New Zealand Football chief executive Andy Martin (left) with NZF president Deryck Shaw. Photo / Doug Sherring
New Zealand Football is supportive of a bold plan to increase the World Cup finals from 32 teams to 48 from the 2026 tournament.
An expanded club has been mooted by new Fifa boss Gianni Infantino who succeeded the infamous Sepp Blatter this year.
Infantino has suggested that the format
of the competition could change from eight groups of four teams to 16 groups of three.
If that happens, the Oceania federation would almost certainly gain a direct entry into the finals - something NZF boss Andy Martin would love to see as it would provide financial stability for the game in New Zealand.
"We've been lobbying for direct entry into the World Cup for a long time," he said yesterday.
"It's a tough ask to go into an inter-continental play-off in November against, as it stands today, it would against Argentina.
"A lot of teams in the world won't beat Argentina so for us to have to do that to qualify is quite unfair.
"So anything that gives us a direct entry has got our support."
Martin said NZF had worked hard on building a relationship with Infantino.
"We know Gianni well. Our president has been with him this week in a conference in Zurich where this was raised. So we're lobbying hard for direct entry.
"That would give us financial security. That prizemoney really makes a difference in New Zealand and gives us a windfall.
"New Zealand or whoever wins the Oceania group should be in the World Cup. It's a Cup that represents the whole world and you can't have one of the confederations not represented.
Martin also believes the Phoenix will recover from the loss of coach Ernie Merrick.
"The Phoenix run a very good operation and we are very close to them," he said. "It's unfortunate with what has happened with Ernie.
"We want them performing. They're our shop window week-in, week-out for the professional game.
"They will bounce back and turn this around."
