United: PMs join bid to bring 2023 Women’s World Cup Downunder
Focus turns to final presentation as race to host Fifa Women’s World Cup in 2023 nears end. Andrew Voerman reports.
The final pitch from New Zealand and Australia in their bid to host the Fifa Women’s World Cup in 2023 is set to involve the leaders of both countries.
Each bid has to prepare a 10-minute presentation for a Fifa Council meeting that will be held online at the end of June, a task complicated by the Covid-19 pandemic.
NZ Football president Johanna Wood told the Sunday Star-Times that she had filmed her part for the video and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her Australian counterpart, Scott Morrison, were also on the cast list.
‘‘Normally we would get together and we’d be able to interact with each other,’’ Wood said.
‘‘I’ve done my little bit over here, our Prime Ministers have done their little bit, and [Football Federation Australia chairman] Chris Nikou’s done his little bit, and then we’ve got the captains of the Ferns [Ali Riley] and Matildas [Sam Kerr] doing their little bit, but it’s all being done in isolation and it’s got to be pulled together.’’
The presentation from the trans-Tasman bid will be the first of four made to the Fifa Council – of which Wood is a member – followed by those from Brazil, Colombia, and Japan, the other countries in the running.
The 33 council members that don’t have ties to one of bids will then conduct a public vote, with a majority needed to win, and the lowest vote-getter dropping out until a successful bid is found.
There are less than four weeks to go until June 25, when the Fifa Council meeting will be held, but there is another key milestone before then – the release of the evaluation reports from Fifa’s bid inspection team.
Visits were made to the prospective hosts earlier this year, before Covid-19 made global travel difficult, and while those involved with the trans-Tasman bid feel theirs went well, they are eager to see the final reports.
Those reports will likely be decisive in what is looking like a
‘‘We know we haven’t left any stone unturned . . . ’’ NZ Football CEO Andrew Pragnell
two-horse race between them and Japan.
NZ Football chief executive Andrew Pragnell said it was ‘‘hard to gauge’’ the bid’s chances of success.
‘‘There’s plenty of advocacy going on, in terms of making sure the council members are aware of the strengths of our bid, and that the key messages of our bid are getting through.
‘‘We’re reliant on a really transparent process and from our perspective, the Fifa inspection tour went well.
‘‘The staff were certainly very professional, and now we’re waiting for that technical report to come out some time in June. ‘‘We’re watching for that eagerly and really, really excited.
‘‘I don’t know if anyone really has any idea what the result will be, but we know we haven’t left any stone unturned, and we won’t be wondering if we could have done anything else.’’
New Zealand has hosted three Fifa events previously – the Under-17 Men’s World Cup in 1999, the Under-17 Women’s World Cup in 2008, and the Under20 Men’s World Cup in 2015.
The 2023 cup bid envisions New Zealand hosting 29 matches, including the tournament opener and a semifinal.