KEY POINTS:
A group of budding soccer players have been selected to appear as mascots in a qualifying match of the sport's premier competition.
Some of the 22 children are cancer patients and others participants in the Child Cancer Foundation's Kicks for Courage programme which encourages kids to get involved in soccer in schools while raising money for children with cancer.
The budding athletes will meet the All Whites before they play New Caledonia in the FIFA 2010 World Cup Qualifier clash at North Harbour Stadium tonight.
They will escort the players on to the field and stand beside them while the national anthems are played.
"We feel privileged to be able to help these kids by offering them time-out from their treatments to just enjoy themselves and meet their football heroes," said Michael Glading, chief executive of New Zealand Football.
"It's also great to be able to reward the schoolkids who have made adedicated effort to help out a worthy cause by participating in Kicks for Courage."
To show their support for the campaign, NZ Football has also offered free tickets to the children's parents.
All Whites captain Ryan Nelsen, who is now in England as the Blackburn Rovers captain, teamed up with the foundation in June to help launch the campaign and take on the role of ambassador.
"Many of these kids have been through some really tough times, so to be able to offer them a fun night and a unique experience like this is greatly rewarding."
The result of tonight's match is academic as the All Whites have already won enough games to top their group and go into a play-off next year for a place at the World Cup in South Africa in 2010.
Despite that, coach Rikki Herbert has vowed to play his best team.
