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Bringing Ferns home key in plan

Andrew Voerman

New Zealand Football has unveiled its plan to build on the 2023 Fifa Women’s World Cup and ensure it leaves a legacy for the game in this country.

But as it looks to use the event to generate momentum when it comes to growing the women’s game in particular, those in charge know a key factor will be getting the Football Ferns some fixtures on home soil.

Come February, the national women’s football team will have played in New Zealand just once in the last seven years – the 3-1 defeat to Japan in Wellington in 2018.

The Covid-19 pandemic has been a factor over the past two years, preventing the Ferns from benefiting from Fifa’s decision to award the hosting rights to New Zealand and Australia in June last year, but a lack of home fixtures has been a long-term problem. There have been just 17 in the 15 years since 2006.

But NZ Football chief executive Andrew Pragnell is looking forward to the day when the Ferns can come home and give a boost to its plans to make the most of the World Cup – and to having them play at home more often once that tournament is said and done.

‘‘The visibility of the team to not only create local heroes, but to drive the inspiration of all of our young footballers, boys and girls, is so important, and it shouldn’t just be at the tournament itself,’’ he said.

‘‘We’re feeling increasingly confident that in the latter part of 2022 and in early 2023 there’ll be opportunities for home games, and it’s something that must happen and unless there’s further unforeseen circumstances relating to border restrictions, it will happen.’’

NZ Football launched its legacy plan Aotearoa United: Legacy Starts Now yesterday at a function at Wellington’s Sky Stadium – one of four venues to be used at the World Cup, alongside Eden Park in Auckland, Waikato Stadium in Hamilton, and Forsyth Barr Stadium in Dunedin.

It is built around four pillars: Whakamana (power of opportunities), Ara (pathways), Mana Ngatahi (partnerships), and Tiaki (people and places) and outlines an ambitious set of plans.

Two items that fall under the Ara heading are securing regular home fixtures for the Ferns and developing a trans-Tasman series with Australia.

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2021-11-27T08:00:00.0000000Z

2021-11-27T08:00:00.0000000Z

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