Sam Lonergan of Mellons Bay already has tickets to the semifinal and final next month. Photo / Nick Reed
Sam Lonergan of Mellons Bay already has tickets to the semifinal and final next month. Photo / Nick Reed
20,000 tickets already sold for tomorrow’s game between New Zealand and Ukraine.
Auckland football fanatic Sam Lonergan will be one of thousands of youngsters to pour into North Harbour Stadium tomorrow for the opening game of the Fifa U-20 World Cup.
Yesterday Fifa said more than 20,000 - or 80 per cent - of the 25,000 tickets had been sold for tomorrow afternoon's opener between New Zealand and Ukraine, and so far 200,000 tickets had been snapped up for games across the country.
Sam, 12, is going tomorrow with a couple of his school friends and also has tickets to the semifinal and final next month.
His football team from Bucklands Beach AFC were organising three buses to transport about 150 people to the final and were using it as a fundraiser for a team trip to the Gold Coast in September.
Like many other young footballers the Herald has spoken to this week, Sam was especially looking forward to watching the rising stars of world football play in New Zealand.
The Bucklands Beach Intermediate School pupil said a lot of his friends were going to at least one of the matches, and he expected a similar reaction to that of the Cricket World Cup hosted in New Zealand earlier this year.
"It encouraged people to play more cricket since it was all around New Zealand and everyone was talking about it. So that will probably happen with [this] World Cup."
Sam's mother, Sara-Jane Morgan, said her son and his friends lived and breathed football every day of the week. "It's just constant, constant talk about football. So many boys want to be a professional football player."
For the past 18 months Fifa has tapped into the passion of this age group and has been running a football promotion programme in 500 schools around the country.
A spokesman for the world football governing body said New Zealand schools were "right behind the tournament". He was expecting young students to travel "en masse" to the games.
Fifa U-20 World Cup project lead Rhiannon Martin, speaking at a welcoming event on Wednesday at Auckland's Orakei Marae, said it was important to notice that football was currently the biggest participation sport in New Zealand and that it was "really developing" here.
She said she hoped the New Zealand U-20 team would get through "as far as possible". "Because I think whenever the home country is performing well then the crowds get behind it all and then hopefully the kids as well - the school kids - can then perform well and hopefully qualify for future Fifa competitions."
Meanwhile, police yesterday called on the public to play their part in creating "a safe and fun" event.
Superintendent Sandra Manderson said staff were well prepared and had "extensive experience" in sporting events of this magnitude.
On Today
Auckland • Chief executive of the Fifa U-20 World Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC) Dave Beeche will be down at the Fever Pitch fan zone on Queens Wharf and Queen Elizabeth Square at 3pm today to talk about what is on offer for fans throughout the World Cup. Activities on display will include ball juggling and face painting.
Whangarei • The Fever Pitch set up in Cameron Street Mall will have entertainment from local schools and performers today. The Whangarei Primary School choir and local band Two Kay will perform.
New Plymouth • Nigeria will have an open training session today at 1pm at Manukorihi Park, Waitara. • Brazil will have an open training session today at 1pm at TET Stadium, Inglewood. • All teams playing in New Plymouth - Brazil, Hungary, Nigeria and Korea DPR - will be welcomed today at 5pm with a traditional powhiri, haka, waiata and hongi at Owae Marae in Waitara.
Wellington • Kids can hit the Fever Pitch fan hub at Wellington Civic Square at 10am. 12pm: A street football match against the Police. 1pm-2pm: Law of the Fireman perform for the crowd. 2pm-4pm: Inflatable goals to shoot at, a photo booth, tickets to the matches and match information. With only one day to go until kick-off there will be plenty of giveaways.
Christchurch • From 1.30pm-3pm today Linfield Park will play host to the German U-20 team, who will learn to perform a haka and how to play touch rugby with players from Linwood Rugby Club. They will also get lessons from some ex-All Blacks, who will share some history on rugby, the haka and the techniques that make a great rugby player.
Dunedin • Uruguay will visit Dunedin Children's hospital at 9.30am today. • The "Fever Pitch Cube Fan Zone" kicks off today at the lower Octagon between 12pm-4pm. There will be football demonstrations, performances and music. 1pm-2pm: "Keepy-uppy" competition launch. 2pm-3pm: NZME. promotions and giveaways. 3pm-4pm: Visits by World Cup ambassador Mike McGarry and the official World Cup mascot Wooliam, as well as a kick wall.
TAB odds
Head-to-head live betting for Saturday
New Zealand vs Ukraine (Auckland, 1pm) New Zealand - $4.25 Ukraine - $1.70 Draw - $3.75
Argentina vs Panama (Wellington, 4pm) Argentina - $1.33 Panama - $7.50 Draw - $4.75
USA vs Myanmar (Whangarei, 4pm) USA - $1.13 Myanmar - $15 Draw - $7.25
