Legend
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21K
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almost 9 years
2ndBest
Not sure they have nailed those prices. 

If both teams are World Cup bound and at close to full strength, I reckon will go close to a sell out. The first factor an important one, for a general football buoyant mood. Don’t forget is a long long time since the AWs played at home, and when will it happen again against the Socceroos, or anyone of real quality? Last chance probably to see captain Reid plus others like M Boxall and Smith 

A few thousand rugby supporters in town maybe tempted to come along. Plus even some travelling Socceroos fans as a novelty, and their rugby team playing the day prior

Can see Eden Park doing some type of double header special price promotion, with the Bledisloe 

First Team Squad
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1.3K
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almost 13 years
If the half way tickets are $84 imma wait till after the qualifier. I'm happy to pay 40ish regardless of outcome of qualifier but for 84 I want to be sure we are seeing the best players and line up rather than the one which is depleted after everyone is suddenly unavailable till the next world cup cycle 
Phoenix Academy
1.1K
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460
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over 2 years
Does it even count as watching an all whites game if you aren't waking up at 4 in the morning to find some 720pi stream in foreign commentary? 
and 8 others
Legend
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21K
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almost 9 years
Nommag
If the half way tickets are $84 imma wait till after the qualifier. I'm happy to pay 40ish regardless of outcome of qualifier but for 84 I want to be sure we are seeing the best players and line up rather than the one which is depleted after everyone is suddenly unavailable till the next world cup cycle 

I'd say most of the AWs would be keen as mustard, to play the Socceroos in NZ. Nearly 5 years since the AWs last played at home, and 10 years since they last played big brothers Australia (basically a once in a career opportunity). With Covid alot of guys may not have seen family for 2-3 years.

Should be close to full strength regardless of qualification or not, being in Sept FIFA window. MLS I see is even stopping for that window, which is the only one (no Oct window) pre WC it seems.

Lewis is keen.


First Team Squad
3.4K
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1.3K
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over 6 years
So where are the White Noise going to be sitting?

Edit - or standing rather
Marquee
2.7K
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7.2K
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almost 17 years
"Grabaseat" says $2,000 for 2 adults and 2 kids. $500 per head to fly to Auckland for a weekend. Doesn't even include a bag. AirNZ might win company of the year awards every year but they're greedy as fudge. 
and 2 others
LG
Legend
5.5K
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23K
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over 16 years
If the AW's don't win their WC playoff game, will the tickets still sell? If they do qualify though, they're part of a big gravy train so why charge "home" fans so much??

We should be playing Aussie every other year for an ANZAC Cup or something.
Legend
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21K
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almost 9 years
LG
If the AW's don't win their WC playoff game, will the tickets still sell? If they do qualify though, they're part of a big gravy train so why charge "home" fans so much??

We should be playing Aussie every other year for an ANZAC Cup or something.

With Asian Cup qualifying, Asian Cup itself plus AFC World Cup qualifying, the Socceroos don't have many free windows in a 4 year WC cycle.

And when they do Football Australia target landing a big fish nation friendly. They have played England, Germany, Netherlands all in the last 10 odd years from memory. Some more than once maybe. They were going to play in the Copa America in either 2020 or 2021 (cancelled with Covid).

They just don't want to play us, in the limited free windows they have. Though if AWs push them in Sept, or even forbid beat a full strength Socceroos they could reconsider. Esp now with UEFA Nations League, meaning big Euro teams will  seldom be available for friendlies moving forward.
Marquee
3.7K
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5.4K
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over 11 years
4 tickets brought already.
Bledinsloe the night before, so will do the double header. Lads weekend away!
Legend
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almost 9 years
Life and death
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almost 17 years
MetalLegNZ
4 tickets brought already.
Bledinsloe the night before, so will do the double header. Lads weekend away!
Phoenix Academy
620
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420
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almost 9 years
Napier Phoenix
MetalLegNZ
4 tickets brought already.
Bledinsloe the night before, so will do the double header. Lads weekend away!
Where did you bring them from?
I bought mine yesterday.
Lawyerish
1.7K
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4.8K
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about 13 years
Footballs coming home baby
Marquee
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over 11 years
3 from Hammy and one from Tauranga.

