New documents from the club's liquidators show the franchise entered liquidation owing an estimated $8.2 million, bringing an end to a team that carried Pacific pride and identity onto the professional rugby stage.
Photo/Moana Pasifika
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Moana Pasifika collapse laid bare as liquidators reveal $8.2 million debt
More than 140 creditors are caught up in the fallout after a report reveals the full extent of the financial crisis that brought down the Super Rugby club.
PMN News
Published
03 June 2026, 4:48pm
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The extent of Moana Pasifika's financial difficulties has been revealed in the first report from the club's liquidators which shows the franchise entered liquidation owing an estimated $8.2 million.
The report, released on Tuesday by John Fisk and Stephen White, provides the clearest picture yet of the club's financial position before it was placed into liquidation.
It shows the franchise owes about $4.3m to secured creditors and a further $3.9m to unsecured creditors after shareholders voted to place Moana Pasifika Limited into liquidation on 25 May.
One of the biggest debts is a $2.7m loan provided by the Crown through Sport NZ.
The liquidators say the company has no significant assets available for sale, leaving limited prospects for creditors seeking repayment.
The report identifies more than 140 known and potential creditors, including players, coaches, staff and suppliers linked to the club.
All employment agreements were terminated when the company entered liquidation, affecting between 75 and 80 employees across the playing, coaching and support teams.
The report highlights the club's financial position in the weeks after owners, Pasifika Medical Association (PMA), announced in April that Moana Pasifika would not return for the 2027 Super Rugby Pacific season.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the franchise's future, players and staff were able to complete the 2026 campaign after New Zealand Rugby stepped in to cover wages through to the end of July.
Watch Labour MP Dan Rosewarne's full interview on whether the government should save Moana Pasifika.
Moana was created to provide a professional pathway for Pasifika players while celebrating Pacific identity on one of rugby's biggest stages.
The liquidators are continuing their investigations into the company's affairs and are inviting any remaining creditors to lodge claims by 15 July.
The report has been filed with the New Zealand Companies Office as the liquidation process continues.