Rugby World Cup Minister Murray McCully yesterday said matches would be allocated away from the city's AMI stadium because of a range of unacceptable risks.
Eden Park had been confirmed as the venue for two quarterfinals originally intended to be played in Christchurch on October 8 and 9.
However, five pool matches were still to be reallocated.
Rugby New Zealand 2011 chief executive officer Martin Snedden said work was being done to keep as many pool matches in the South Island as possible.
"Our instinct is today that three of the pool matches for sure will go to the South Island. I think that will probably result in each of the other existing venues around the South Island [Dunedin, Invercargill and Nelson] getting an extra match, but we will tie that down in the next few days.
"A key consideration in all of this is to reschedule matches in a way that minimises the impact on other matches and therefore causes the least disruption to existing arrangements for teams and travelling," he said.
Media in the United Kingdom have been speculating the England v Argentina game on September 11 would be held at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
However, Dunedin Venues Management Ltd chief executive David Davies said nothing was confirmed.
"Rather than put our hands in the air and make a nuisance of ourselves, we will wait and let them come and talk to us when they are good and ready," he said.
"If we get a call, we will react to it."
Rugby Southland marketing manager Caroline Wethey-Te Whetu said Rugby Park Stadium in Invercargill was in a similar situation.
"It would be huge for Invercargill if we got an additional game."
Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull said if the city could secure an additional game, it would be a great boost.
"It has been suggested that the city could gain up to $5 million a game, so the more we can get, the better.
"We've got the capacity. We've got arguably the best facility in the country..." he said.
However, Otago Chamber of Commerce chief executive John Christie said the loss to Christchurch could have some negative implications for Dunedin.
"Christchurch could have attracted a large audience to the quarterfinals - some of whom may have ventured south to watch the pool games ... visitors may choose just to go to the North Island, where all the big games are."
If Dunedin could host one of Christchurch's pool games, it would "counterbalance" some of the loss to the South Island in terms of revenue and tourism, Mr Christie said.
"If we get the opportunity, we should take it," he said.
The five pool matches to be distributed are between Argentina and England (September 10), Australia and Italy (September 11), England and Georgia (September 18), Argentina and Scotland (September 25) and Australia and Russia (October 1).
