Hopes still high for Fifa tournament games

The Dunedin football community still hopes the city will get a shot at hosting some 2015 Fifa Under-20 World Cup games.

Football South chairman Dougal McGowan said Football South was working hard to get the tournament to Dunedin.

Mr McGowan said he was in the ''question and answer time'' when Dunedin city councillors debated the bid behind closed doors last week.

After the meeting, he remained positive that the tournament could be hosted in Dunedin.

''It will be a fantastic event to have in town. Not only for football, but for the town itself.''

The councillors had made a resolution at the meeting, he said.

''I understand they passed a resolution but I don't know what that was.''

Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull said the council had ''nothing to report at the moment'' about any progress on a deal to get games played in the city.

It was confirmed last month the council had abandoned its official bid, amid concerns the cost of hosting matches would outweigh any economic benefits arising from the tournament.

However, Fifa officials were still considering whether to stage matches at the city's stadium, which had been offered for use at ''no or minimal cost'' to the council, Mr Cull said at the time.

- shawn.mcavinue@odt.co.nz