Fully expecting a sell out!
harrymc55
Napier Phoenix
MetalLegNZ
4 tickets brought already.
Bledinsloe the night before, so will do the double header. Lads weekend away!
Where did you bring them from?
I bought mine yesterday.
WeeNix
600
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920
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almost 9 years
Been watching the Nation's League, and I see League D has an odd number of teams. We should offer to fill that hole in the next iteration. Why not? We're not at a level to poo poo regular matches against Estonia etc. A stipulation would be we can't be promoted, but it would give us regular matches and means there's no gaps in the comp. 
Legend
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almost 9 years
Rusty Dunks
Been watching the Nation's League, and I see League D has an odd number of teams. We should offer to fill that hole in the next iteration. Why not? We're not at a level to poo poo regular matches against Estonia etc. A stipulation would be we can't be promoted, but it would give us regular matches and means there's no gaps in the comp. 

Looks like group stages will be completed in the Sept window, when we play the Socceroos, hopefully in 2 games.

UEFA Nations League is biennial, and some talk that for next edition in 2024/25 UEFA are going to invite the 10 CONMEBOL teams to join. A sort of up yours to Infantino and his biennial WC dream. UEFA & CONMEBOL now have a joint office in London.

The suggestion someone made for NZF to approach CONMEBOL to try for an invite to the 2024 Copa America in Ecuador, is a great idea. AWs beating Costa Rica would make people take notice.
WeeNix
780
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510
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almost 7 years
Why on earth would we attempt to join CONMEBOL when we are not a South American country?
WeeNix
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980
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about 3 years
Rusty Dunks
Been watching the Nation's League, and I see League D has an odd number of teams. We should offer to fill that hole in the next iteration. Why not? We're not at a level to poo poo regular matches against Estonia etc. A stipulation would be we can't be promoted, but it would give us regular matches and means there's no gaps in the comp. 
 
It would be cool to get such regular ‘competitive’ games, but I doubt it’d happen. I’m not sure how supportive UEFA would be of us joining in, though they did allow Qatar to essentially play in one of the 5-team WC qualifying groups. On the other hand, NZF might not be overly keen to join in either, given the teams in League D. The three team group atm is Estonia, Malta and San Marino, which they’d probably turn down. That being said our last six matches vs UEFA opposition have all been defeats, with only one goal scored and 12 conceded. Three of those defeats are 0-1 losses to lower League C teams (including a Lithuania side who lost to the Faroe Islands this morning), so maybe you could argue those League D teams (Latvia, Andorra, Moldova, Liechtenstein, Estonia, Malta and San Marino) are actually our level. It’s hard to know for sure, but I’d guess we’d be a team middling in League C and, on an unlucky draw, possibly bouncing down to D. It might be hard travel wise, but could just leave local guys for every second window or something, to cast a wider net over European/American guys we see less often.

It was mentioned elsewhere that NZ should aim to get a Copa America invite, which could be fun, although probably unlikely as we wouldn’t be seen as competitive or marketable enough for it to be worthwhile. Gold Cup in CONCACAF has had non-members involved, namely Qatar last year, and we’d be closer to our own level there, so that would be an interesting avenue to go down. We’ve played lots of CONCACAF teams over the last decade or so that could vouch for us (Mexico five times, USA, Honduras, El Salvador, Trinidad, Curacao). NZF should seriously consider these possibilities, especially if the OFC Nations Cup becomes obsolete without the Confederations Cup (in the cancelled 2020 version to be held in NZ, NZF weren’t even going to send the senior team). Friendlies will never really suffice as they have no stakes, for the half-dozen games Hay won in the Middle East, they count for the same as all the ones Hudson lost. You could slightly see vs PNG and Tahiti that a hint a desperation came in to get a result, whereas in a friendly vs Oman etc you just ease out a 0-0 draw and try not to injure yourself.
First Team Squad
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1.3K
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over 6 years
Ninja
Why on earth would we attempt to join CONMEBOL when we are not a South American country?
CONMEBOL invite teams from other confederations to compete in the Copa America so that it can be played as a 12 or 16 team tournament (there are only 10 CONMEBOL teams). We wouldn’t be joining the confederation, just participating in their tournament. Japan and Qatar played in 2019 and Australia and Qatar were invited in 2021 but couldn’t play due to COVID restrictions.
Legend
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21K
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almost 9 years
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/128902077/world-cup-windfall-would-help-nz-football-plot-an-ambitious-course-but-it-isnt-win-or-bust

“We're not watching this match wondering if we can pay the bills tomorrow,” says Pragnell. “We are watching this match excited about a group of young men fulfilling the potential they have. That's a great spot to be in. There's only upside for the players and the organisation and the sport if they go through.

