Rival politicians took time out from a tight federal election campaign to host FIFA delegates at the prime minister's residence overlooking the iconic Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge in a show of bipartisan support for Australia's 2022 World Cup bid.
The six-member FIFA delegation spent three days in Australia examining its credentials to host the 2022 World Cup, concluding the trip on a wet Wednesday in Sydney.
''After checking the bid book presentation on site, we must conclude that this country seems to be prepared in all the aspects to organize the World Cup in 2022,'' said Chilean Football Federation President Harold Mayne-Nicholls, who led a delegation also containing Danny Jordaan, the chief executive of 2010 South Africa World Cup committee.
Australia was the third stop on a tour of nine countries for the delegation after Japan and South Korea.
''We all agree that it was organized in a very professional way,'' Mayne-Nicholls said. ''We also received the full support from the government to the bid process.''
Mayne-Nicholls said he was impressed that the senior member's of Australia's opposition party were at a dinner hosted by Prime Minister Julia Gillard at Sydney's harborside Kiribilli House for the FIFA delegation, just weeks out from a federal election.
''For us was very impressive to know that the Opposition ... was also present at such a dinner,'' he said. ''Beside that the commitment of the country seems to be outstanding, taking into consideration that both parties, in the middle of an election process, made time to enjoy a wonderful evening with us.''
Mayne-Nicholls noted that soccer had grown 60 percent in Australia in the last decade.
Australia has never hosted the World Cup, but it has hosted the Olympics twice - in Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000 - and has hosted the World Cups of rugby and cricket.
Australia's Socceroos have qualified for the last two World Cups, reaching the second round before a stoppage-time loss to eventual champion Italy in 2006 and making a first-round exit at South Africa 2010.
Australia's plans include 10 host cities, with three new stadiums to be built and others to be renovated.
The FIFA delegation did not directly face the Australian media, releasing details of its visit via daily statements.
The Australian bid was cleared last week by FIFA of wrongdoing.
FIFA said it reviewed newspaper allegations that expensive gifts were provided to some FIFA Congress delegates in May 2008 - eight months before official campaigning began - but decided there were ''no grounds to open a formal case.''
Although it considered the matter closed, FIFA reminded Australia's football federation about bidding rules.
The delegation will submit a report to assist FIFA's 24 executive members select a host for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments, which will be announced by FIFA on Dec. 2 in Zurich.
Australia is competing with bids from South Korea and Japan, which co-hosted the 2002 World Cup, Qatar and the United States for the 2022 World Cup.
The U.S. is also in the contest for 2018, which is expected to be awarded to one of four European bids: England, Russia, and the joint bids of Spain-Portugal and Netherlands-Belgium.
Australia, which joined the Asian confederation from Oceania after the 2006 World Cup, had a minor setback Wednesday when Asian Football Confederation chief Mohammad bin Hammam told reporters in Singapore that he'd vote for his native Qatar in the first-round of the knockout poll.
''I have one vote among 24 votes and frankly speaking I will vote for Qatar,'' bin Hammam said Wednesday. ''But if Qatar is not in the running, I will vote for another Asian country.''
