By HENRY MORABANG
PAPUA New Guinea will host the O-League preliminary qualifier next June as champion clubs battle it out to determine who will represent the region at the World Club championship next year.
PNG Football Association president David Chung said PNG has won the bid ahead of other countries including traditional host, New Zealand and Fiji to host the qualifier.
He said the qualifier would be held in Port Moresby while the finals would be determined between New Zealand and two other island countries, Fiji and Vanuatu.
New Caledonia was first to confirm their participation at the preliminary qualifier in Port Moresby.
Chung said OFC president Reynald Temarri and his executive would seek views of the Football Federation of Australia (FFA) to allow Wellington Phoenix to be part of the O-League which will give them the right to represent OFC in the FIFA World Club from 2008.
“We (OFC) are currently seeking the views of FIFA and the Asia Football Confederation (AFC) regarding O-League,” he said.
Chung said in the last OFC executive meeting, the meeting tentatively approved their participation in the O-League subject to certain conditions/issues to be discussed which included player registration and transfer period; co-ordinate dates for O-League, NZFC and A-League; television and marketing aspect; and other related issues.
Chung, who is also the senior vice-president of OFC, said FIFA president Sepp Blatter has retracted his comment about scrapping the Oceania spot in the FIFA World Cup qualifying series.
Blatter was quoted by AAP early this month as saying that the performance by Waitekere United at the World Club championship was disastrous and it would not be of best interest for the OFC.
Chung said Temarri and him had discussion with Blatter during the club championship in Japan which FIFA president denied saying it to the media.
Blatter, who received great backing from Oceania during the FIFA meetings, stated that the O-League will continue with a spot for Oceania team in the World Club championships draw.
Chung said it would mean that the champion club of NSL would have the right to represent PNG at the O-League qualifier.