Originally proposed with the support of a number of ‘then’ high priority political figures —notably the ousted PM Malcolm Turnbull and FFA Head Steven Lowy — the bid for the 2023 World Cup could suffer from Australia’s partisan tumult.
Hosting the tournament means more than showing other nations around the world that we are world-class. Australia has already shown that in women’s football.
Instead, the event in 2023 would be Australia’s first time hosting the world’s highest standard of single-sport event ever—the FIFA World Cup.
As one of the world’s most developed nations, it is astonishing to consider that Australia has never hosted a FIFA World Cup. But ever since our failed bid for the 2018 World Cup, Australia has mounted momentum toward reaching the FFA goal of hosting one.
It is telling of our history as a country colonised by the British when we have a history of hosting rugby and cricket world cups, and Masters and Commonwealth Games, but, absurdly, no representation in football. Hosting, and winning, the 2015 Asian Cup was an explosive step in the right direction for Australia.
When deciding a host, FIFA’s Congress go through an exhaustive ballot process made several years before the tournament that aims to develop the game in emerging communities.
FIFA describe the expansion of the World Cup as an opportunity to “unleash football’s full potential everywhere and at all levels”.
It is a tournament to “increase participation” in developing football nations, and, with the expansion of the game in our country, this is perhaps the best description of Australia as a football boomer.
In Australia, football continues to be the nation’s largest club-based participation sport by a great margin.
Sam Kerr of the Matildas in action. (AAP Image/Tony McDonough)
In data gathered by AusPlay, FFA released news that over half a million more people play football than AFL and more than twice as many as cricket. In the words of FFA CEO David Gallop, “[f]ootball has never been bigger or busier”.
Accompanying this momentous growth in footballing interest is the FFA’s Whole of Football Plan (WOFP), which sets out Australia’s 20-year vision for the game in our country, and the FFA Football Curriculum.
Not only does Australia have the numbers—we have the vision and we will have the infrastructure for the tournament in 2023.
Moreover, if there were ever a time for Australian sport to stand for international excellence—it is now—with the current crop of world-class Matildas led by the prolific Sam Kerr.
And with the quality of football that the youthful group of female footballers are pumping out, it’s a fair bet that Australia won’t be vying for World Cup bidding to gain immunity from qualification.
After winning the Tournament of Nations, which was highlighted by a first ever win against the US, the World Cup in 2023 heralds an opportunity for the Matildas to cement Australia as a global powerhouse in women’s football. Our girls will be out there to win it.
However, lamentably it could not be a worse time for Australian policymaking – all the bickering, back-stabbing and nationalist sentiment – which is entirely out of touch with global expectations.
Let’s hope politics don’t play a part and we can focus on the football, but the fact remains that a tournament of this calibre cannot exist without public, governmental support and infrastructure.
At this level, the game doesn’t depend upon the quality of the football played alone—it depends on the character and integrity of its host nation.
Caitlin Foord of the Matildas celebrates after scoring. (AAP Image/Darren Pateman)
The Turnbull government—the same Muppet show shamed by its own leader—made the acknowledgment in 2017 to support the bid for an initial $1 million with the balance of $4 million to be granted “following fulfilment of designated criteria milestones”.
That’s good news for the game in Australia, if it weren’t the same government which dished out $444 million in un-audited funding to an anonymous charity, handing out the cheques.
The point I’m making here is can we trust the word of a governmental gaggle-of-hands?
Can we trust our own government to lead the charge for our Matildas – the greatest group of female footballers in this nation’s history?
Enough is enough. It’s time for all of Australia—from top to bottom—to #GetOnside, because the world game deserves better.
Our girls deserve better.
Pedro
Guest
No Australian tax payers money to be spent on the this
Admiral Ackbar
Guest
Fat chance. We play in rectangular stadiums, they play on cricket grounds. What's good for us is bad for them.
Admiral Ackbar
Guest
The only hope may be Jordon Steele-John, he was born in England.
stu
Guest
Should Lowey have funded the bid himself?
Leonard Colquhoun
Roar Rookie
How about using some of that Canberra $45,000,000 which was gifted to Moneybags Lowy snr for the failed WC bid?
stu
Guest
We need to take the blinkers off....AFL are in 'me too' mode.
stu
Guest
In this age of the 'snowflake' generation no political party will/would get away with ignoring female sport or any other issue female issue on the table.
stu
Guest
Odd.....I would have said the rush to put female sport on the map started during a coalition term of government. Funding to the sports bodies were under threat unless female leagues were organised.
Andrew Moore
Guest
The such talented girls that have put in the hard yards to achieve success I applaud you. The Government seem to have forgotten about the achievements you have gathered and the reality and expense of travel Yes you do need support as do a lot of our sports You should all join politics then you can organise the fundings for sport And think about it You couldn't do a worse job than what we have to represent our country which is much needed in politics You lot are doing you're part The government need to do theirs Good luck XO
Mitcher
Guest
‘Growing’ women’s sport. They invented it didn’t they?
Christian Fleetwood
Roar Rookie
That’s a great point, Ad-O. It’s certainly a multifaceted issue.
Christian Fleetwood
Roar Rookie
Hi Guru, cheers for the comment. I can’t say that I agree, but I can appreciate your point. The politics shouldn’t be a factor; as I said, let’s leave the politics to the side so we can focus on football. But the fact remains that it’s not just our Matildas on display for the world to see: it’s our country as a whole. Cheers, Christian
Christian Fleetwood
Roar Rookie
Hi Lionheart, cheers for the comment. As I mentioned, the current government (lead by Malcolm Turnbull at the time) posited $4 million toward the WC bid. The point wasn’t to question whether our government would support the bid, it was to say that regardless of which side gets behind the bid, the current situation hurts our chances. We need a focused and united front minus the bickering. A bid of this size doesn’t occur in a bubble: it cannot function without public, tax payer funded support. In this respect, one sports bid doesn’t belong solely to that sport, it belongs to all of us from top to bottom. Cheers, Christian
Mister Football
Roar Guru
With the AFL's keen interest in growing women's sport, I think they would be a huge supporter of a women's world cup. A former GWS board member is now on the FFA board. Australian Football and soccer has a history of working together.
Paul
Guest
More like the AFL lobbying the politicians to stop the growth of football (soccer to egg ballers)
Martyn50
Roar Rookie
Untill people start to turn up at woman's sport in good numbers in Australia then world bodies will take note. A smattering at games does not cut it irrespective of how many are playing elsewhere
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Well, there's discussing politics as it might pertain to sport, and then providing political commentary more generally, which might come across as being a bit biased against one side of politics. The national body of any sport must court both sides of politics. So if you want to discuss politics in sport, try and be as neutral as possible, because the reality is that you have to court both sides to get anywhere, especially with a world cup bid, where you are talking to the federal government (which might change in the meantime), and then four or five state/territory governments.
Kangas
Roar Rookie
lol Yesterday we had a whole article about politics and sport re stadiums Unfortunately this is the reality of sports these days
Mister Football
Roar Guru
With names like Albanese and Di Natale, you'd hope a small remnant of their being still follows soccer, even to a small degree.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
I have to agree with LH here. By all means, make you're case for hosting the womens world cup, I'm sure Australia would do a terrific job, but leave the politicking for other sites.