World Cup Intercontinental Playoff Dates Confirmed

Intercontinental Playoff Dates Confirmed

The news All Whites fans have been waiting to hear has finally arrived.
New Zealand will face Peru in the Intercontinental Playoff and FIFA has confirmed the home leg will be staged at Westpac Stadium in Wellington on Saturday 11 November with kick-off at 4.15pm.

The away leg will be played at the Estadio Nacional de Lima in Peru’s capital on Wednesday 15 November with kick-off at 9.15pm (Thursday 16 November at 3.15pm).

New Zealand Football Chief Executive Andy Martin said it was great to have the dates confirmed for the biggest window of the year.

“We have been waiting for this confirmation for some time so we are pleased we can start building towards hosting Peru on 11 November,” said Martin.

“The interest in this FIFA World Cup qualifier from the media and the New Zealand football community has been huge and our team has been inundated with calls on these details. Now it is confirmed we can complete our preparations and look forward to one of the biggest sports events in New Zealand.”

Martin applauded FIFA who have listen to the request of both national teams and recognised the exceptional travel in this international window for both sides and as a result extended the window.

“I am sure that was not an easy decision, but we feel it was right one. With what is at stake – a place in the FIFA World Cup – we are pleased that FIFA have extended the window by a day and ensured that both teams will have a chance to travel, recover from their jet-lag and be at their best for a home and away qualifiers that will be watched around the world.”

Martin said tickets for the home leg would go on sale on Tuesday 17 October at 12pm to the wait-list and general public on Friday 20 October at 12pm and there is huge interest with more than 10,000 fans already signed up on the wait-list.

“Football fans in this country have great memories of that magical night in Wellington when the All Whites beat Bahrain to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The folklore around that game is huge,” said Martin.

“We want to re-create that atmosphere on 11 November. We need all of New Zealand behind the All Whites as they look to create history and qualify for the FIFA World Cup. We know that when we get to Peru we will be met with a very hostile environment so we hope that our fans can create an atmosphere that gives our boys a huge lift in the opening match of the tie.”

The All Whites have never played Peru throughout their history. New Zealand qualified for the Intercontinental Playoff after they defeated the Solomon Islands 8-3 on aggregate in the OFC Final Stage, while Peru are one step away from Russia after they finished as the fifth-ranked side in CONMEBOL.

New Zealand have been to the FIFA World Cup on two occasions, in 1982 and in 2010, while Peru have qualified for four World Cup Finals but not since 1982, 35 years ago.

The pre-sale tickets for the home leg in Wellington will go on sale to the All Whites Road to Russia Waitlist on Tuesday 17 October at 12pm and to the general public on Friday 20 October at 12pm.

The waitlist closes at 5pm Monday 16 October and those on the waitlist will receive an email on Tuesday morning with the details. Ticket prices will be confirmed Monday 16 October.

FIFA World Cup – Intercontinental Playoff
New Zealand v Peru
Home Leg: Saturday 11 November, 2017, kick off at 4.15pm
Where: Westpac Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand
Away Leg: Wednesday 15 November, kick off at 9.15pm (Thursday 16 November 3.15pm NZT)
Where: Estadio Nacional de Lima, Peru

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