New South Wales since last November for the current A-League Men's season.
But the government decision on Wednesday has cleared the way for the Phoenix to return home and they plan to host games in Wellington and Auckland next month.
The schedule for the remainder of the season is yet to be confirmed by Australian Professional Leagues (APL).
But Phoenix general manager David Dome says the NZ government's removal of outdoor gathering restrictions is a fillip for his club, currently in seventh position after playing 15 of 26 matches.
"This is the best possible news as one of the main impediments to bringing the team home has been removed," Dome said in a statement.
"We had always hoped to play matches in New Zealand this season and now we can work with APL to confirm venues, dates and kick-off times.
"As was the case last year it's very important that our first game back is in Wellington, but it's also important to us that we play in front of our fans and partners in New Zealand's biggest city (Auckland)."
Dome said his club hoped to announce their long-awaited home matches by the end of the week.
