Toll Stadium gets Fifa tick

APPROVED: Marion Mayer-Vorfelder at Toll Stadium after giving Whangarei's facilities the go-ahead to host games in the tournament later this year. PHOTO/MIKE DINSDALE

NORTHLAND football fans will find out on Tuesday which country's young stars Whangarei will host for this year's Fifa Under-20 World Cup after officials from the Zurich-based world football body gave the city the final tick of approval.

Fifa U20 World Cup head Marion Mayer-Vorfelder was in Whangarei on Thursday checking the city's facilities for the tournament, including Toll Stadium and the training fields developed at Springs Flat.

Ms Mayer-Vorfelder said she was highly impressed with Whangarei, the facilities and particularly the "beautiful" countryside she experienced driving up from Auckland.

The view from atop the Brynderwyns really impressed her on her first visit to Whangarei, and she was sure the Fifa community would enjoy its Whangarei experience as much as the district and wider Northland region, would enjoy having the U20 games here.

"We are now just over 100 days before we kick off so it wouldn't have been ideal if the facilities weren't up to scratch," Ms Mayer-Vorfelder said.

"But this is the final tick of approval and we are looking forward to Whangarei hosting a successful tournament. We have been impressed with the way your city has embraced the Fifa Under-20 World Cup."

Toll Stadium will host three group matches, with the first kicking off at 4pm on May 30; the second at 1pm on June 2 and the third from 2pm on June 7. Whangarei's round of 16 match will kick off at 4pm on June 11.

A Covec economic assessment report estimated $3.5 million of income for category three host cities such as Whangarei, made up of $1.87 million from New Zealand Football and Fifa spending money in the city to deliver the event; $1.04 million spent by international visitors and .76 million from domestic visitors.

Ms Mayer-Vorfelder had no doubt those visitors would be left with a lasting impression of Northland, while the region would get to experience some of the future stars of the "Beautiful Game".

"We came over (the Brynderwyns) and the sun was shining and it was such a beautiful view. We saw your logo 'Whangarei: Love It Here' and we can see why you love it here. I'm sure your visitors will love it too."

The official draw for the tournament will be made in Auckland on Tuesday, when Whangarei will find out which teams it will host.

Of the 24 teams taking part, so far New Zealand, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Portugal, Serbia, Ukraine, Qatar, Myanmar, North Korea, Uzbekistan, Fiji, Mexico, USA, Panama, and Honduras have been confirmed as taking part, and the final qualifiers will be known by March 23.

Players from some of these teams will go on to become the stars of the future and Ms Mayer-Vorfelder said the tournament would give Northland football fans the chance to see them while they were still playing purely for the love of the game.

"My first U20 World Cup was in 2005 and I was watching a game involving Argentina and I remember thinking one of their players was just awesome. And it was Lionel Messi, who has gone on to be one of the best and most recognised players in the world (he's now one of the top two players in the world and plying his trade in La Liga in Spain with Barcelona)," she said.

"This tournament will really bring the future stars of the game to your city and you will see some wonderful football. This tournament has a very high goal average per game so it should be quite exciting."

The regional co-ordination group chairman, Peter Gleeson, from Whangarei District Council, said it was pleasing to get the final seal of approval from Fifa and all that was needed now was to find out who the city would be hosting.

Other former U20 participants who have gone on to international superstardom include Diego Maradona, Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos, Sergio Aguero, Cesc Fabregas, Michael Owen, Jamie Carragher, Peter Crouch, Marco van Basten, Davor Suker, Lus Figo, Raul, Xavi, Kaka, Andres Iniesta, and James Rodriguez.

The world wide television viewership figures - it's broadcast to more than 200 countries - is more than 200 million people.

-Tuesday's draw will be televised live on Sky Sports 1 from 5.30pm-6.30pm on Tuesday.