The Matildas' stirring World Cup win over Canada has led to a thawing of trans-Tasman relations, with Prime Minister Chris Hipkins reluctantly throwing his support behind Australia.
The idea of a New Zealand prime minister supporting an Australian sporting team is near unthinkable across the ditch given their largely painful history of losses to its big brother.
Except for rugby, of course.
The two countries have put rivalries aside to come together this month to co-host the FIFA Women's World Cup, winning the bid with a motto of "As One".
While New Zealand were bundled out Sunday night, Australia progressed in stunning fashion on Monday after a 4-0 defeat of Olympic champions Canada.
On Tuesday, Mr Hipkins was asked whether it was time for Kiwis to back the co-hosts Australia, and offered a long pause before agreeing.
"Go the Matildas," he said.
"I'm going to get text messages from Albo about that."
Mr Hipkins hosted Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese last week for annual NZ-Australia leadership talks, which centred on travel and strategic concerns with a sporting flavour.
The pair went to Wellington's Fan Festival and shared a beer during a match, talking with locals about the tournament.
Mr Hipkins, who prefers cricket to the Kiwis' preferred sport of rugby, acknowledged the political difficulty in supporting Australia.
One political editor quipped that his support could cost him the October 14 election.
"Look, there is something in it, isn't there, about Kiwis just backing an Australian team but of course we wish our Aussie mates all the best," Mr Hipkins said.
"It's a great thing for New Zealand and Australia to be co-hosting.
"It's good to see even though our Kiwi team haven't made it any further in the tournament that there is a great degree of enthusiasm and support for the games still going."
Mr Hipkins acknowledged the "long-standing Kiwi mantra" of supporting anyone but Australia, but drew the line at offering support for England.
"I wouldn't go that far," he said.
The sense of rivalry is still strong on the other side of politics, with opposition leader Chris Luxon saying he wanted the Matildas out in their next match.
"I think we back anyone other than Australia," he said.
Mr Luxon's sporting sensibilities belie his own personal view of Australia, having lived and worked in Sydney for five years in the 1990s.
"I love Australia. If I couldn't be a Kiwi I'd be an Aussie, absolutely. I just love the confidence and optimism of the joint," he told AAP in an interview last year.
His deputy Nicola Willis suggested Norway would be a more fitting direction for Kiwis to show their support given the Football Ferns defeated them on the opening night.
"If they win the World Cup we would always have the claim that we beat the winning team," she said.