Australia’s interest piqued last week when FIFA’s determination to push on with the formal process of deciding a venue for the 2023 Women’s World Cup became clear.
June 25 is the day on which four bids and five nations will learn their fates and whether they will host what has briskly become one of the most viewed and anticipated events in world sport.
France 2019 saw an estimated global audience of one billion. The USA claimed the title with a 2-0 victory against the Netherlands and Australia’s Matildas fell short in a penalty shootout against Norway in the Round of 16.
Australia and New Zealand have their sights firmly fixed on the next edition of the event, in a joint bid that would add immense value and attention to women’s football in the Asian confederation. The financial benefits of hosting can never be underestimated and a well-managed and orchestrated World Cup would be a boon for any economy given the opportunity to do so.
Japan, Colombia and Brazil have also tabled bids for the event and could well do with the pleasing news of a successful outcome.
How good would the Matildas be in a home World Cup? (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
All three are still consumed by a coronavirus that has brought the globe to a near standstill. Many hold grave fears for them in the medium to long term in light of the comparatively low levels of testing initiated by their national authorities.
As such, football may not be the most pressing issue on the minds of the citizens of three very proud round ball nations, particularly in Brazil, where in recent weeks the situation has become dire.
The sense of hope and optimism around the Australia/New Zealand bid is in direct contrast, as both economies slowly re-open, students return to the classroom and cases of the virus continue to lessen. At the time of writing, just ten new cases had collectively emerged from the two nations over the previous 24 hours.
Of course, it is unlikely that a global pandemic will play in role in the final decision. However, the trans-Tasman bid does stand the best chance of being able to immediately action the planning of a tournament that can be expected to be even bigger and better than the version we witnessed in France.
The clouds of suspicion that always surround FIFA’s decision making and Australia’s experience as a victim in the 2022 race that saw Qatar earn the rights to host its first World Cup, potentially causes most Australians to be nothing more than cautiously optimistic about June 25th.
Personally, hearing Japan, Colombia or Brazil announced as hosts would not surprise one iota. However, if FIFA is legitimately driven by an altruistic desire to further spread the hosting duties of major tournaments around the globe and into relatively newer markets where growth is possible, this decision should be a no-brainer.
Sydney 2000 proved just how well Australia does major events; the world arrived, was subsequently impressed and many still cite the games of the XXVIIth Olympiad as the best ever.
With its trusty and loyal foil New Zealand at its flank, there is no reason why the exact same impression would not be left on the football worlds mind after a Women’s World Cup down under.
The quality of stadium infrastructure is of little consideration, with both nations blessed with facilities capable of hosting matches in smaller boutique stadiums during the group phase, as well as possessing the larger venues required for knockout matches in the later stages of the event.
While far from perfect, the world-class airport, hotel and transport infrastructures both nations possess would add further appeal to the bid for the 34-member council that will ultimately make the final decision.
Considering both countries’ excellent track records as hosts of big events and the fact that domestic fans will attend in droves, the duel bid ticks all the boxes, bar perhaps both nations being seen as traditional football powers.
Tameka Butt for the Matildas. (AAP Image/Tony McDonough)
However, if FIFA is true to its word, and that is a big if, that fact could actually provide yet another reason for the pinnacle of the women’s game to come to our shores in 2023.
For Australia specifically, it would provide a much needed shot in the arm for an economy that will soon begin repairing itself after the still to be fully known consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. No doubt New Zealand will be in a similar position and hoping for a similar benefit.
The comparatively excellent manner in which the medical experts of Australia and New Zealand have worked with mostly decisive and firm governments to minimise the extent of the pandemic, should have been noted by FIFA.
If included with the array of other pros outlined above, it appears there may only be one thing that could possibly stop the council awarding the Women’s World Cup to Australia/New Zealand.
I’ll leave the identification of that one thing up to you and hope that the 2023 tournament is headed our way.
Torchbearer
Guest
After Japan pulled the plug today- looks like the WWC is coming here! Should be great. I dont think we need to worry about Australia's stadiums, NZs are all a bit 2nd rate.
Simoc
Guest
Nice thought and I sincerely hope we get this fantastic event. But I thought it was the previous guy Blatter that was committed to spreading the game after the total neglect of his predecessors. I think the current mob will go back to the Euro, Americas countries like the olden days. The reasons would be vastly more population and a massive opportunity to grow the womans game. The tiny populations of Australia/NZ offer very little apart from the TV experience and a chance for the wealthy to come down under.
