Soccer: Fifa raises Oceania's World Cup prospects

By TERRY MADDAFORD

Direct World Cup entry for the top team in the Oceania Football Confederation came a step closer yesterday.

Fifa has announced that the Oceania champions will have direct entry into the men's and women's tournaments at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

The 16th and last spot in the men's tournament was handed to the OFC following Fifa's decision to scrap direct entry for the defending Olympic champion.

That follows a similar move by Fifa not to grant direct entry to defending World Cup champions after this year's tournament.

New Zealand Soccer chief executive Bill MacGowan welcomes the Olympic move and is confident the same decision will be taken for the 32-team World Cup.

"It is a huge step for Oceania," MacGowan said. "Too often New Zealand and Australia have had to send their teams [as Oceania winners] around the world to try to qualify. Not any more."

New Zealand had to play South Africa home and away in their unsuccessful bid to grab the final place at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, Samoa and the Solomon Islands have entered the 2004 Oceania Olympic qualifying tournament, to be played at a yet-to-be-decided venue.