Christchurch mayor Bob Parker says hosting under-20 World Cup football matches in 2015 will boost the city's economy and show the world it is recovering well.
Delegates from footballs' ruling body, Fifa, will be in Christchurch on Sunday and Monday to meet city council representatives and people from the tourism, sports and hospitality industries.
New Zealand Football won the right to host the tournament but the matches still need to be allocated.
Mr Parker says hosting even a few games will boost tourist stays and bring in between $4.3 and $5.4 million.
He says Christchurch will have more than enough pitches and facilities ready by 2015.
Council recreation and sport manager John Filsell says hosting even the minimum number of games will account for 7000 international visitor nights.
"We believe that every dollar that we invest, the city will get back between 15 and 30 times."
Christchurch hosted matches in the under-17 women's World Cup in 2008 and the under-17 men's World Cup in 1999.
