‘Football is joy’: Fifa president bullish
The Fifa Women’s World Cup draw was more than an administrative job to decide the pools for the hotly anticipated competition, coming to our shores in 2023.
Instead, it was a lavish opportunity to showcase Aotearoa’s manaakitanga to the incoming teams and Fifa staff.
About 800 people filled the Aotea Centre last night to celebrate women in football, the achievement of New Zealand and Australia’s winning bid to host the competition, and finally see who would be facing off against who come July 2023.
The draw opened with performances of both traditional Māori and aboriginal dances and songs. Then, spectators were treated to video montages introducing them to the match host cities.
Sports broadcaster Kirstie Stanway and Australian presenter Mel McLaughlin hosted the evening.
Prime Minister Jacinda
Ardern welcomed the crowd and footballers to Aotearoa, telling the players that they ‘‘raise the value and visibility of the sport, you inspire our young people to play,’’ she said
Australia’s sports minister Anika Wells said it was ‘‘a time to be alive’’.
‘‘Sport changes lives. This World Cup will change lives, not just for the players but for the fans captivated in stadiums and at home, and for the children believing they can be great . . .’’
Fifa president Gianni
Infantino was greeted with applause as he opened his speech with ‘‘Kia ora’’.
‘‘You know of course that football unites the world,’’ he said.
‘‘Next year, we will unite the world in Australia and in New Zealand. We will unite the world in joy, because football is joy.’’
Former football greats included Cameroon’s Geremi, Brazil’s Gilberto Silva and England’s Ian Wright.