Gold Coast United striker Shane Smeltz is hoping that the New Zealand national team is able to follow Australia's path into the Asian Football Confederation.

The All Whites are currently in the Oceania Confederation and Smeltz believes the national team would be far better suited within Asia.

"I have seen the World Cup qualification campaign that Australia has gone through for the first time through Asia," Smeltz told Goal.com.

"It has gone well for them and has given them games over a space of time instead of just playing through Oceania and then playing a one-off game. It is still difficult but it doesn't prepare you as well going in to the World Cup.

"Australia is now used to travelling and needing to get results from important games and making it through to tournaments."

Smeltz added that it would further develop New Zealand football which has come along in leaps and bounds in the past few years.

"It would give us more games and give the fans more games to support and the interaction with the national team throughout the country would be greater for it. As long as financially, the country can do what needs to be done, I can't see any reason why we shouldn't go in there," he added.