‘The hosts with the most’ – Fifa boss
Fifa president Gianni Infantino believes Australia and New Zealand are the perfect hosts to deliver the greatest Women’s World Cup.
The Trans-Tasman bid received 22 of the 35 valid votes from the Fifa Council yesterday to pip Colombia for the showpiece event which will take place between July and August in 2023.
It will take place across as many as 12 cities in Australia and New Zealand, with the opening match to potentially be played at Eden Park in Auckland and the final in Sydney.
‘‘There will 32 countries unlike in France where we had 24 which means when you qualify for this event it is the biggest boost ever for women’s football,’’ said Infantino.
‘‘We welcome that and I am sure we will have the best World Cup ever, in Australia and New Zealand.’’
The Australia and New Zealand bid outscored the Colombia bid emphatically in the evaluation report which was submitted to the council members.
It scored 4.1 out of five and bettered the South Americans, who scored 2.9, in every criteria – stadiums, team and referee facilities, accommodation, International Broadcast Centre (IBC), competitionrelated event sites and commercial.
Matches will be held in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Newcastle, Launceston the potential Australian hosts. Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Dunedin are in the running to host the New Zealand fixtures alongside Auckland.
Football Federation Australia chairman Chris Nikou said the successful bid was an enormous opportunity to grow football in the region.
‘‘Fifa today has made not one, but two countries very happy,’’ said Nikou. ‘‘We know there is a lot of work to be done.’’
New Zealand Football president Johanna Wood promised the two nations would work together to deliver a tournament to remember. ‘‘Chris and I and the whole bidding team are extremely delighted with the result,’’ she said. ‘‘Chris mentioned when he spoke to council that this is a gift we have been given and we add to that by saying we have been given a treasure.’’