“We've evolved to that point. I don't think we were there four years ago and that's down to a bunch of complex matters. Some of that's down to rising commercial revenue – we've raised it 35% between 2019 and 2021 – but equally we've been able to make some savings during Covid.”

When it comes to capturing attention, nothing beats having those teams playing on home soil. It has been a challenge over the years, due to New Zealand’s distance from football’s epicentre in Europe and the costs involved in getting teams here.

What lies ahead over the next 18 months is exciting, even if some of it is still a dream, and that is why Pragnell says he has "seen a fundamental shift in mindset from the football community to what I'd describe as glass half-full".

"We're starting to celebrate the game a lot more. I don't know if it's just a feeling I have or the messages we are getting, but the game feels to be in a really positive space."

That optimistic mood was captured last week when Pragnell stood looking out over Eden Park and declared his intent to see it sold out on Sunday, September 25, when the All Whites will host Australia’s Socceroos.

That ambitious goal would mean selling around 11,000 more tickets for a football match than ever been sold before in this country, with the current attendance record sitting at 37,034, for the home leg of All Whites' last World Cup playoff, against Peru at Sky Stadium in Wellington in 2017.
Phoenix Academy
140
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160
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over 2 years
If we fail tommorow, I think it's likely our friendly with Australia will be postponed to march.
First Team Squad
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about 3 years
Pretty baseless thing to say, I'd like to think they scheduled the friendly game with all potential circumstances in mind. 
and 1 other
WeeNix
1.6K
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980
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about 3 years
Given how the AWs once again failed to score, and the points people made about the difference between OFC and non-OFC opposition, I had a look at all the games since the Mexico playoffs. There's been 46 games since, 16 against OFC, and in those 16 we have 13 wins, three draws and no defeats, with 42 goals for and 5 against (2.6 for and 0.3 against per game). Conversely, in those other 30 we have only six wins, seven draws and 17 defeats, with 19 goals for and 39 against (0.63 for and 1.3 against per game). On average, the ranking of OFC teams when played was 168.8, compared to 68.8 average ranking of the other 30, so unsurprising there's such a difference.

Splitting it by confederation shows how how poor our European record is, losing all 6 games with only one goal and 12 against. Even against Asian teams, where we've had the most success with four wins and three draws out of 12, we average less than a goal a game for and have a negative goal difference. The only positive GD outside of OFC is in three games against African teams, with two for and one against.

63A66C10-4277-4E87-8E7A-5BFB7510BCFD.png 38.78 KB

By ranking, we only break positive with teams above 76 in the rankings. Below that we have no victories, only four draws and 13 defeats. We only break two goals per game on average against teams ranked higher than 151. Basically paints a picture that we are competitive (or at least have been) around 80th in the world.
53FF541F-2DC6-4A95-935E-5B71ED08AF46.png 36.61 KB


Just for measure, I also worked out the all time production of our attacking players that have played since the Peru games and that are still professionals, given how lost it appears outside of Wood at times. (Un)surprisingly, Chris Wood is the only player to have more than one goal against non-OFC opposition, with 13. Barbarouses and Rojas' production is also fairly poor, but that's probably because of the larger sample size meaning they've regressed to the mean more so than the guys with less minutes.
CA3D6888-F615-4131-ABBF-08DD68075097.png 24.67 KB


Trialist
39
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40
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about 4 years
Unreal effort ♥
carlind
Given how the AWs once again failed to score, and the points people made about the difference between OFC and non-OFC opposition, I had a look at all the games since the Mexico playoffs. There's been 46 games since, 16 against OFC, and in those 16 we have 13 wins, three draws and no defeats, with 42 goals for and 5 against (2.6 for and 0.3 against per game). Conversely, in those other 30 we have only six wins, seven draws and 17 defeats, with 19 goals for and 39 against (0.63 for and 1.3 against per game). On average, the ranking of OFC teams when played was 168.8, compared to 68.8 average ranking of the other 30, so unsurprising there's such a difference.