Jacqui
Guest
If Aus/NZ were not awarded the WWC I am not as quick to jump to nefarious insinuations as this article. COVID may well come into member considerations come voting, where yes, you'd have to think Aus/NZ has a strong position. But there are other issues not mentioned in the article or in comments (re TV, commercial etc) that I also think are important. The last three hosts have been 'western' countries that Aus/NZ will be also grouped into - Germany, Canada, France. AFC have hosted twice already with China in earlier years which could be a blow against both Aus/NZ and Japan. Both are factors given FIFA does like to move events around and the optics of using events to grow the game. I think Australia joining with NZ was the best move they could have made, as it gives the bid some intrigue and global expansion by involving Oceania that was lacking previously - and you can see the bid team have really pushed this in their communications which is smart. But this is also where the South American bids will be very strong. Women's football is only just starting to get more respect in South America as the women's game grows globally - there have been some great crowds in recent years - and I could absolutely see FIFA wanting to foster growth of women's football in South America as a priority. Then to our AFC rivals, Japan has excellent rectangular infrastructure, and train + plane transport between venues alone, especially come knockout rounds, is a huge plus for them over Aus/NZ in a logistics sense. Japan also has excellent women's football history that exceeds Australia's achievements if the profile of the host is a consideration. No doubt the Aus/NZ bid is very strong and I think it is in the box seat, especially in our COVID-19 world as argued in the article. But I could easily see it go elsewhere for political reasons (while not viewing 'political reasons' as inherently wrong), or logistics and profile to Japan. What I do hope is if we get it, stakeholders here is Australia don't use it as a cynical opportunity to push their own agendas at the expense of truely building a foundation for growth of the game for women, and women in all facets of football reap significant benefits into the future... this is where my cynicism kicks in.
chris
Guest
Possibly some awful games. But look at the Rugby WC. A few years ago there were massive blowouts of 100+ points scored in a game. Look at the minnows now. They are competitive and provide some of the best games in a WC.
Ad-O
Guest
There's going to be so many god awful games in '26
Ad-O
Guest
The qualification rounds are a marathon too.
Ad-O
Guest
I think if FIFA is smart, yes those are the only 2 timezone's I'd be considering because those are the 2 most important markets. You could make a little coin out of China and Japan, but I don't think the women's world cup has the pulling power to get people staying up into the small hours quite yet. It would be an opportunity missed.
Ad-O
Guest
I understand that but I don't think interest in the women's game in China is going to match up with what you can get in America or Europe. Neither would the financials.
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
the ACT had no interest in being a part of the bid, my guess to the reasoning is it would clash with the Raiders and Brumbies, South Australia had to be guilted into being part of the bid so ACT not wanting to be a part of it does not surprise me
Blood Dragon
Roar Rookie
OFC needs to join with another confed i agree but lets be honest with the new format for 2026 NZ are all but guaranteed to qualify for 2026 and future world cups if the format is kept while they are in OFC/OFC existing
13th Man
Roar Rookie
It's FIFA, they'll pick whoever slips them the most money, little old Aus and NZ won't even get a look in I would've thought.
Samuel Power
Roar Rookie
That seriously makes no sense.
Samuel Power
Roar Rookie
If Tasmania had a 15,000-20,000 seat rectangular stadium I would have no issue with it. Now I'm a huge AFL fan and have been all my life, but AFL should stay on AFL Grounds and Soccer needs to stay on rectangular grounds.
jamesb
Roar Guru
Women’s world cup is not the cash cow like the men’s. Plus if China wanted to bid for a men’s world cup, do you think FIFA would easily turn them down because of the timezone?
chris
Guest
We're in Japans time zone. So they should be discounted as well? So only Europe and the Americas should ever bother bidding?
chris
Guest
Whilst I agree with most of yours and James comments, I cant agree that its not going to make any money. Our time zone is actually viewer friendly with more of the worlds population than any other time zone.
Ad-O
Guest
Australia is both not particularly "mad" for sports, nor particularly good at them. Putting the women's world cup in a timezone where it isn't gonna make any money would be criminal negligence on behalf of FIFA. But I guess that's their specialty so you never know.
Ad-O
Guest
Great idea. Put a world sporting event in a timezone the countries that count cant watch it.
james
Guest
So is it only fair dinkum in Australia/New Zealand get the nod. if anyone else gets it then it is 'we woz robbed", unfair, a victim." So,australia and NZ are the only countries able to put on a sporting spectacle because it has the most obsessive fans - try asking RA about that. I suspect we will not get it simply because everyone is sick of hearing this constant BS. about we deserve things because: we are more sports mad than anyone else , put together a decent olympics before most people participating in the next olympics were born. Our population is what 25 odd million ? just bigger than shanghai. Maybe , if we kept our quiet about how great we are and how we deserve things because we are sports mad Aussie (but only when we are winning) then we might get a gig. Maybe if we grow up and realise that the awarding of this tournament is like everything else nowadays political then we might get somewhere. Before anyone says about the politics just look at the Sh98fight that goes on all the time when one state tries to "steal" an event from another state. We can get events but we need to do it with cold hard logic and cut out the emotional rubbish.
Kewell
Roar Rookie
Samuel, I live in Tasmania. If this eventuates, and I hope it does, and I would love to see a game or two down here. But the fact is that we wouldn’t have a rectangular stadium to World Cup stadium. It would have to be played on an AFL oval. And football never looks the best on these oval shaped grounds. And I can’t see the state government committing funds to a sokar ground heaven forbid.