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New Zealand Football could lose as much as $500,000 if the All Whites are forced to play their 'home' World Cup qualifier against Fiji at a neutral venue.
The national body admitted on Friday they would lose more than $200,000 after yesterday's opening game was called off over the refusal by the New Zealand Government to issue Fijian goalkeeper Simione Tamanisau a visa.
When the cost of lost gate earnings at a neutral venue and assembling the All Whites together again for another fixture are taken into consideration, NZF chief executive Graham Seatter said the total losses would be close to $500,000.
"That's money we can't afford because our cashflow is tight," he said. "The irony is that this is about sanctions against Fiji but they have been advantaged and we have been severely disadvantaged by what has happened.
"We had banked on a good gate return from this game and now we have a lot of costs to pay over the next week or two, like hotel bills and ticket refunds and I'm not sure how we are going to make them. Something needs to give because there are some risks to us as an organisation."
Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has said the Government would consider compensating NZF, although it's not known how much of the shortfall they would meet. Peters was unavailable for comment yesterday.
Peters brought up the issue of compensation without being prompted, leading to speculation that the Government were willing to let the situation unfold because their tough stance could be a vote winner.
Seatter will also seek compensation from Fifa when he visits Europe next week but it's highly unlikely they would help out.
NZF are in a sticky situation financially. They have recorded losses each of the past three years since Seatter was appointed and it was his "No 1" objective for the national body to at least break even this financial year.
While these losses won't tip them over the edge, it will plunge them deeper into the red. They were $450,000 in debt at the end of the last financial year in December.
NZF will have to make significant cuts in their spending if they're not compensated. Deciding not to send teams overseas was one option,although Seatter said jobs would not be lost.
Fifa want the situation over replaying the match resolved by the end of the month.
They will approach the Government and ask them to reconsider their stance on issuing the visa to Tamanisau but the present Government aren't likely to budge.
Although Fiji strongly lobbied Fifa to be awarded the points from yesterday's cancelled match, the world body said New Zealand had been punished enough.
It means the match will more than likely be played at a neutral venue. Oceania general secretary Tai Nicholas said it would need to be played within the confederation, which rules out Australia. Noumea appears the most likely venue.
The events of the past two days have handed Fiji an edge in the World Cup qualifiers and there will beextra tension to what already shaped as a spicy fixture on Wednesdayin Lautoka.
The All Whites have raised concerns over their safety in what they see as a hostile environment, which has prompted Fifa to step up security.
Nicholas said they will be given 24-hour security at their hotel when they arrive on Tuesday, as well as a police escort to the ground and additional closed-off areas at the stadium.
Yesterday, a first-choice All Whites side beat the reserves and a handful of NZFC players 5-3 at an empty North Harbour Stadium.
It wasn't the game they had hoped to win but they are now determined to get their campaign off to a good start on Wednesday.