Splitting it by confederation shows how how poor our European record is, losing all 6 games with only one goal and 12 against. Even against Asian teams, where we've had the most success with four wins and three draws out of 12, we average less than a goal a game for and have a negative goal difference. The only positive GD outside of OFC is in three games against African teams, with two for and one against.

63A66C10-4277-4E87-8E7A-5BFB7510BCFD.png 38.78 KB

By ranking, we only break positive with teams above 76 in the rankings. Below that we have no victories, only four draws and 13 defeats. We only break two goals per game on average against teams ranked higher than 151. Basically paints a picture that we are competitive (or at least have been) around 80th in the world.
53FF541F-2DC6-4A95-935E-5B71ED08AF46.png 36.61 KB


Just for measure, I also worked out the all time production of our attacking players that have played since the Peru games and that are still professionals, given how lost it appears outside of Wood at times. (Un)surprisingly, Chris Wood is the only player to have more than one goal against non-OFC opposition, with 13. Barbarouses and Rojas' production is also fairly poor, but that's probably because of the larger sample size meaning they've regressed to the mean more so than the guys with less minutes.
CA3D6888-F615-4131-ABBF-08DD68075097.png 24.67 KB


 
Legend
11K
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21K
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almost 9 years
AWs to lock in some November friendlies, in our popular disguise as the pseudo Socceroos?

Here's hoping. I see players have to be released for the World Cup by 14th November with WC itself running 21st November – 18th December.

Hopefully the AWs can pickup say 2 friendlies in Europe/Middle East pre WC starting. France in Paris & Denmark in Copenhagen? Tunisians could be more keen to face us, as they will definitely be targeting Socceroos as must win to have a chance to progress, and likely won't know much about football in our part of the world.

Group D (Socceroos group) kick off early on the 2nd day of the WC (22nd November), so we maybe lucky to just get one friendly about Nov 15th/16th? Or maybe a 2nd game for some WC team's 2nd string lineup, like AWs 2nd string played Oman only 5 days prior Costa Rica.

Having players available for the AWs could be tricky though, as could be a real mish mash of when various leagues pause for WC, or if they pause at all. Imagine League Two (Crocombe, Smith & Tzanev) for example will probably play through? Maybe same with others like the Danish 2nd tier (Stamenic, Just & McCowatt all play there for the moment). Though that league goes into a winter break around December anyway.

Do see that the final round of EPL prior the WC is weekend of Saturday, November 12.

https://theniche-cache.com/football/2022/6/15/all-whites-vs-costa-rica-the-immediate-reaction

We should also be able to get some decent friendlies lined up around those fixtures. The tendency from teams ahead of World Cups is to try find warm-up opponents who are similar in style to those they’ll be facing in the real stuff. If you’ve drawn Ghana, maybe you play Nigeria. If you’ve drawn Poland, maybe you play Austria. If you’ve drawn Canada, maybe you play USA. And if, like France, Denmark, and Tunisia, you’ve drawn Australia... well New Zealand is close enough.
Life and death
2.4K
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5.5K
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almost 17 years
I really don’t see any need (unless fully paid for from elsewhere) to play any fixtures (except the Aussie match) before the world cup. 
coochiee
AWs to lock in some November friendlies, in our popular disguise as the pseudo Socceroos?

Here's hoping. I see players have to be released for the World Cup by 14th November with WC itself running 21st November – 18th December.

Hopefully the AWs can pickup say 2 friendlies in Europe/Middle East pre WC starting. France in Paris & Denmark in Copenhagen? Tunisians could be more keen to face us, as they will definitely be targeting Socceroos as must win to have a chance to progress, and likely won't know much about football in our part of the world.

Group D (Socceroos group) kick off early on the 2nd day of the WC (22nd November), so we maybe lucky to just get one friendly about Nov 15th/16th? Or maybe a 2nd game for some WC team's 2nd string lineup, like AWs 2nd string played Oman only 5 days prior Costa Rica.

