Football: Auckland upset the applecart

Auckland City FC 's players celebrate their victory after scoring a penalty during the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup match in the Moroccan capital of Rabat. Photo / AFP

Auckland City's unexpected success could lead to changes to the structure of the Club World Cup.

Fifa were believed to be already considering alterations to the tournament format but the impetus for change will be accelerated in the wake of Auckland's dramatic win on Thursday.

Make no mistake - while the Oceania champion's victory is a massive fillip for the game in this country and across the region and will be celebrated for years to come - it was an absolute disaster for the tournament, the host nation and indeed Fifa.

Moghreb Ttouan's loss has already been labelled a "national embarrassment" but the impact goes way beyond national pride. Remember, Morocco has pumped tens of millions into the hosting of this tournament.

The stadium in Rabat has been completely renovated - and that wasn't in anticipation of a New Zealand 'amateur' team playing three matches there. Local organisers had counted on Tetouan playing at least three games.

Remember what happened last year? Raja Casablanca set the tournament alight as they went all the way to the final against Bayern Munich. The tournament had huge crowds and was hailed as one of the best Club World Cups ever.

In 120 minutes on Thursday, dreams of any repeat died a sudden, dramatic death.

Now this football-mad nation hosts a tournament with dramatically reduced local support and media interest, with the impending arrival of the Real Madrid megastars the only consolation.

Fifa surely can't take the risk of this happening again. The host nation's performance is critical to the success of any tournament, and having them disappear through a trapdoor before the event is properly underway is a disaster.

One future scenario is the involvement of two teams from the host nation to spread the risk and maintain local interest for a longer period.

Auckland's heroics may have also changed the destiny for Oceania teams. Instead of a straight knockout event, a group system might be put in place. It would mean all teams are guaranteed at least two games, and the European and South American representatives would still enter the event at the semifinal stage.