Millions on the line for Socceroos

It’s not just pride and reputation that is on the line when the Socceroos take on Syria in a Fifa World Cup qualifier in Malaysia this week.

For Football Federation Australia, a massive financial hit to the sport’s bottom line also looms if the national team does not qualify for the World Cup in Russia next year.

All teams that make the World Cup get US$2 million (NZ$2.8m) from Fifa to prepare for the tournament, and a further US$10m (NZ$13.9m) for competing in the group stage.

Given Australia’s current ranking as world No 50 and history in the competition, that is as far as they would be seeded or expected to get. New Zealand’s All Whites, the Oceania champions, were the world No 113.

However, if coach Ange Postecoglou can get Australia to the World Cup and they match the feats of Guus Hiddink’s side in

2006 who made the knockout stages, then a further US$2m (NZ$2.8m) would fall into the FFA’s coffers.

FFA chief executive David Gallop concedes that the stakes are high in all areas, including the bottom line, as FFA’s turnover for the fiscal year which ended June

30 2016 was A$103.5m (NZ$112.6m), resulting in a loss of A$387,000 (NZ$420,000).

‘‘We normally budget for both scenarios, qualification and nonqualification. If we make it there are significant costs associated with team assembly and the costs of participation in the tournament but it’s still a very healthy net result, and clearly it also has financial halo-type effects,’’ said Gallop.

It is believed that payments to players, and the cost of getting coaches and staff to a World Cup amounts to around A$6m or A$7m, so the shortfall could be as much as A$5m if the Socceroos do not make it.

They must get past Syria in their two-game playoff series, and a final playoff in November against a Central or North American country.

But the reputation of the game itself could take a hit if the Socceroos fail to make it, having reached the World Cup in 2006 (Germany), 2010 (South Africa) and 2014 (Brazil).