KEY POINTS:
The All Whites' World Cup aspirations received a boost with yesterday's Fifa rankings catapulting them a record 57 places to 54th on the October list.
While the ranking itself is important when New Zealand Football and coach Ricki Herbert go looking for friendlies ahead of next year's Confederations
Cup in South Africa, the most telling statistic comes when comparing the national side with likely opponents in the much-anticipated clash with the fifth-best Asian country for the last place in the 2010 World Cup.
Only Japan (32), Australia (34), Iran (48) and Saudi Arabia (51) are ranked higher than New Zealand. Early pace-setters in the Asian playoffs, Qatar (four points from two games in group one) and Korea DPR (also four points from two games) are ranked 78th and 116th respectively.
With Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia and Korea Republic (ranked a place below New Zealand) considered the most likely to claim the four automatic qualifying spots, the All Whites could be pitched against countries like Qatar and Korea DPR, with victory against either not out of the question.
In surging from 111 to 54 - on the back of home and away wins over New Caledonia - New Zealand were the biggest movers of the 201 countries on the latest ranking list.
In reaching 54, New Zealand are just below their highest ranking of 47th (in August 2002). By September last year that had fallen to 156 - their lowest ranking since the list was first released in August 1993. It has been a remarkable turnaround with Herbert now fully aware that victory against Fiji next month could take the All Whites back into the top 50.
"The new ranking adds a quality profile to the team and in that respect it's a timely rise given the draw for the Confederations Cup is on November 22," said Herbert. "We may be seen as ideal opposition through Asia now. It also shows the importance of the results in our qualifying campaign with the weightings on them."
* With the start of the New Zealand Football Championship just a month ago, cracks are starting to appear with Team Wellington's entry apparently under real threat following failure to generate the necessary funds.
The $65,000 entry fee is not a stumbling point for most of the eight franchises, but the associated costs which are many times that has some clubs considering their futures.