Having players available for the AWs could be tricky though, as could be a real mish mash of when various leagues pause for WC, or if they pause at all. Imagine League Two (Crocombe, Smith & Tzanev) for example will probably play through? Maybe same with others like the Danish 2nd tier (Stamenic, Just & McCowatt all play there for the moment). Though that league goes into a winter break around December anyway.

Do see that the final round of EPL prior the WC is weekend of Saturday, November 12.

https://theniche-cache.com/football/2022/6/15/all-whites-vs-costa-rica-the-immediate-reaction

We should also be able to get some decent friendlies lined up around those fixtures. The tendency from teams ahead of World Cups is to try find warm-up opponents who are similar in style to those they’ll be facing in the real stuff. If you’ve drawn Ghana, maybe you play Nigeria. If you’ve drawn Poland, maybe you play Austria. If you’ve drawn Canada, maybe you play USA. And if, like France, Denmark, and Tunisia, you’ve drawn Australia... well New Zealand is close enough.
Legend
11K
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21K
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almost 9 years
Yipe from another article I read assembling the AWs together ain't cheap. But given about 70% of a full strength squad now play in Europe, the flight costs at least will be cheap playing a game(s) on the Continent. And you'd also imagine federations like the Danish & French would be pretty flush, maybe offering to cover all costs.

Think a fair number of the Tunisian team also play in Europe (France especially) so you could likely organise a game in France, Spain or wherever pretty cheapest.

Don't FIFA also contribute alot of cash to help all qualified countries with their WC preps, so making sure no one is at a financial/preparation disadvantage?

NZF also made big cashflow saving with no International Teams expenditure basically from about March 2020 to August 2021 (the Olympics). So why not spend some of that cash saved back then, early in the new WC cycle? That's one argument. Also I read from memory NZF have increased their commercial revenue (sponsors?) by about 30% - which reflects well on Pragnell & Co.

On every social media platform I've had a quick gander at, the consistent refrain. We want this AWs team playing games more often, and lets not waste the momentum of the last few weeks.
Life and death
2.4K
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5.5K
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almost 17 years
I hear what you’re saying but we have to be careful with the money we do have. Different story if we qualified and had those guaranteed $$$ but we didn’t. Remember after our last world cup, we had Honduras and Paraguay visit, something like that would be good every year.
coochiee
Yipe from another article I read assembling the AWs together ain't cheap. But given about 70% of a full strength squad now play in Europe, the flight costs at least will be cheap playing a game(s) on the Continent. And you'd also imagine federations like the Danish & French would be pretty flush, maybe offering to cover all costs.

Think a fair number of the Tunisian team also play in Europe (France especially) so you could likely organise a game in France, Spain or wherever pretty cheapest.

Don't FIFA also contribute alot of cash to help all qualified countries with their WC preps, so making sure no one is at a financial/preparation disadvantage?

NZF also made big cashflow saving with no International Teams expenditure basically from about March 2020 to August 2021 (the Olympics). So why not spend some of that cash saved back then, early in the new WC cycle? That's one argument. Also I read from memory NZF have increased their commercial revenue (sponsors?) by about 30% - which reflects well on Pragnell & Co.

On every social media platform I've had a quick gander at, the consistent refrain. We want this AWs team playing games more often, and lets not waste the momentum of the last few weeks.
Legend
11K
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21K
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almost 9 years
Napier Phoenix
I hear what you’re saying but we have to be careful with the money we do have. Different story if we qualified and had those guaranteed $$$ but we didn’t. Remember after our last world cup, we had Honduras and Paraguay visit, something like that would be good every year.
coochiee
Yipe from another article I read assembling the AWs together ain't cheap. But given about 70% of a full strength squad now play in Europe, the flight costs at least will be cheap playing a game(s) on the Continent. And you'd also imagine federations like the Danish & French would be pretty flush, maybe offering to cover all costs.

Think a fair number of the Tunisian team also play in Europe (France especially) so you could likely organise a game in France, Spain or wherever pretty cheapest.

Don't FIFA also contribute alot of cash to help all qualified countries with their WC preps, so making sure no one is at a financial/preparation disadvantage?

