WC 2010 cash goal for New Zealand

Rory Fallon's goal could be worth millions to New Zealand Football

The finances of New Zealand Football (NZF) look set for a boost after the country reached the World Cup finals for the second time in their history.

The All-Whites booked their place with victory over Bahrain in their qualifying play-off second leg.

And they are set to net about NZ$10m ($7.43m; £4.45m) for qualifying for next year's finals in South Africa.

Talks with potential sponsors should also now kick on after they qualified for the first time since 1982.

The nation booked their place after Rory Fallon's header gave them a 1-0 victory over Bahrain in their Asia-Oceania playoff in Wellington on Saturday.

Long term strategies

"We were cautious about having a big windfall and going crazy [because] you've got a lot of money and you can create a lot of short-term activity and then the money runs out," NZF chief executive Michael Glading told Reuters.

"We're very much thinking about long term."

Although the exact amount of cash the football association will get from world football governing body Fifa has not been determined at present, the country is budgeting for a NZ$10m windfall.

And on sponsorship, Mr Glading said there were some firms which had been waiting on the sidelines to see if New Zealand would qualify, and were now poised to launch new discussions.

"All the way through this process we have tried not to build a future based on winning one match so we have been... talking about a long-term association, not just quick cash injections.

"Those days are over - it's about forming a longer term alliance with three or four organisations."