Soccer: All Whites to keep white strip for Cup

The All Whites will remain the All Whites.

The NZ Football board has agreed white will remain the primary colour for all New Zealand teams but black will be the alternative.

In welcoming the decision of his board members, chairman Frank van Hattum said it was a "non-issue" arising from what he saw as an oversight when organisers of next month's Confederations Cup in South Africa were informed the New Zealand strip would be black with white as the alternative.

"No one gave it any thought at the time," said van Hattum. "It just grew from there. White is our official strip. We have had blue as an alternate in the past. No one liked that so by bringing in black I feel we have made everyone happy." It is likely the All Whites will play in black at least twice in their six matches in Africa starting with next week's friendly in Tanzania.

Van Hattum and NZF chief executive Michael Glading last night flew out for the Fifa congress in the Bahamas where most New Zealand interest will centre on the draw for the World Cup playoffs between the Oceania winner (New Zealand) and the yet-to-be-determined fifth-placed Asian team.

"The draw will ascertain who has home advantage for the first game in October," said van Hattum.

"In terms of the best gate return, administrators will always want home advantage first whereas most coaches prefer to play away first. We can't do anything about it. The priority is, and always has been, to qualify."

On their return van Hattum and Glading should have a clearer picture of the likely format and makeup of the 2009-10 NZ Football Championship.

Glading yesterday sent a memo to the eight incumbent franchises outlining various proposals.

The most debated is likely to be the move to include a Wellington Phoenix reserve/academy team in the NZFC.

"That is an option," said Glading. "But for it to happen all incumbent clubs would have to agree."

Even if there is universal acceptance, there may well remain issues surrounding the registration of players who could be deemed as professionals playing in an amateur competition.

If the club is accepted, the NZFC will host nine teams.

"It would not be fair to bring in another club for just one year," said Glading.

"We would go with nine and probably have to bring the start date forward from November to October to accommodate them." The final is scheduled for April 11.

The coming season is the last under the current agreement. Any changes beyond this season are expected to be in front of clubs before the start of the 2009-10 season.