Te Matatini has introduced a new draw format following a review by its National Board, aiming to make the national kapa haka competition as fair and balanced as possible.
The draw to determine when and where each group will perform at Te Matatini o Ngā Taniwha will be revealed on Saturday, marking the next major milestone on the road to next year’s national festival Hopuhopu.
The announcement follows months of regional qualifying competitions across Aotearoa and Australia, where fifty-seven rōpū earned their places after competing in 12 regional events in Aotearoa and one across the Tasman.
During the live event, each group will discover their allocated section, the day they perform, and their performance order in the preliminary rounds.
A revamped draw system for fairness
Following a review of the competition programme by the National Board, Te Matatini has introduced a revised draw format to strengthen fairness, balance, and consistency:
Top 12 Teams: The highest-ranked kapa from the 2025 festival are spread evenly across the four pools based on their final placings, preventing top-tier groups from being clustered together.
Placings 13th to 20th: These groups are then allocated across the pools to maintain competitive balance.
Remaining 37 teams: The remaining kapa are placed into the pools through a random draw.
Performance order: Once pools are set, a separate draw decides the exact order in which each kapa performs within its group.
In a statement, Te Matatini chair Tā Herewini Parata highlighted the significance of the upcoming reveal.
“Qualifying for Te Matatini is an extraordinary achievement, earned through months of dedication, discipline and collective effort. The live draw marks the moment the festival truly comes to life,” says Parata. “It gives kapa the opportunity to begin preparing with certainty as they look ahead to the competition and discover who they will face in their section as they strive to reach the finals.”
Event and broadcast details
Hosted by Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po, the event will take place at Tūrangawaewae Marae starting at 10:00 am. Broadcaster Julian Wilcox will host the proceedings alongside host iwi representatives Pania Papa and Rahui Papa.
Supporters across Aotearoa and around the world can watch the live broadcast on Te Ao Māori News platforms, Māori+, TVNZ+, Official Te Matatini, and Kingitanga social media channels.