NZF also made big cashflow saving with no International Teams expenditure basically from about March 2020 to August 2021 (the Olympics). So why not spend some of that cash saved back then, early in the new WC cycle? That's one argument. Also I read from memory NZF have increased their commercial revenue (sponsors?) by about 30% - which reflects well on Pragnell & Co.

On every social media platform I've had a quick gander at, the consistent refrain. We want this AWs team playing games more often, and lets not waste the momentum of the last few weeks.

We won't get anyone near the quality of Honduras or Paraguay to fly all the way to NZ, without paying all their costs, business class. Then you have to pay to fly virtually the whole AWs team into NZ (apart from the small Nix crew), long haul business.

Playing friendlies in Europe is likely a lot cheaper. I presume NZF organised those friendlies post 2010 WC as a thanks to the public & team, for such a great WC for the AWs, and also feeling very flush in the moment with that fat $10M FIFA cheque. Type of cash penniless NZF (or was it NZ Soccer at the time), could only dream of prior.

Finding quality opposition who will to travel all the way down under for a meaningless friendly, and then finding the cash to pay for all that, will always be very very difficult. Even more so now with the different Nations Leagues being set up - quality teams actually available for friendlies are often thin on the ground.

Wouldn't surprise me if we don't see the Socceroos in NZ for another good 10 years. As long as they are busy in AFC, or otherwise chasing some big name teams for friendlies (they tried to get Argentina & Brazil to Aus this winter), we won't really be on their radar.
Legend
6.8K
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14K
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over 16 years
You have to wonder if there would be any entrepreneurs out there who’d want to do something like have a big event weekend where both men’s and women’s teams play and there is naming sponsorship rights, international coverage and perhaps some related festival type events…or a 3 team tournament with Fiji, a bigger international team of the ilk of South Africa or Jamaica and New Zealand over two or three venues and a week or so…
Legend
11K
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21K
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almost 9 years
martinb
You have to wonder if there would be any entrepreneurs out there who’d want to do something like have a big event weekend where both men’s and women’s teams play and there is naming sponsorship rights, international coverage and perhaps some related festival type events…or a 3 team tournament with Fiji, a bigger international team of the ilk of South Africa or Jamaica and New Zealand over two or three venues and a week or so…

Men’s and Women’s FIFA windows have different dates so scratch that. 

Both CONCACAF and CAF (Africa) have Nations Leagues up & going, so very few windows I’m guessing they now have free for friendlies. Pragnell sounds bullish though maybe now more for the Ferns, rather than the AWs re games next 12mths.

There is an U20 mens WC, mid next year in Indonesia to hopefully also get a bit excited about.
WeeNix
1.6K
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980
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about 3 years
martinb
You have to wonder if there would be any entrepreneurs out there who’d want to do something like have a big event weekend where both men’s and women’s teams play and there is naming sponsorship rights, international coverage and perhaps some related festival type events…or a 3 team tournament with Fiji, a bigger international team of the ilk of South Africa or Jamaica and New Zealand over two or three venues and a week or so…
 
I’ve always thought we should try get the island nations more involved. It doesn’t benefit anyone to roll them 7-1, 5-0 etc, especially if we then have to play a Germany or a Spain at a World Cup afterwards; ideally we need the island teams to be able to really test us. To get better they need more games, they play far less than even we do, let alone other confederations’ teams. It’d be far cheaper to bring them here than a ‘bigger’ team, and you could assemble a reasonably cheap All Whites squad by just using NZ/Aus based players. It would get more games here, help the island teams improve, and help get fringe players in the AWs get a chance to stake their claim in a full strength squad. Given the teams could be all locally sourced, you wouldn’t be bound to using international windows, so you could play the game any time during the A League off-season. I’d be surprised to see it happen, but I can’t really see a downside. 
Life and death
2.4K
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5.5K
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almost 17 years
If we cant get a full strength NZ team to play in NZ then I wouldn't bother doing anything more than do the normal qualification games with the Islands and organise games anywhere when building our side for the world cup. We’d love to see the AWs at home but i’d rather save the money if we can’t get our stars to play here.
Legend
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almost 9 years
Given NZF’s recently rekindled ties to ex staff Hudson and Herdman - Canada and USA could be two future opportunities for friendlies if they ever have free window.

