Football New Zealand has announced a $4 million contribution to a charitable trust set up to help grow participation in the game here.
The Football Foundation is funded with money from the payment the world governing body FIFA made after the All Whites beat Bahrain in Wellington to qualify for next month's World Cup.
Trustees include Carmel Fisher of Fisher Funds, Nicholas Davidson QC, Sir Eion Edgar and Football New Zealand's chairman Frank van Hattum.
Income generated from the investment will be directly ploughed back into grass roots initiatives.
The patron is the All Whites captain Ryan Nelsen, who says he's been blown away by the level of interest in the team, the tournament and the game in general since he returned to New Zealand on Monday.
The All Whites leave Auckland for Melbourne on Saturday afternoon for a friendly against Australia on Mionday night before going to South Africa.
