Pacific / Solomon Islands

Sport: NZ bids to host Futsal World Cup

11:20 am on 18 August 2016

New Zealand Football has bid to host the FIFA Futsal World Cup in 2020.

In bidding for the event, New Zealand faces competition from Costa Rica, Croatia, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lithuania and the United Arab Emirates.

If successful, New Zealand will become the first country in Oceania to host the event.

New Zealand players celebrate a goal during the OFC Championship Photo: OFC Media

The Futsal Whites have never competed in a Futsal World Cup, with the Solomon Islands having represented Oceania in the two previous tournaments.

The Kurukuru are ranked 43rd in the world and defeated the New Zealand in the OFC Championship final in February to qualify for next month's World Cup in Colombia.

Television coverage of the 2012 FIFA Futsal World Cup reached 138.6 million people around the world.

Solomon Islands will represent Oceania at the 2016 Futsal World Cup Photo: OFC Media