World Cup Windfall Used for Grassroots Funding

The All Whites win against Bahrain on 14th November last year achieved more than qualification for next month's World Cup in South Africa - it left a truly sustainable legacy for football in New Zealand.

By reaching the finals the team not only qualified for the biggest sporting event in the world, but New Zealand Football also received a substantial payment from world football governing body FIFA. A sizeable portion of this windfall is being contributed by New Zealand Football into the Football Foundation - a charitable trust set up specifically to help grow participation in football in New Zealand and promote the sport at the grass roots level that will ultimately help in creating the next generation of All Whites. All Whites captain Ryan Nelsen is patron of the Football Foundation.

Altogether $4 million is being contributed by New Zealand Football to the Football Foundation. The Foundation Trustees will be responsible for overseeing the funds to achieve a sound return through prudent investment which will grow over time. Further contributions will be sought from the wider community to assist the foundationâs charitable aims. Income generated from this investment will be directly ploughed back into grass roots initiatives.

As Frank van Hattum, Chairman of New Zealand Football explains "New Zealand Football's primary goal is to grow the game by increasing the profile of football, through improved training and education, by providing better facilities and by increasing community access to the sport - all of which will add up to a much better experience for more players. To achieve this, sustainable funding is needed and that's exactly what the Football Foundation has been set up to provide.

"We need more money in the game and there is a legacy being created with the launching of this Foundation following on from our World Cup qualification successes."

As the captain of the All Whites, and having recently returned to New Zealand for final World Cup preparations, Ryan Nelsen (pictured above) has seen the effect that World Cup qualification has had on football in New Zealand and is excited to be part of this initiative.

Nelsen explains "when I was approached to be the patron of the Football Foundation I jumped at the chance. Since landing back in New Zealand on Monday

"I've been blown away by the interest in the team, the World Cup, and in football in general. It's great that the Football Foundation has been set up to provide a long term boost to the game and to give all the new players that will inevitably take up football the support and encouragement they need to become the next generation of All Whites."

A vastly experienced board of trustees, from both a business and a sporting perspective, has been assembled to run the Foundation. The board is headed up by Mark Stewart (Chairman) and also includes Sir Eion Edgar, Nicholas Davidson QC, Carmel Fisher and Frank van Hattum.

Mark Stewart, Football Foundation Chairman, is excited by the long term possibilities for the new charitable trust, concluding "the Football Foundation provides the sport with a real opportunity to build a strong financial base and ensure that we can make participation in football a lifelong choice. We need to find, develop and nurture more Ryan Nelsens for our future.

"As trustees we're delighted that New Zealand Football had the foresight to put aside such a sizeable sum which will allow us to both create and support sustainable long term projects that will deliver real benefits to the whole community."

To find out more about the Football Foundation or how to make a charitable donation to the trust visit www.footballfoundation.org.nz

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