KEY POINTS:
The New Zealand women's under-17 soccer team will have the opportunity to test out their World Cup competition when they tour Paraguay later this month.
During the tour New Zealand will play their Paraguayan counterparts three times, between July 13 and 19.
New Zealand coach Paul Temple said
the chance to play testing internationals was ideal preparation for the World Cup, which would be held in New Zealand from October 28 to November 16.
"We'll certainly be treating the games as if they were World Cup group matches and with only two days between each game it gives us the chance to replicate that tournament environment."
Playing as curtain raisers for premier league matches with noisy crowds in big stadiums would also be beneficial, Temple said.
"They attracted crowds of up to 10,000 for South American qualifiers so there's a lot of support for women's football, and with premier division matches on after us, the players get to experience a hostile environment and a real footballing culture."
The young Football Ferns have had previous international success this year, with successive 4-0 wins over Australia in April.
However, given that Australia failed to qualify for the World Cup, Paraguay was a new level, Temple said.
"Paraguay qualified ahead of teams like Argentina and Chile, so this is a step up for us and an opportunity to measure ourselves against a team that will be in New Zealand later this year."
Meanwhile, organisers are calling for volunteers to step up as New Zealand prepares to host the inaugural women's under-17 soccer World Cup.
The tournament, which will be played in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch already has 600 people signed up to help, but organisers say that number needs to double.
Local organising committee chief executive Chris Simpson said people had been surprised by the number of volunteers required .
"There is a perception that because this is an age group women's event it is small fry but that couldn't be further from the truth."
The television rights to the tournament had been bought by more than 150 territories throughout Asia, Africa, Europe and America, Simpson said.
The organisational demands were similar to those of the senior men's 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
* NZ women's under-17 squad to tour Paraguay: Goalkeepers: Charlotte Wood (Three Kings United), Victoria Esson (Coastal Spirit); Defenders: Anna Fullerton (Glenfield Rovers), Rebecca Brown (Eastern Suburbs), Briony Fisher (Western Springs), Bridgette Armstrong (Glenfield Rovers), Caitlin Campbell (Glenfield Rovers), Kylie Jens (Claudelands Rovers), Yumi Nguyen (Eastern Suburbs); Midfielders: Leah Gallie (Glenfield Rovers), Claudia Crasborn (Western Springs), Nadia Pearl (Western Springs), Katie Bowen (Glenfield Rovers), Jessica Rollings (Western Springs), Lauren Mathis (Glenfield Rovers); Forwards: Sarah McLaug hlin (Claudelands Rovers), Hannah Wall (Western Springs), Annalie Longo (Three Kings United), Rosie White (Western Springs), Megan Shea (Coastal Spirit), Lauren Murray (Three Kings United).
- NZPA
