Playoff draw a big factor in NZF plans
"If we get the Asian team and we think maybe we've got a good shot here, then maybe we can push the envelope."
Andy Martin, NZF chief executive
Pencil July 2019 in your calendars, football fans.
That’s when Fifa will conduct the preliminary draw for the 2022 World Cup, which includes the intercontinental qualifying playoffs that precede it.
Then, it will be decided whether the last remaining team from Oceania will face the fifth-best team from Asia, the fourth-best team from North and Central America [Concacaf], or the fifthbest team from South America.
Depending on who it is, New Zealand Football’s approach to this World Cup cycle could change.
Since the All Whites’ playoff loss to Peru in November, which ended hopes of an appearance at this year’s World Cup, NZ Football chief Andy Martin has made a habit of mentioning the 2026 World Cup whenever he mentions the 2022 one.
For the 2026 event, the best team from Oceania is set to receive direct entry. On the historical evidence, the All Whites will be heavy favourites to be that team, so it has become part of Martin’s job to ensure that when they get there, they have money in bank.
‘‘We didn’t qualify for the [2018] World Cup, we didn’t get the $10 million [for qualifying] that would have replenished our reserves, so we’re having to manage our reserves in a different way.
‘‘We’ve got a good programme ahead of us, but if I’m going back to my board to say, actually, I need more, that’s likely to be influenced by [the playoff] draw.
‘‘If we get the Asian team and we think maybe we’ve got a good shot here, then maybe we can push the envelope. We’ll wait and see what happens.’’
Without knowing the country involved, having to beat a South American team would be seen as the most difficult task, with an Asian team the easiest – though still difficult – and a Concacaf team somewhere in the middle.
The All Whites have gone through all three possibilities over the past three World Cup cycles, beating Asian nation Bahrain in 2009 to make the 2010 event; losing to Mexico – a surprise fourth-place finisher in Concacaf – in 2013 ahead of the 2014 event; and losing to Peru last year, missing out on this year’s event as a result.
New coach Fritz Schmid was unveiled on Friday, and will take charge of the national under-23 team as well, ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.
The All Whites have one match on their calendar – a behindclosed-doors friendly against Canada in Spain next month – but it remains to be seen how many more they will have between now and June 2020, when the Oceania Nations Cup is set to be held.
Martin said he would ‘‘anticipate’’ the All Whites playing in at least one of the the international windows at the end of this year – in September, October and November.