Delegation from governing body says event ‘totally magnificent’ and ‘really impressive’
Fifa was officially welcomed at Orakei Marae in Auckland yesterday, just three days out from the U-20 World Cup. The delegation from the world football governing body included about 35 senior officials, who were led on to the marae by Oceania Player of the Century and former All White Wynton Rufer. The group were greeted by representatives of Ngati Whatua o Orakei about 4.15pm and after a haka challenge and welcoming powhiri, they entered the meeting house.
Auckland Mayor Len Brown was also at the event. The Fifa delegation included Marion Mayer-Vorfelder, Fifa head of the Olympics, Club World Cup and U-20 World Cup.
Ms Mayer-Vorfelder said the welcome was “totally magnificent” and “really impressive”. She spoke highly of New Zealand as a host, and said the fact this was the third Fifa event to be hosted here was evidence of that.
“You guys have a great track record and we’re still trying to make football bigger and still trying to compete with rugby. Obviously rugby is number one, but hopefully after this competition a lot of people will know more about football.”
Ms Mayer-Vorfelder was cagey when it came to the upcoming Fifa congress, however, and the much anticipated decision regarding New Zealand’s qualification pathway for the 2018 Fifa World Cup.
“I’m really the wrong person to ask this question. That’s quite political . . . there will be a press conference at the end of the tournament with high-rank Fifa officials and maybe that’s the right forum to ask these kinds of questions.
“We are from the administration, where New Zealand qualifies and how they qualify — that’s really, unfortunately, not for us to answer.”
More than 300 Fifa personnel were here for the next month to oversee the running of the cup.
A spokesman for Fifa said the 300 staff members travel to all Fifa tournaments to assist and support on “operational activities”. He said they filled roles ranging from media, security and logistics to competition organisation and referees.
Fifa U-20 World Cup project lead Rhiannon Martin said the organisation had employed quite a few New Zealanders.
“We’ve looked at using some locals, especially to do all of the broadcast. We’ve also got some locals involved in the marketing.”
She said teams arriving were “so impressed” by the welcomes and were looking forward to their stay.