I'll stick this here, just for some reminder of one reason why moving to Asia is highly unlikely. No business (and NZF is a business), is going to turn down the upcoming prospect of easy FIFA money (making a 48 team WC regularly just being the top team in OFC), and gamble that easy bet, against moving to AFC with a much less chance of making future World Cups and that FIFA windfall. Though yes with a 48 team WC AFC will get 8 spots, up from current 4.5. But being amongst top 8 teams in AFC, will always be less guaranteed than being 1st in OFC.
On just that analysis alone (never mind all the other stuff, like AFC not wanting us, underage/Ferns teams losing their easy WC qualifying pathways etc etc), NZF would be sadly crazy to try move to AFC. This future 4 yearly almost guaranteed financial windfall will help all levels of NZ Football.
Again I have hope some sort of AFC/OPFC Nations League can be played over 2023/2024. With some meaningful quality H&A games for the AWs. But yes NZF to remain in OFC.
And yeah with no expensive international activity for the various teams, through all of 2020 & most of 2021, NZF actually ended up in a better financial position. But without a 2022 WC qualification windfall, that NZF Reserve will start to decrease quickly (as all teams return to travelling & playing) - unless FIFA give NZF some nice cash as co host 2023 WWC.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/128249468/all-whites-playing-for-15-million-windfall-as-well-as-place-in-tough-world-cup-group
NZ Football finished 2020 with total reserves of $8.7m, matching the high mark it reached in 2013. That figure was budgeted to fall to $6.2m at the end of 2021.
On just that analysis alone (never mind all the other stuff, like AFC not wanting us, underage/Ferns teams losing their easy WC qualifying pathways etc etc), NZF would be sadly crazy to try move to AFC. This future 4 yearly almost guaranteed financial windfall will help all levels of NZ Football.
Again I have hope some sort of AFC/OPFC Nations League can be played over 2023/2024. With some meaningful quality H&A games for the AWs. But yes NZF to remain in OFC.
And yeah with no expensive international activity for the various teams, through all of 2020 & most of 2021, NZF actually ended up in a better financial position. But without a 2022 WC qualification windfall, that NZF Reserve will start to decrease quickly (as all teams return to travelling & playing) - unless FIFA give NZF some nice cash as co host 2023 WWC.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/128249468/all-whites-playing-for-15-million-windfall-as-well-as-place-in-tough-world-cup-group
NZ Football finished 2020 with total reserves of $8.7m, matching the high mark it reached in 2013. That figure was budgeted to fall to $6.2m at the end of 2021.
If the All Whites weren’t to qualify for this year’s World Cup, there wouldn’t be the chance for a major windfall to top the reserves up until the next men’s World Cup, in 2026.
Qualification for that event will only require New Zealand to finish top in Oceania, as the region’s best side is set to automatically secure a place at what will then be an expanded 48-team event, a change that should pave the way for great financial stability at NZ Football.