Obviously also makes some sense to play a bit in that part of the world next few years if we can, with them hosting 2026 WC.
Legend
11K
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almost 9 years
Napier Phoenix
If we cant get a full strength NZ team to play in NZ then I wouldn't bother doing anything more than do the normal qualification games with the Islands and organise games anywhere when building our side for the world cup. We’d love to see the AWs at home but i’d rather save the money if we can’t get our stars to play here.

Tend to agree. Would have been dead keen for an AWs A League/domestic selection team playing during Covid, especially that short time pre Omicron with the TT border was opened. A game(s) against an ALM Socceroos. Was just desperrate to see any type of AWs team.

But that time has passed. Some countries do operate almost two squads (Mexico springs to mind), one with just domestic players that can play outside the FIFA windows, and the other including their overseas guys.

I guess one time we could do that is the next edition of OFC Nations Cup, if it ever happens again. Without the Confederation Cup qualification carrot, it's likely a pretty meaningless comp for NZ. Especially if it's held in the Islands in the heat, on shark pitches etc. You don't send Chris Wood to that. But yeah why not send like an U23 team, with at eye on the Paris Olympics or something.

If we really want to help the Islands, they will get far more out of NZ assisting with setting up academies, quality coaching etc. The Solomons with likely biggest upside potential (popn 650,000) of the Island nations, opened a brand new academy back in January. Send over some Weenix/Ole coaches for 2 weeks to help out.

Each ALM club being able to sign one OFC (non Kiwi) as a non visa player, would also greatly help. However from memory someone here had a legitimate reason why that couldn't work. But these sorts of assistance measures would help them more than one game against a NZ ALM/domestic side.

Then if a East Asia/OFC Nations League ever happened, and they were regularly playing the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Burma, Laos, East Timor etc in games down at their level, all FIFA funded - that would be a big boost. 

But the Island nations with their generally small populations (3rd world PNG excepted), and weak economies will always have a very limited upside. Football ain't the main sport in either PNG or Fiji - who will soon see their greatest ever player (Krishna) retire. Can't honestly ever really see them improving much. Solomons I feel are the best bet.

We are better to focus on playing bigger fish, to best prepare this AWs group for 2026. With maybe an annual ALM/domestic AWs verus ALM Socceroos fixture in NZ, to give the NZ football fan something, if Football Australia could be convinced to bother.
Legend
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Cool. I'll be in QLD in September.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/129001857/australia-then-what-nz-football-should-look-to-europe-for-all-whites-matches-in-2023

New Zealand Football should be circling
October 9 on its calendars as it looks to keep the All Whites active following their World Cup playoff loss to Costa Rica.

That is when the draw for the Euro 2024 qualifiers is set to take place in Frankfurt, Germany, revealing a bunch of potential opponents for friendlies throughout 2023.

Those qualifiers will include six five-team groups, which means there will be six teams with a bye on each of the 10 matchdays from March to November next year (two per window across five international windows).

NZ Football chief executive Andrew Pragell recently noted that the costs of assembling have grownas the impacts of the pandemic – and the Russian invasion of Ukraine – continue to be felt. Targeting matches in Europe, where the majority of the most recent All Whites squad, plus a number of fringe players, are based, would be a way to keep them down.

The first match will be in Australia on Thursday, September 22, with Brisbane mooted as a venue by the Sydney Morning Herald on Friday, and the second will be played at Eden Park in Auckland, on Sunday, September 25.

All Whites fixtures – the road ahead
Thursday, September 22, 2022: v Australia in Australia, venue to be confirmed
Sunday, September 25, 2022: v Australia at Eden Park, Auckland
March 20-28, 2023: Two-match international window
June 12-20, 2023: Two-match international window
September 4-12, 2023: Two-match international window
October 9-17, 2023: Two-match international window
November 13-21, 2023: Two-match international window
March 18-26, 2024: Two-match international window
June 2024: Oceania Nations Cup (to be confirmed)

Legend
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Starting XI
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Given all football stops for the WC but were not a part of it, I'd like to see NZF try and arrange some kind of friendly then, be it in NZ or Europe (London ideally).  No excuses about club commitments etc and there will be a lot of nations free to play, all wishing to be in the spotlight instead of those in Qatar.
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Marto
Given all football stops for the WC but were not a part of it, I'd like to see NZF try and arrange some kind of friendly then, be it in NZ or Europe (London ideally).  No excuses about club commitments etc and there will be a lot of nations free to play, all wishing to be in the spotlight instead of those in Qatar.

