Paul Davis greets Fifa U-20 World Cup boss Marion Mayer-Vorfelder with a hongi at Orakei Marae. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Paul Davis greets Fifa U-20 World Cup boss Marion Mayer-Vorfelder with a hongi at Orakei Marae. Photo / Jason Oxenham
Delegation from governing body says event ‘totally magnificent’ and ‘really impressive’.
Fifa was officially welcomed at Orakei Marae in Auckland yesterday, just three days out from the U-20 World Cup.
The delegation from the world football governing body included about 35 senior officials, who were led on to the marae by Oceania Player of the Century and former All White Wynton Rufer. The group were greeted by representatives of Ngati Whatua o Orakei about 4.15pm and after a haka challenge and welcoming powhiri, they entered the meeting house.
Auckland Mayor Len Brown was also at the event. The Fifa delegation included Marion Mayer-Vorfelder, Fifa head of the Olympics, Club World Cup and U-20 World Cup.
Ms Mayer-Vorfelder said the welcome was "totally magnificent" and "really impressive". She spoke highly of New Zealand as a host, and said the fact this was the third Fifa event to be hosted here was evidence of that.
"You guys have a great track record and we're still trying to make football bigger and still trying to compete with rugby. Obviously rugby is number one, but hopefully after this competition a lot of people will know more about football."
Ms Mayer-Vorfelder was cagey when it came to the upcoming Fifa congress, however, and the much anticipated decision regarding New Zealand's qualification pathway for the 2018 Fifa World Cup.
"I'm really the wrong person to ask this question. That's quite political ... there will be a press conference at the end of the tournament with high-rank Fifa officials and maybe that's the right forum to ask these kinds of questions.
"We are from the administration, where New Zealand qualifies and how they qualify - that's really, unfortunately, not for us to answer."
More than 300 Fifa personnel were here for the next month to oversee the running of the cup.
A spokesman for Fifa said the 300 staff members travel to all Fifa tournaments to assist and support on "operational activities". He said they filled roles ranging from media, security and logistics to competition organisation and referees.
Fifa U-20 World Cup project lead Rhiannon Martin said the organisation had employed quite a few New Zealanders.
"We've looked at using some locals, especially to do all of the broadcast. We've also got some locals involved in the marketing."
She said teams arriving were "so impressed" by the welcomes and were looking forward to their stay.
On Today
Hamilton • Colombia will be welcomed at Waikato Museum at 9am this morning. The welcome will include a traditional powhiri and a tour of the museum's The Beautiful Game exhibition.
New Plymouth • Today is the first day of the Fever Pitch fan activation zone in Puke Ariki (Marae Atea space). The fan zone will be open from 10am with "keepy-uppy" competitions and prizes up for grabs. From 12pm there will be a free sausage sizzle, free face painting, an appearance from official tournament mascot Wooliam, and NZME. promotions and ticket giveaways.
Christchurch • Uzbekistan, Honduras and Fiji will be welcomed at Christchurch International Airport today: Uzbekistan at 10.15am and Honduras and Fiji at 12.40pm. The welcomes will include cultural performances by local kapa haka groups, and local schools will be there to show support for their adopted teams. Radio DJs will also attend to entertain the waiting crowd.
Wellington • There will be an Austrian 'national day' at the Fever Pitch fan hub at Wellington Civic Square today. 10am-4pm: Kids can have a kick around on the artificial turf pitch at the square. 12pm: A fun football game for disabled people (Able 2 Football) with Hutt taking on Wellington. 12.30pm-1.30pm: Five piece band Eb and Sparrow perform and there is a Vienna Coffee vs Wellington flat white coffee competition, with free coffee for the first 200 people there. 2pm-4pm: Inflatable goals to shoot at and a photo booth. • Panama will meet the Wellington High School 1st XI team at 2pm at David Farrington Park, Miramar.
Dunedin • Some players from the Serbian team will be visiting Halfway Bush primary at 12pm. Serbia will then take part in a public training session at Logan Park number one at 3.30pm. During the last 15 minutes of the training (around 4.45pm) they will play a game of touch between Otago players and team coaches and management.
