Soccer: Beckham returns to New Zealand

David Beckham in action against the Wellington Phoenix in 2007. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Football's biggest global superstar is set to return to New Zealand.

The Auckland Regional Council is expected to announce this week that David Beckham and his LA Galaxy team will take on an Oceania XI at Mt Smart Stadium on December 6.

The ARC hopes to recoup the US$1.2 million ($1.71m) match fee in ticket sales, merchandise and sponsorship deals.

The proposal has been on the table since May but difficulties in securing a second Galaxy game in Brisbane as well as a change of coach and chief executive at the American Major League soccer club delayed a deal until now.

Organisers are hopeful Beckham's wife Victoria might join him in New Zealand but they're convinced Goldenballs will prove a hit by himself.

"We are pretty confident Becks is still big news and would hope that we would get a crowd as big as or larger than the one at Wellington last year," ARC spokesman Lance Vervoort said.

More than 31,000 Kiwis turned out to watch the Galaxy beat the Wellington Phoenix 4-1 at Westpac Stadium last December - a crowd that was a record for a football match in New Zealand.

Wynton Rufer and France World Cup winner Kristian Karembeu have agreed to play should the game go ahead.

The remainder of the Oceania XI is expected to be made up with the best players from the Pacific and All Whites.