- Stadium Australia will host the Final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.
- The tournament will run from 10 July to 20 August and will feature matches in 9 Host Cities and 10 stadiums across Australia and New Zealand.
- The Opening Match will be played at Eden Park in Auckland while Australia and New Zealand will host one Semi-Final each, with venues TBC.
- The Matildas automatically qualify for the event as the host nation.
By Julian Keith
See the Official FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 announcement here
#FIFAWWC
CONFIRMED! Stadium Australia will host the Final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 following the official announcement of the 9 Host Cities and 10 stadiums in Australia and New Zealand that will host matches during the tournament.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Minister for Sport Geoff Lee joined Football Australia CEO James Johnson at Stadium Australia and spoke about the benefits the World Cup would bring to Sydney and Australia, and the legacy the event would deliver for football.
They were joined by Venues NSW CEO Kerrie Mather, Stadium Australia CEO Daryl Kerry, Football NSW Chairman Gilbert Lorquet and Westfield Young Matilda Remy Siemsen, the latter fresh from Sydney FC’s W-League premiership win on Wednesday night.
Premier Berejiklian said: “I am excited that the FIFA Women’s World Cup is coming to Australia in 2023 and even more so that Sydney will host matches including the Final right here at Stadium Australia in Sydney Olympic Park,” the Premier said.
“The FIFA Women’s World Cup is the biggest women’s sporting event in the world . . . well, actually, it’s one of the biggest sporting events in the world full stop.”
With just over two years before the best women’s players in the world take to the fields of Australia and New Zealand, the Host City announcement represents a major milestone for many football fans and players around the world, as well as in the preparations for the event . . . the first-ever co-hosted FIFA Women’s World Cup and the first edition to feature 32 teams.
The Host Cities and stadiums for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 are:
- Sydney – Stadium Australia and Sydney Football Stadium
- Adelaide – Hindmarsh Stadium
- Auckland / Tāmaki Makaurau – Eden Park
- Brisbane – Brisbane Stadium
- Dunedin / Ōtepoti – Dunedin Stadium
- Hamilton / Kirikiriroa – Waikato Stadium
- Melbourne – Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
- Perth – Perth Rectangular Stadium
- Wellington / Te Whanganui-a-Tara – Wellington Stadium
In addition to revealing the Host Cities and stadiums, FIFA has also confirmed that Eden Park in Auckland will host the opening match of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 with Stadium Australia in Sydney selected to host the Final.
Both Australia and New Zealand will also host one semi-final each with the full match schedule for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 to be announced later this year.
Speaking on the selection of the Host Cities for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, Gianni Infantino, FIFA President, said:
“The appointment of the 9 Host Cities represents a major milestone for the next FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, as well as for players and football fans across Australia, New Zealand and around the world.
“Building on the incredible success of France 2019 both on and off the pitch, the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 and 9 Host Cities across Australia and New Zealand will not only showcase the world’s very best players, but will also provide a powerful platform to unite and inspire people, transform lives and create a lasting legacy for women’s football in Australia and New Zealand and around the world.”
Chris Nikou, Football Australia President, said:
“The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ will be the biggest sporting event on Australian soil since the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, showcasing Australia and New Zealand to a global audience of over one billion people.
“Today’s announcement of the Host Cities and match venues for the tournament is a major milestone in the build-up to the next FIFA Women’s World Cup™ – a tournament that will unite nations, inspire generations, and provide our diverse and multicultural game with the perfect platform to grow over the coming years.”
Johanna Wood, President of New Zealand Football, said:
“It is a privilege to co-host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023 with Australia and we look forward to welcoming the world’s best athletes and their supporters to Aotearoa New Zealand.”
“We have and will continue to work with our partners to deliver the biggest, most exciting and best tournament to date. The legacy of FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 starts now and will go on to leave a lasting impression on women’s sport across both countries and the wider Asia-Pacific region.”
The selection of the Host Cities and stadiums follows a thorough and comprehensive process over the last 8-months conducted by FIFA, together with the two host associations, which included a series of virtual workshops and one-to-one workshops with all candidate host cities and stadiums, as well as an in-depth analysis of the Host City and stadium infrastructure and facilities, training sites and accommodation.
