KEY POINTS:
African heavyweights Ghana and Nigeria have won through to the Fifa Under-17 Women's World Cup which kicks off in Auckland on October 28.
All but the three Northern/Central American [Concacaf] teams have now been found for the 16-team tournament.
One of the African qualifiers will go into the Christchurch-based group B and the other to Wellington-based group D.
The Concacaf teams will be known in about a week following an eight-team tournament being played in Trinidad and Tobago. One of the qualifiers from that tournament, which includes the US, will play in Auckland-based group A alongside New Zealand, Denmark and Colombia.
The other American teams will go to group B and Hamilton-based group C.
Meanwhile, new New Zealand Football chairman Frank van Hattum has replaced former chairman John Morris as president of the Under-17 organisation.
"I have conveyed the decision to John and he was very professional about it," said van Hattum. "There is nothing sinister in the move. It is just that Fifa has a certain structure they want followed for these tournaments. I'm sure John was disappointed but he understands the situation.
"The board have formed a sub-committee headed by new board member Peter O'Hara who will work very closely with chief executive Chris Simpson. It is very important there is a direct link between New Zealand Football and the organising committee."
It is expected Fifa will have a full-time presence in New Zealand from late August-early September.
Of Morris' ongoing roles with Fifa, van Hattum said he will continue to sit on the various technical committees.
"They have elections once a year and if the board felt he was the best person to take those roles we would be right behind him."
Van Hattum said the first full meeting of the new board had taken some important steps including the setting-up of various sub-committees and moving towards regular monthly meetings - "with dates set in concrete".
"We are comfortable with the financial position we are in," said van Hattum. "There is a lot of activity at the moment and [new chief executive] Michael Glading has been given a brief to look after the basics and work from there."
