NEWCASTLE councillors have given the campaign for Newcastle to host a Socceroos World Cup match a kick along by voting to support a bid by the city.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley sparked the push in April when he wrote to Premier Mike Baird and Football Federation Australia (FFA) calling for Newcastle to get the World Cup qualifying match against the United Arab Emirates (UAE), scheduled for March 28, 2017.
Both the Premier and FFA chief executive David Gallop responded positively to the call, with Mr Gallop saying the FFA would give a Newcastle bid consideration if the city were to "mount a strong case with the right level of government support”.
Cr Tim Crakanthorp successfully moved on Tuesday that Newcastle council write to the Premier and FFA in support of the Newcastle bid, noting that Hunter Stadium hosted a match between the two sides in January 2015 as part of the Asian Cup.
“Newcastle has become the alternative city to host large-scale events in NSW … with its ability to provide gold-class facilities and amenities,” he said.