Wellington’s Westpac Stadium has been named as a finalist for “Best Venue 2018” in the New Zealand Event Awards, for its hosting of the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 Qualifier - International Playoff: NZ v Peru on 11 November 2017.
The Intercontinental Playoff (home leg) was the pinnacle event in the All Whites four-year calendar and the final step in their attempt to qualify for the FIFA World Cup in Russia 2018. After finishing top of the Oceania Region, New Zealand then faced the 5th ranked team from the South American qualifying tournament, Peru.
In front of a passionate, capacity crowd of 35,068 at Westpac Stadium, the All Whites kept the visitors to a 0-0 draw. While the team was not successful in qualifying, the event was a huge success for New Zealand Football (NZF) and the wider football community.
It also contributed over $8 million to the regional economy with more than 40 per cent of tickets purchased outside the region, requiring extra flights and filling Wellington’s accommodation.
As the third Intercontinental Playoff to be held at Westpac Stadium, Wellington has cemented itself as the home of football in NZ. The Stadium now holds the record for all seven of the largest football crowds in NZ history.
Said Westpac Stadium Chief Executive Shane Harmon “It is an honour to be recognised for our role in hosting this fantastic event. The Stadium team worked tirelessly alongside our key partners to deliver an event that was both operationally excellent and truly memorable for every fan that attended”.
The winners will be announced at an event in March 2019.
For further information on the NZEA Event Awards, please visit https://nzea.co/awards
