The New Zealand Card Scene Isn’t Just Big, It’s Accelerating!

Card Show Company
6 days ago
3 min read

Pokemon Cards at Card Market NZ — Card Market Auckland at Barfoot & Thompson Stadium, Saturday 6th December 2025

The Growing New Zealand Card Scene

The energy around card collecting in New Zealand has never been higher, and it's not just growing, it's accelerating! Since the launch of our first major Card Show, Auckland Card Show, in July 2024, the entire New Zealand card scene has undergone a seismic shift.

As more events across the country shift toward the card hobby, we’re committed to maintaining the standard and experience our community has come to expect. We also see this growth as a positive sign for everyone involved. More card-focused events mean greater access for collectors, players, and traders across New Zealand, helping the hobby grow, strengthen local communities, and bring new people into the scene.

Card Market NZ at Barfoot & Thompson Stadium 2025

Our Shows vs Markets

In 2025, in the absence of a second major Auckland Card Show, we saw a massive opportunity to serve our dedicated community with a smaller, more frequent format, the Card Market events. We anticipated a popular turnout, but the speed at which it grew was astonishing. Our Card Market events exploded, quickly reaching the attendance and buzz of our original debut Auckland Card Show! This wasn't just a placeholder, it was a clear signal that the demand for high quality, card focused events in the region is immense.

This enthusiasm is driven by the unstoppable momentum of key hobbies. Searches for Pokemon Cards and Sports Cards continue to skyrocket, highlighting the public's eagerness to connect, trade, and collect. The success of our smaller events confirms that the New Zealand Card Show landscape is ready for bigger, better, and more widespread professional events.

Oceania's Biggest Card Show is Growing Again

Looking back, the Auckland Card Show 2025 truly established New Zealand on the global map, positioning itself as one of the biggest card shows in the Southern Hemisphere. We brought together local vendors, grading services, huge TCG tournaments, special promotional items & tons of giveaways; creating an unforgettable experience.

The community's response has been phenomenal. Our attendance at Auckland Card Show more than tripled in just 12 months, rocketing from 1,718 at our 2024 debut to 5,816 attendees in 2025. This explosion in numbers validates that the New Zealand Card Scene is demanding large-scale, professional events.

This local success is mirrored globally, where the industry is seeing unprecedented investment. The global Sports Trading Card market alone is projected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 9.3% through 2034, cementing trading cards as a viable alternative asset class. The rapid scaling of the Auckland Card Show proves New Zealand is quickly becoming a primary engine for this growth in the Southern Hemisphere.

For 2026, we're building on that legacy, promising an even bigger and better Auckland Card Show. But the expansion isn't stopping in the North Island...

Heading South and Beyond: New Card Shows for New Zealand

We are thrilled to announce our expansion down South with the highly anticipated South Island Card Show, coming in May 2026 to the magnificent Te Pae Convention Centre in Christchurch! This huge Card Show will bring the premium experience that collectors expect from us to the South Island for the very first time.

While we can't bring a Card Show of the same calibre as the Auckland Card Show to every corner of Aotearoa, our mission is to connect with every part of the New Zealand Card Collectors community. Therefore, in 2026, we are also entering new areas of New Zealand with focused Card Market events.

Whether you are seeking vintage Sports Cards, the latest sets of Pokemon Cards, or a major Trading Card Show experience, our events deliver on premium quality, community, and excitement. As the organisers behind New Zealand’s largest card events, we’re committed to supporting collectors, players, and traders nationwide while helping showcase our growing community on the global stage.