Stadiums around the country will have a chance to vie for the world netball championships if New Zealand is appointed host.
Netball New Zealand board chairman Don Mackinnon said they had been inundated with venues keen to host the tournament in November.
"From our perspective the key would
be a venue that has the infrastructure around it and the personnel to cope with some of the logistic demands of a major tournament.
"It is only fair for the venues, we think, to give them the chance to put their best foot forward in the new year if we get the tournament."
Auckland's Trusts Stadium, the new Vector Arena and Christchurch's Westpac stadium, which hosted the 1999 event, would be front runners.
The Vector Arena, which seats between 10,000 and 12,000, would be ideal but is still not finished and is unproven as a tournament venue.
Netball NZ would have to spend an estimated $2 million on holding the championships.
Mackinnon said they had held preliminary talks with potential sponsors and central and local governments.
"We believe we can hold a successful event financially as well as logistically ... [which is why] we needed the extra time to give us the chance to get that financial support."
The International Federation have advised Netball NZ that England and Jamaica might also apply and they hope to make a decision by Christmas.
"We are extremely hopeful but we recognise that someone else could step in."
