Learning where the Socceroos will play at the World Cup is as crucial as finding out who they play for coach Ange Postecoglou.
As the fifth-largest country in the world, with varying climates and three different time zones, World Cup host Brazil presents a logistical challenge like no other.
The Socceroos will have plenty to ponder when the World Cup draw unfolds from 3am on Saturday (AEDT).
While Postecoglou will have one eye on which nations Australia will face, he’ll have the other on which of the 12 host cities they’ll have to travel to.
From the coastal city of Fortaleza over 2000km north of Rio de Janeiro and as far south as Porto Alegre, over 1000km away from Rio, the Socceroos could be clocking up some serious air miles.
Not to mention the vastly differing climate they could face from the tropical north to the possibly snow-capped south.
Postecoglou says how the Socceroos handle these challenges will be a key to how they perform at the World Cup which kicks off on June 12.
“For every nation that’s the major talk around the place right now,” Postecoglou told AAP on Friday.
“That’s why I’m really keen to find out our draw – as much for finding out who we’ll play it’s where we’ll play.
“I think preparation and organisation is going to be the key to this World Cup.
“We’ve got six months to get it right as of tomorrow and that will be the main focus for us.”
Postecoglou said immediately after the draw is announced he’ll fly to each host city the Socceroos will play in to inspect the stadiums, the general set-up and options for accommodation before returning to Australia next week.
“My key focus is to make sure the players have every opportunity to perform at their best and to do that we’ve got a fair bit of work to do between now and then.”
Th small coast city of Vitoria, some 500km north of Rio, has been earmarked as the likely base camp for Australia during the month-long tournament.
Postecoglou inspected the city this week and says it “ticks all the boxes”.
HOST CITIES FOR THE 2014 WORLD CUP IN BRAZIL:
1. Belo Horizonte (Stadium – Estadio Mineirao)
2. Brasilia (Stadium – Estadio Nacional)
3. Cuiaba (Stadium – Arena Pantanal)
4. Curitiba (Stadium – Arena da Baixada)
5. Fortaleza (Stadium – Estadio Castelao)
6. Manaus (Stadium – Arena Amazonia)
7. Natal (Stadium – Estadio das Dunas)
8. Porto Alegre (Stadium – Estadio Beira-Rio)
9. Recife (Stadium – Arena Pernambuco)
10. Rio De Janeiro (Stadium – Estadio do Maracana)
11. Salvador (Stadium – Arena Fonte Nova)
12. Sao Paulo (Stadium – Arena de Sao Paulo)
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