Andrew Pragnell: New Zealand Football CEO on the naming of the All Whites' World Cup squad, the financial impact

A big day for New Zealand football. 

The All Whites squad for next month’s FIFA World Cup is set to be announced this morning. 

36 players will be selected, each set to receive at least $250,000, and New Zealand Football is guaranteed US$10 million just for qualifying. 

CEO Andrew Pragnell told Mike Hosking it’s a massive amount of money, and a good chunk rightfully goes to the players, it’s a welcome contribution for the organisation. 

He says they’re probably the most international sport in regards to the number of teams they operate, and since they’re travelling around the world constantly, it’s quickly spent. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The All Whites surf for the World Cup. Get named today,
twenty six man squad. Each player's name gets two undred
and fifty thousand dollars. That's the power of football these days.
New Zealand Football themselves get we told you this the
other day gets to guarantee ten million US for all
of this. Andrew Pregnell is the New Zealand Football CEO
and he's well, this's Andrew Morning.

Speaker 2 (00:17):
We wait. Thanks the name.

Speaker 1 (00:18):
I mean, I know the naming is a thing. I
get that, But I mean the twenty six pick themselves,
don't we We know who's going basically within a margin.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Yeah, there a few controversial ones out there, Yeah, I
believe the most who's the most controversial today? Well, if
I to go by the media, goalkeeper is an interesting one,
the center back position. But I think you're right, there's
seventeen or eighteen outstanding there to be honest, all of
them outstanding professionals. But there's a seventeen or eighteen I
think nineteen nine percent of New Zealand would put down

(00:46):
on paper.

Speaker 1 (00:47):
I reckon there's forty eight teams too many.

Speaker 2 (00:50):
Good question, there's pros and cons to it. Traditionalists would
say no, but it's involving, it's evolving a lot more
of the world. Obviously there's a greater distribution of the wealth.
But one side effect is we're going to need much
larger countries to host. So it suits us, that's for sure.

Speaker 1 (01:06):
See do you get used to the money? I mean
ten million uses. I mean in most sports in this
country would kidnap their mother for that money.

Speaker 2 (01:15):
It's massive, without a doubt, and obviously a good chunk
of that goes to the players rightly. So the other
part for us is we're probably the most international sport
in terms of the number of teams, number of teams
we operate, so we've got nine international teams across the
age grade grades. They're traveling around the world constantly, so
it quickly gets spent as well. But absolutely it's a
welcome contribution.

Speaker 1 (01:35):
The three country thing, will it work? Logistics, travel, all
that stuff.

Speaker 2 (01:40):
Well, this is the test, isn't it. And actually in
twenty thirty they have even greater aspirations in terms of
traveling continents. But I think it will look you've managed
to get the administrations across the line. Once we get
past the round thirty two, it gets concentrated a lot
more in the States, So yeah, look, this will be
the great test.

Speaker 1 (01:59):
Good on Iran, Egypt, Belgium. What do you reckon? Do
you target those games or they are what they are?

Speaker 2 (02:05):
I think they are what they are. I think with
the World Cup, obviously the punters have got predictions and favorites,
but you have to go out to win every single
game in this It's a World Cup and they only
came around every four years.

Speaker 1 (02:17):
It's true, Andrew, You enjoy the day, Andrew Pregnell, who's
the New Zealand Football CEO. The team is being named today.

Speaker 2 (02:24):
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