Soccer: Quake match on Fifa agenda

Fifa are considering a proposal for a World All Stars XI to play the All Whites in New Zealand this year to raise money for the Christchurch earthquake.

New Zealand Football and Oceania have tabled the suggestion with Fifa, who will look into the possibility.

Charity matches are common and the annual Match Against Poverty has seen eight instalments since the first in 2003.

Last year, one in Lisbon involving Kaka, Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo raised US$760,000 for the Haiti earthquake.

Another, involving Zidane and Ronaldo (the Brazilian variety), in Athens in December raised US$1 million.

NZF chairman Frank van Hattum said it was still too early to look into the feasibility of a game but it had been submitted to Fifa.

"One thing that has been suggested is that, when the dust settles, a World XI could play the All Whites," van Hattum said.

"Fifa have said, 'let's talk about it'. It's been put on the agenda for high-level discussions.

"Fifa are usually very supportive on these sorts of things and we might just take them up on that. It's not the time to really look into that yet.

"There's a hell of a lot of human tragedy. If we can do anything, rest assured, football will be in, boots and all."

Oceania have tried to organise matches like this in the past. In 2007, a game was proposed between a Fifa side and an Oceania XI at Eden Park to raise money for the victims of the tsunami that struck the Solomon Islands in April 2007.

Fifa president Sepp Blatter approved the idea in principle but it failed to fly.

In 2008, an exhibition match was played in Noumea between members of the 1998 World Cup-winning French side and an Oceania XI to mark the career of Christian Karembeu, who was born in New Caledonia and went on to play for France.

Former All Whites Vaughan Coveny and Fred de Jong and former Auckland City striker Keryn Jordan played in the match, won 8-2 by a French side containing Zidane, Robert Pires and Youri Djorkaeff, and played in front of Blatter.

All Whites coach Ricki Herbert was in full support of a charity match being played for the Christchurch earthquake.

"That would be a wonderful thing to do," he said.

"Imagine bringing a world team to New Zealand - it would be great - but to do it for something like this would be brilliant. I am one million per cent behind it.

"Given the power of Fifa, it's realistic. I think they would be very supportive. It would be a great touch, especially when you think about where we are in the world."

Blatter sent a letter of support this week to the people of Christchurch in a cable to van Hattum and Oceania president David Chung.

"I have been following with sadness the news of the terrible tragedy in your country and I would like to express my deep sympathy to the people of New Zealand and the New Zealand Football family," Blatter said.