Fifa's black sheep ready to have ball at U20 Cup

Wooliam, the Fifa U20 Football World Cup mascot. Photo / John Stone

A football-mad South Island sheep has lent his spray-painting skills to help lay a trail of footballs on Whangarei streets before the Fifa Under-20 Football World Cup.

Excitement is building in the city with four games to be played at the Northland Events Centre, the first next week.

Tournament mascot "Wooliam" was in Whangarei yesterday to help council contractors Coastline Markers continue the job of spraypainting orange footballs leading the way to the stadium.

Wooliam said that as a high-country sheep from Otago he was feeling pretty warm in Northland and had been looking forward to the tourney since he was just a wee lamb.

But he had found the spraypainting difficult.

"I was hoofing around town there for a while ... I accidentally painted two windows so I bolted," Wooliam said, feeling a bit sheepish.

In 2011, a footpath trail from the CBD to the stadium was painted Cambridge blue, with Taniwha footprints added in support of the Northland ITM Cup team. Now, the Taniwha footprints are being painted over with orange footballs, and the line painted purple - the official tournament colours.

Coastline Markers office manager Tina Stanton said the orange and purple paint had to be specially tinted at the manufacturer's in Rotorua. As well, care had to be taken to ensure the right amount of paint was ordered.

"It's not like you can go down to Bunnings and buy some more if you run out," she said.

Businesses and schools are showing support for the tournament, with more than 2000 Whangarei school students to attend the Myanmar vs Ukraine match on June 2.

Wooliam was visiting three Whangarei schools this week.

Businesses are also being encouraged to deck out their shop fronts and windows in the official colours of purple and orange. Two prizes of $500 will be awarded by the Whangarei District Council for the best-dressed businesses - one for a business with a window visible at street level, and another for a business more tucked away. To register your business, email mel@fifau20.co.nz.

The council is also hosting the Long Brunch on Saturday, May 30, before the first match in Whangarei kicks off at 4pm. Contestants from TV show My Kitchen Rules will be in Cameron St mall cooking a variety of dishes from the five countries playing matches in Whangarei, alongside buskers and other street performers.

Fifa U20 matches: May 30, US v Myanmar, 4pm. June 2, Myanmar v Ukraine, 1pm. June 7, Fiji v Uzbekistan, 2pm. June 11, round of 16 match (teams tbc), 4pm.