Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd wants the Socceroos to use the World Cup to have a quiet word with FIFA voters, who will decide whether their country gets to host the tournament.
Australia is bidding to stage the World Cup for the first time in either 2018 or 2022 and must win over FIFA's 24-man executive committee in December's vote.
``We're doing some lobbying to make sure we can land the hosting of the World Cup for back home in Australia,'' Rudd told the squad ahead of next month's tournament in South Africa. ``When you're over there, in those quiet times when you run into representatives of FIFA, just be quiet ambassadors for Australia.''
Australia opens its Group C campaign against Germany on June 13 in Durban, followed by matches against Ghana and Serbia.
``Don't feel any pressure,'' Rudd said. ``It's going to be a tough first round.''
A week before its opener, Australia will play a friendly against the United States, which is also bidding to host the World Cup.
Europe is favored to be awarded the 2018 finals, but Australia will also face competition in the 2022 race from Japan, Qatar and South Korea.
