Memories of the All Whites’ dramatic win over Bahrain in 2009 to make the football World Cup have played a pivotal role in Wellington winning November’s intercontinental playoff.

After a lengthy process, New Zealand Football has opted to play this year’s fixture in the capital, ahead of Auckland.

They’ve given Westpac Stadium the nod, with Eden Park eventually overlooked after months of consideration.

NZF Chairman Frank van Hattum says Wellington has the added bit of nostalgia from the win over Bahrain.

“There’s a number of other criteria that Grant and the sub-committee worked through, and I think it’s the right thing to do.

“We’ve got to give ourselves the best chance.”

van Hattum says they assessed on numerous criteria.

“Probably the tipping point at the end of all of that was that little bit of memory, that little bit of nostalgia, that Wellington did produce back then.

“And if that can give the players that little bit of extra, then it’ll be a great decision.”

All Whites defender Ben Sigmund says it’ll make a big difference.

“That game against Bahrain I think it’s probably one of the best sporting moments ever, and we want to try and repeat that and it’d be great to do it again in Wellington.

“I think we’ve always wanted it there. So that’s very, very important to us.”

Sigmund says it’s what the players all wanted.

“We were all desperate for it to be in Wellington but we had to go through the process to obviously make sure everyone was happy and there was a few things to weigh up.

“Obviously I think it should’ve always been the decision was Wellington.”

New Zealand plays the fourth-ranked CONCACAF side on November 20th, likely to be either Panama or Honduras.

Photo: Photosport