Soccer: Phoenix coming to city to face reigning champs

The Wellington Phoenix will play a match in Rotorua against the reigning A League champions.

The Phoenix have agreed to bring a pre-season game to the city against reigning champions Central Coast Mariners.

The Sunday afternoon fixture will be played at the Rotorua International Stadium on September 22.

Events and Venues operations manager Crispian Stewart said they had been looking to bring the Phoenix to Rotorua for a number of years.

"It's fantastic," Stewart said. "It fills our September nicely with two ITM Cup games as well, so it makes for a pretty exciting period."

The Phoenix have never played in Rotorua before and will bring most of their top players to play in the fixture.

Stewart said the flow-on effects would be huge for the area, and they were looking to turn the weekend into an annual football festival for the region.

"What we are trying to do is make the weekend into something like a football festival, with the Phoenix game as a highlight."

Stewart believed this was the biggest football fixture Rotorua had seen in nearly a decade and said it was great for the local football community.

"You are always meeting people around town who talk football and it was something we thought we should do."

He said ticket prices were $15 for an adult and $7.50 for a child.

Wellington Phoenix general manager David Dome said the players and club were looking forward to the pre-season fixture.

"We like to take our games across the country and we have never been to Rotorua before," he said. Dome said there was a good football community in the area and they hoped to get a good turn-out at the game.

He said they were planning to bring their full squad of players.

"In terms of the players, you need to see where they are at before the season gets under way," he said.

"So besides injury, it should be a full strength team."

He said the direct flights from Rotorua to Sydney had helped get the Mariners on board.

"We put the offer out there for all the Sydney-based teams and I think all the clubs came back to us and were keen [to play in Rotorua]," he said.

"Being the reigning champions, Ernie [Merrick] said he wanted the Mariners."

It is expected the teams will arrive in Rotorua on the Saturday, meeting fans and making appearances at community events.

Events and Venues said the main cost of bringing the two clubs to Rotorua was around putting the teams up, marketing the game and other expenses related to the event.

The event is being held in partnership with Events and Venues, the Phoenix, MacDonald's and Waibop Football. An offer will be presented to Rotorua schools where schools can fundraise while selling tickets to the match.