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New Zealand has been touted as an ideal venue for training bases if Australia wins its bid to host the 2018 soccer World Cup.
While there is no prospect of New Zealand hosting a game or a pool in the world's biggest sporting event, Football Federation Australia (FFA) will approach officials in this country over coming months, gauging if cities could provide facilities for training and accommodation.
New Zealand's support would form part of the FFA's bid document, into which the Australian federal government has ploughed $45.6 million.
Hosting all 32 teams in the weeks leading up to the tournament may stretch Australia's resources.
It is there that FFA head of corporate and public affairs Bonita Mersiades sees New Zealand making a significant contribution.
"Is there is a specific role for New Zealand? There is enormous potential for base camps," Mersiades told NZPA.
"Bearing in mind you're dealing with 32 teams who will probably be participating in the World Cup for anything up to six-eight weeks over the period before and during the competition. They not only need base camps but they need training grounds and suitable accommodation."
"I don't think anyone in Australia would doubt New Zealand's capacity to host teams from a base camp perspective. New Zealand has a history and a record of being able to host major events."
Mersiades confirmed the bid is for Australia as sole host, meaning New Zealand wouldn't be involved once the tournament began.
However, she expected it would benefit from a massive leap in tourism around the event.
An independent report projected 1.3 million international visitors to Australia before, during and after a World Cup.
"Even just a flow-on from that into New Zealand, which of course there would be, is enormous."
The FFA will formally lodge its bid by the end of next year, with a decision regarding who will host the 2018 and possibly the 2022 tournaments expected to be made in mid-2011.
Mersiades said there was already an air of excitement within the Australian soccer fraternity.
FFA was confident but realistic about its chances of winning the hosting rights, with rival sporting codes believed to have already indicated their venues would be freed up in 2018.
The next World Cup will be held in South Africa in 2010 and the subsequent edition at Brazil in 2014, meaning Australia will face strong competition from Europe and North and Central America for the hosting rights.
Rivals include Mexico, the United States, England, Spain/Portugal, Netherlands/Belgium, Russia, Qatar, China and Japan.
The Asian Football Confederation has said it will support only one bid.
"We have some very strong competitors out there but we still think it's very achievable," Mersiades said.
- NZPA
