Soccer: Top 50 chance for All Whites

The All Whites have been handed the chance of breaking into the world's top 50 with the addition of an extra game in October's five-day Fifa window.

The already confirmed second match against World Cup quarter-finalists Paraguay on October 12 - with Wellington's Westpac Stadium yesterday named as the venue - will be preceded by a game against world No 46 Honduras on October 9 at a venue yet to be decided.

In a coup for New Zealand Football, three of the 36 teams who played in the World Cup finals in June-July will compete in the most ambitious double-header undertaken on these shores.

Games classed as "friendlies" carry Fifa ranking points and any kind of results against higher-ranked opposition could move New Zealand up from their ranking of 54. A new ranking list is to be released today.

"Matches like these do not come cheap," said NZF chief executive Michael Glading yesterday. While he would not be drawn on the match fees being paid to the teams from the North/Central and South American confederations, he admitted it would cost NZF "hundreds of thousands" to host the games.

It would be cheaper to play abroad and as a World Cup team they could expect a "modest" match fee in some instances. Glading said the national side were likely to next play in the five-day Fifa window in March, with those games "almost certainly" overseas.

He also confirmed that Venezuela were the other team in the equation.

Of the likely venue for the game against Honduras - who drew 0-0 with Switzerland at the World Cup after 1-0 and 2-0 losses to Chile and eventual winners Spain respectively - Glading said there were three grounds under consideration.

"North Harbour Stadium, AMI Stadium in Christchurch and Hamilton's Waikato Stadium are all in the picture," he said. "There are a number of issues to be worked through but we hope to have a decision within seven days."

Given their contractual agreement with North Harbour, it seems NZF is keen to play there but with the financial commitment, the 19,000-seat stadium might fall short of requirements.

Glading said if the game was to be played in Auckland it would be at North Harbour, ruling out Eden Park and Mt Smart as possibilities.

There would need to be quick turnaround if the game was taken to Hamilton as Waikato are at home to Otago in an ITM Cup rugby match on October 8. The other venues under consideration, and Westpac Stadium, are free of rugby commitments at that time.

While coach Ricki Herbert has yet to sign a new contract as All Whites coach - it is in the hands of the lawyers - Glading confirmed that it was Herbert's intention to bring his entire 23-strong World Cup squad back for the matches.