Makes alot of sense, and plenty of quality teams around who didn’t make Qatar. Always is with a WC limited to 32 teams.

Big question is do FIFA allow non qualified nations to play friendlies during the big dance? They and all their corporate sponsors may not be keen on 60M Italians more interested in watching the Azurri play a friendly against Colombia in Rome, rather than happenings in Qatar. Likewise the 50M Colombians and so forth.

Edit - actually see that Iceland are down to play a friendly against Saudi Arabia on 6th Nov. Presumably a domestic based Icelandic team, as all the big Euro leagues won't finish until weekend 12th-13th Nov. 

AWs could play say Tunisia in nearby Marbella about 16th Nov, then over to Iceland on Easy Jet about 20th for a game day before the WC kicks off.
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To save anyone having to join up to SMH I'll copy the article below. Was from June 16th, but seems first Socceroos v All Whites game will be somewhere in Aussie, 22nd September, then across to Auckland for game 2.

Think Socceroos will struggle to cram in 2-3 friendlies in, before their first WC game 22nd Nov. That's based on most Euro leagues not stopping until Nov 12-13th. I guess lots of club verus country talks to be had.

Hopefully is an opportunity for the AWs to play the Tunisians, Danes or French in a pre WC warmup(s).

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/new-zealand-likely-opponent-for-socceroos-world-cup-farewell-20220616-p5au9f.html


Socceroos’ supporters will likely have one chance to watch the team play on home soil before travelling to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with the team set to play New Zealand in September.

Australia will play a two-game series against their cross-Tasman rivals in the next FIFA international window as part of the Socceroos’ centenary celebrations.

While a venue for the first game is yet to be decided, the Herald can confirm it will take place in Australia on September 22 before a return match at Auckland’s Eden Park on September 25.

Football Australia chief James Johnson confirmed the series will likely be the only games the Socceroos play in the September window.

“We know we are going to play a game in New Zealand,” he said. “We’ll announce another game against New Zealand here in Australia very soon. That will be a key window for us because the next window for us will be the window that leads into the World Cup in November.”

Despite the temptation to harness the public frenzy surrounding the World Cup side, Johnson all but ruled out a specific farewell match in November for the side that will travel to Qatar.

The timing of the World Cup - which this year falls in the middle of the European leagues’ season - will make it difficult for the final 23-man squad to start their preparations on home soil.

National team sources suggest the preference is for the Socceroos to go into camp closer to Qatar at a venue that is logistically convenient for players arriving from Europe, Asia and Australia.

Australia has customarily had a farewell match for World Cup sides, hosting Uruguay in 1974, Greece in 2006, New Zealand in 2010 and South Africa four years later. Only before the 2018 World Cup in Russia did Australia not have a farewell match.

“I think we will treat the matches against New Zealand as a farewell match. It will be a specially important match because in those matches we are going to be celebrating the 100-year birthday of the Socceroos,” Johnson said.

“The matches against New Zealand will be a celebration of a fantastic 100 years of Socceroos history, and also let’s farewell and wish the boys all the best going into Qatar.”

Brisbane was touted as a possible venue for the Socceroos’ home match against New Zealand. It’s understood Football Australia remains in discussions with other state governments and venues about hosting the centenary celebrations.

Australia will play two or three warm-up games in November before the World Cup. Those games will almost certainly be played abroad with opponents selected on how it would best prepare the Socceroos for their group D opponents; France, Tunisia and Denmark.

Australia’s coach Graham Arnold will have a significant influence in deciding friendly opponents, venues and scheduling in the November window.

“In relation to the November window, it’s something we have to sit down and discuss with Graham and the high-performance team as we plan the journey leading into the World Cup in Qatar,” Johnson said.

Sources close to the national team informed the Herald the Socceroos will likely wear a custom kit of light blue and maroon to honour the uniform worn by the first Socceroos. That kit bore the colours of NSW and Queensland, the states where the first Socceroos came from.

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