NZ Could Host The FIFA World Cup!

New Zealand Is Considering A Joint-Bid With Australia To Host The FIFA World Cup.

The man credited with making the Rugby World Cup a success four years ago has embarked on a project to top them all - to bring the Fifa World Cup to New Zealand.

Martin Snedden, head of the 2011 Cup organising committee, believes the goal is attainable and says the country's success in hosting two major sports events in the past four years demonstrates it has the capability and infrastructure to support such a massive undertaking, though realistically it would be done with Australia.

Mr Snedden, also the former head of the Tourism Industry Association, said he could see a scenario where New Zealand hosted two or three of the eight pools and some knockout matches, with the rest being hosted across the Tasman. Mr Snedden said the first task was to engage the major stakeholders here - the government, local authorities and New Zealand Football - and move the conversation beyond the default position of "we're too small and the event's too big".

"I've had informal discussions with [Foreign Affairs and Associate Sport and Recreation Minister] Murray McCully and [Sport and Recreation Minister] Jonathan Coleman to seed the idea with them," said Mr Snedden.

He had also had talks with Andy Martin, CEO of NZ Football, and the head of Sport NZ, Peter Miskimmin.

Mr Snedden said the reception had been positive, though there was recognition there would be plenty of hurdles to leap. "Those discussions have mainly been to say, 'Don't dismiss the idea. Think about ways to advance it.' There's a pretty clear route as to how to advance it."

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