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Women’s World Cup 2023: Australia and New Zealand Gearing up for Kickoff

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FIFA Women's World Cup 2023

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FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023
Hosting Nations: Australia and New Zealand Dates: 20 July-20 August
Broadcasting Platforms: BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds, and the Sport Newes Center website & app. Complete coverage details and the latest news available.

The anticipation is nearly over. The largest FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will showcase European champions England and newcomers Republic of Ireland, is set to commence on Thursday.

Australia and New Zealand will be sharing hosting duties for this ninth edition. For the first time, the tournament will include 32 countries, with the reigning champions, the United States, among them.

This will be the first Women’s World Cup to have two host nations.

The inaugural match of the tournament will be held at Eden Park, where New Zealand will face Norway (08:00 BST kick-off). Following this, Australia will go up against the Republic of Ireland at Stadium Australia, Sydney, on the same day (11:00 kick-off).

The organizers are hopeful that the first two matches will draw a cumulative audience of 100,000 spectators.

This Women’s World Cup is set to be the most-viewed ever, with pre-sales of over 1.3 million tickets for the 64 matches across 10 venues in nine cities.

With a goal of attracting a record two billion television viewers for the 2023 tournament, the organizers hope to double the audience of the 2019 World Cup held in France.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino stated, “The future is women. We appreciate the fans for supporting what promises to be the grandest FIFA Women’s World Cup yet.”

Joining the Republic of Ireland, seven other nations will be making their tournament debuts – Vietnam, Zambia, Haiti, Morocco, Panama, the Philippines, and Portugal.

While the United States – aiming for their fifth world title – are currently the world’s top-ranked team, Zambia, ranked 77th, are the lowest-ranked team at the tournament.

The final will be hosted at Stadium Australia on 20 August (11:00 kick-off).

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This Women’s World Cup has been touted as the most significant women’s sporting event ever hosted. One certainty: the tournament will provide a tremendous platform to promote and develop women’s football globally.

For the first time, FIFA will directly remunerate players at the Women’s World Cup. The payments increase based on how far each team progresses, with amounts ranging from approximately £24,000 per player for the group stage to just over £200,000 assigned to each champion.

This compensation is substantial, considering the global average salary in women’s football is £11,000, as per the previous year’s FIFA benchmarking report. The overall prize money has increased from £23m in 2019 to £84m.

In another first, referees will use a microphone and loudspeakers to communicate the rationale for video assistant referee (VAR) decisions to stadium audiences and TV viewers.

As in last year’s men’s World Cup in Qatar, referees are also encouraged to prevent time-wasting, which means added time is likely to be extensive while lengthy goal celebrations will further extend stoppages.

Furthermore, captains will now be allowed to wear armbands displaying messages about inclusion, gender equality, and peace, a step forward from the men’s tournament last year where rainbow armbands were prohibited.

However, none of the eight available armbands explicitly promote LGBTQ+ inclusion.

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The United States hasn’t lost a World Cup match since their defeat by Japan in the 2011 final in Frankfurt, Germany.

Having won 13 out of 14 matches on the global stage since then, they’re entering this tournament in pursuit of a record third consecutive victory following their triumphs in 2015 and 2019.

However, head coach Jill Ellis has stepped down since leading the Stars and Stripes to World Cup glory in France in 2019, and two-time World Cup and Olympic gold medalist Carli Lloyd has retired from international football.

With 14 of the 23 players participating in their first World Cup and Megan Rapinoe – widely regarded as an American icon – announcing this will be her last World Cup, could there be a shift in the landscape of women’s football?

Following their memorable victory at Euro 2022, England is rightfully in the mix when it comes to predicting World Cup favorites.

Injuries, however, have struck, and key players, including Beth Mead – Euro 2022’s best player and the recipient of the Golden Boot award, are absent.

Spain boasts the world’s best female player, Alexia Putellas, while two-time champions Germany have a strong and seasoned team.

France is under the experienced leadership of manager Herve Renard, and co-hosts Australia, backed by large home crowds, have Chelsea’s high-scoring forward Sam Kerr in their lineup.

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Contentious Lead-Up

Olympic champions Canada are also hopeful of a strong performance in the tournament, but they are among several nations whose World Cup preparations have been marred by domestic disputes.

Recent player-federation disagreements have brought Spain and France into the headlines, although France’s problems seem to have been resolved with the appointment of Renard.

Jamaica, and even Nigeria’s head coach, have taken actions or voiced concerns about their federations over matters like pay, resources, and personnel.

England’s team is disgruntled with the Football Association over its stance on performance-related bonuses.

In addition, the South African squad, chosen by coach Desiree Ellis, did not partake in their final home ground warm-up match prior to the World Cup. As a result, a replacement team, which included a 13-year-old girl, was hastily assembled to face Botswana to avoid a fine.

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With the number of teams increased from 24 in 2019 and 16 as recently as 2011 to 32 in this edition, this World Cup will feature 736 players.

Three of these players – Marta (Brazil), Onome Ebi (Nigeria), and Christine Sinclair (Canada) – are participating in the tournament for a sixth time.

Turning 40 in May, defender Ebi is the oldest player in the competition in Australia and New Zealand.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023

When and where is the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 taking place?

The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 is taking place from 20 July to 20 August in Australia and New Zealand.

Who are the hosts for the Women’s World Cup 2023?

Australia and New Zealand are co-hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.

How can the matches be watched live?

The matches will be broadcast live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds and also through the Sport News Center website & app.

How many teams are participating in the Women’s World Cup 2023?

For the first time, 32 nations are participating in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

Who are the debutants in this edition of the World Cup?

Besides the Republic of Ireland, Vietnam, Zambia, Haiti, Morocco, Panama, the Philippines and Portugal are making their debuts at this World Cup.

How many viewers are expected for the 2023 edition of the Women’s World Cup?

Organisers are targeting a record two billion television viewers for the 2023 edition.

What is unique about player payments in this World Cup?

For the first time, FIFA will directly pay players at the Women’s World Cup, with prize money increasing significantly compared to previous years.

When and where is the final match scheduled?

The final match is scheduled for 20 August at Stadium Australia.

Which teams are considered favorites for the Women’s World Cup 2023?

The United States, recent European champions England, Germany, and France, along with co-hosts Australia, are among the favorites for the tournament.

More about FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023

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5 comments

AussieLass July 20, 2023 - 4:49 am

Stadium Australia is going to be rocking on the final day! Also, proud to see Australia and NZ hosting the first women’s world cup with 2 co-hosts. history in the making.

Reply
FootballFreak July 20, 2023 - 5:47 am

2 billion viewers targeted?!? That’s insane! This is going to be the biggest Women’s World Cup ever. Hope it helps in growing the sport even more.

Reply
FootyFan101 July 20, 2023 - 6:04 am

Amazing to see how much womens football has grown. 32 teams this time, thats awesome! Wonder if England can pull off a victory. their euro 2022 success was epic!

Reply
KiwiKev July 20, 2023 - 7:26 am

The whole of NZ is pumped up for this! Can’t wait for the games to start. hoping the opening match against Norway goes well! Go Kiwis!!

Reply
EqualPlaySupporter July 20, 2023 - 3:35 pm

Glad to see FIFA directly paying the players, it’s about time. womens football deserves equal respect and pay!

Reply

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