WORLD CUP MANIA CONTINUES

Coming on the heels of the FIFA Men’s World Cup in 2022, it will be the women’s turn in 2023. Next July, Australia and New Zealand will co-host the FIFA Women’s World Cup—the first time the tournament will have two host nations. It will also be the first to have 32 teams playing, from the previous 24, including the defending champion USA, Argentina, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, Germany, Jamaica, Philippines and Vietnam. FIFA is also likely to more than double the prize money, from $30 million in 2019 to at least $69 million next year— though that’s still a far cry from the $440 million that was up for grabs at the Men’s World Cup in Qatar in 2022.

Can’t get enough of global sports competitions? No worries. As soon as the Women’s World Cup ends in August, the Rugby World Cup, which also takes place every four years, will kick off in September in France. Twenty teams will compete with three-time champ South Africa, the 2019 winner, looking to defend its title.