All Whites miss out on March international

The All Whites have confirmed they won't play an international game in the March window after being unable to secure "suitable opposition".

New Zealand will compete in the OFC Nations Cup in Papua New Guinea which starts in May, and New Zealand Football (NZF) are disappointed they weren't able to schedule a game beforehand.

It means the All Whites won't have played an international since November when they beat Oman 1-0 in Muscat.

Coach Anthony Hudson's squad will instead assemble for a two-week training camp in Australia ahead of the departure to Papua New Guinea.

NZF chief executive Andy Martin said they were disappointed they couldn't produce a workable result.

"We have worked exceptionally hard over an extended period in our attempts to secure a suitable opponent for March which meets our needs both on and off the field of play," Martin said.

"Unfortunately, with a number of our preferred opponents taking part in their own World Cup qualification pathways, on this occasion we haven't been successful in finding suitable opposition.

Hudson said the camp in Australia "provides a good chance for us to work with the group".

"Clearly we would have liked to be playing during the March window but we haven't been able to find a suitable opponent," Hudson said. 

"But what we can do now is move forward with certainty for the crucial final stages of our preparation for the Nations Cup," Hudson said.

"We've communicated our plans to our squad in the last few days and both myself and Alex [Armstrong] will be visiting the players and the clubs over the next few weeks to outline our approach in more detail."

The Nations Cup acts as the second stage of Oceania Football’s World Cup qualifying pathway, where a spot at the 2017 Confederations Cup is also up for grabs.

Newshub.