Ticket sales for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand have exceeded all expectations, surpassing the 1.5 million target set during the previous edition in France four years ago. The record-breaking ticket was sold to Maria Strong, an Auckland resident, who purchased it for the Italy versus Argentina match at Eden Park on Monday to celebrate her son’s 12th birthday. This new milestone has been achieved in just five days since the World Cup commenced, demonstrating the overwhelming enthusiasm from the public in both countries for the first senior FIFA tournament held in this region.

Australia has been at the forefront of ticket sales, with over 1.1 million tickets purchased, indicating the growing fascination with women’s football, particularly the Matildas. The expansion of the tournament from 24 to 32 teams, along with the increased interest in women’s football at the club level since France 2019, was expected to boost total attendance. The average crowd size of 30,326 from the 12 games played before Monday reflects a remarkable 72 percent increase from the average of 21,756 four years ago, affirming the tournament’s widespread popularity compared to previous editions.

Football Australia’s CEO, James Johnson, expressed delight at the historic significance of the tournament as the host nation. The rising interest in the Matildas and women’s football, as evidenced by record merchandise sales online and in retail stores, highlights the sport’s growing strength and appeal. The passionate support from the Australian public has been evident at all matches across the country, especially considering that tickets for all Matildas matches were sold out months in advance.

Interest in the Women’s World Cup has transcended national teams, as evident by the large turnout of almost 40,000 spectators at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium for the match between France and Jamaica. Although New Zealand’s interest levels were comparatively lower, FIFA distributed some free tickets to boost attendance. Nevertheless, approximately 300,000 tickets have been sold so far, doubling the total attendance of the entire women’s Rugby World Cup held in New Zealand two years ago.

The tournament’s fan festival sites have drawn more than 117,000 fans during the first four days, indicating the immense excitement surrounding the event. Broadcast numbers further underscore the unprecedented levels of interest in the Women’s World Cup. The Matildas have outperformed the Socceroos in jersey sales before the tournament even began, reflecting the increasing popularity of women’s football.

These outstanding figures provide additional impetus for Australia and New Zealand to pursue their ambitions of hosting future FIFA tournaments. Joint bids for a men’s World Cup, potentially in 2024, as well as FIFA’s new Club World Cup and other competitions, are being discussed as the Women’s World Cup progresses.

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Photo Courtesy Sydney Morning Herald

Courtesy Sydney Morning Herald