As we tune in to the FIFA Men’s World Cup in Qatar, we’re counting down until we get to see our favourite athletes take to the stadiums in Australia and New Zealand for the Women’s World Cup.
The tournament is set to kick off on July 20 in Auckland, New Zealand, with matches being hosted between the two countries.
The 2023 Women’s World Cup is the first time a FIFA World Cup has been hosted Down Under and will have more nations competing than ever before, with 32 teams hoping to take home the trophy.
“It’s going to be a moment in time you won’t want to miss, and in Australia, a good example is the Sydney 2000 Olympics. Whether you were a sports fan or not, to be a part of it and be around the atmosphere was absolutely incredible,” FIFA’s Chief Women’s Football Officer, Sarai Bareman tells POPSUGAR Australia.
“It’s going to be exactly like that. This is the single biggest female sporting event in the world. In France, four years ago, we had 1.1 million people filling up the stadiums, and there were more than 1 billion people around the world watching it on TV. It’s a huge moment in time.”
It’s no secret that women are severely underrepresented in the world of sports, whether it’s in the media landscape or out on the field. But with tournaments such as the Women’s World Cup, the gap is slowly closing, despite still having a long way to go.
“You know what the ultimate is? That one day, we’ll just be talking about sports. It won’t be women’s sport or men’s sport — it’s just sport,” says Sarai.
“I think that’s ultimately what we have to aim for. Our athletes, our football stars, and our female sports stars across all the different codes are on par with some of the male superstars that are out there.
“And don’t get me wrong, we already have some. I mean, look at Sam Kerr; she’s a homegrown superstar, and she’s incredible. But it should just be the norm.”
The World Cup is set to introduce soccer to an entirely new group of people, many of whom will be young girls looking to the game and the athletes as inspiration for their future.
“I had the privilege to represent Samoa, I grew up playing club football, and it’s a privilege to be able to do that because it’s not everywhere in the world that girls have access to those facilities,” Sarai says.
“But certainly, my advice would be, if you’re passionate about it, just not to allow any barriers to stop you from achieving your goals. It’s not easy being a woman in a male-dominated sport, often, there’s been some sticky situations I’ve come across. But because I’m so passionate about the sport, I never allowed those situations to stop me from fulfilling my dream.”
The Women’s World Cup is set to welcome thousands of tourists and soccer fans from all over the globe and will well and truly put Australia and New Zealand on the map.
“These are two of the most beautiful countries in the world. I’m biased but I also think we have two of the most beautiful people in the world. It’s a great opportunity for people to come down here.”
Tickets for the FIFA Women’s World Cup are now on sale, so create your FIFA ticketing account now and secure your seats before they sell out.
