Praneeta Mahajan
Hamilton, 28 October 2022
FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 (FIFA website)
Hamilton is rolling out the green carpet for the women’s football teams of Sweden, Norway, Argentina, Zambia, Vietnam, Japan, Switzerland and Costa Rica in 2023.
The Draw for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 took place last week on Saturday 22 October at Aotea Centre in Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau and was live-streamed to a global audience. Among the 800 guests in attendance were both the President and the Secretary General of FIFA, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, and FIFA legends and team representatives.
Hamilton Mayor Paula Southgate gets the city ready
Hamilton gets ready
Waikato Stadium will host all five matches, including one with the current second-ranked World team Sweden. Two of the previous world-cup winners also have matches, Norway who are ranked 12th globally, and Japan who are ranked 11th.
In 2011, Japan beat current tournament champions the United States, becoming the first Asian FIFA Women’s World Cup team to win the tournament, a title still held.
Zambia, who will play two games in Hamilton, will be the first African landlocked nation to qualify for a FIFA World Cup for either men’s or women’s football. In a similar vein, Vietnam will make their first appearance at a FIFA World Cup event for either gender, with one match in the city.
This is the first time two countries, New Zealand and Australia, will jointly host the FIFA Women’s World Cup, giving football fans an incredible opportunity to experience two unique destinations and nine host cities.
Mayor Paula Southgate said she’s looking forward to welcoming these international teams to our city, and the preparation work being carried out behind the scenes is phenomenal.
“We’re preparing our stadium and training venues, upgrading changing rooms to be gender equal, renovating fields and installing floodlighting to make sure these athletes will have the best visiting experience possible,” she said.
A treat for all spectators
One is a great champion of women’s football, Carli Lloyd said “This is probably going to be the hardest World Cup to win and, in terms of quality, it just keeps getting better. Although I miss competing, I’m looking forward to sitting back and watching it as a fan.”
The tournament will surely be a catalyst for the further development of women’s football in both host countries, creating a profound and enduring legacy for the women’s game.
Ticket sales for the tournament to date have broken records, with more tickets sold on the first day of pre-sales than the whole presale period of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019.
The FIFA Women’s World Cup Winner’s Trophy during the Final Draw at the Aotea Centre (Photo by Stephen McCarthy – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
Some great sporting action
Before hosting five group games, Hamilton will also host the inaugural Play-off Tournament which will see 10 teams from across the World compete for the final three qualifying spots in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.
Hamilton will have Cameroon, Thailand, Portugal, Chinese Taipei and Paraguay, as well as some countries that will be determined from the outcomes of early matches.
The winner of the clash between Cameroon and Thailand will go on to play Portugal, filling the final qualifying spot in the tournament, and going on to play in Hamilton against Vietnam.
The Football Ferns will also play a series of friendly games throughout the week-long tournament, one of which will be against Portugal.
Tickets for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 are on sale now.
Praneeta Mahajan is an Indian Newslink Reporter based in Hamilton.
