France gears up to host Women’s World Cup

Before the women’s soccer friendly between France and the United States on Saturday, the field at Stade Oceane in the chilly northern French city of Le Havre featured both set of starters, the national flags and a number: 139.

The occasion was a match between the top-ranked reigning world champions (United States) and the No. 3 team on the FIFA list. It was also a timely reminder of what awaited in 139 days: the Women’s World Cup, which will take place this summer in nine French venues, including Le Havre.

France was superior in every aspect of the 3-1 victory, ending the Americans’ 28-game unbeaten streak dating from July 2017.

With the game falling in the National Women’s Soccer League offseason, Jill Ellis’ players were not in peak fitness. The two most influential attackers (Tobin Heath and Megan Rapinoe), as well as defensive midfielder Julie Ertz and right back Kelley O’Hara, did not play. A college sophomore (Emily Fox) started at left back.

Furthermore, France is really good — a genuine championship contender, especially at home. If form holds in the group stage and round of 16, those teams will meet again in a June 28 quarterfinal in Paris.

French officials are hopeful the success of the national team, which has won eight straight by a 30-2 margin, will help fuel enthusiasm for the first major women’s tournament in their country and first World Cup there since the men’s spectacle — won by France, by the way — in 1998.

“The national team is winning, and this is going to bring something,” said Laura Georges, general secretary of the French Football Federation. “We remember winning the World Cup in 1998; we want the good atmosphere. The players are winning and bringing this special light to the people.”

Georges, 34, visited Chicago this month to attend the United Soccer Coaches’ annual convention, a gathering of some 10,000 U.S. coaches, officials, guest speakers and vendors. She was joined by another high-ranking woman in the French federation, Vice President Brigitte Henriques, 47. Both are former players and both are playing key roles in the Women’s World Cup.

During a presentation, they reported that through Jan. 7, about 295,000 tickets had been sold. The goal is to sell 1 million of the 1.3 million available. Among the challenges is selling tickets to 52 single matches; until this year, the Women’s World Cup played doubleheaders almost exclusively.

The most enthusiastic buyers outside of France are Americans, who had purchased about 77,000. Henriques believes half the audience for the semifinals and final in Lyon will come from the United States, which staged the 1999 and 2003 tournaments and sent thousands of fans to the Canadian-hosted event four years ago.

Lyon was chosen to host the three biggest matches because of the city’s place in promoting and embracing women’s soccer, most notably through Olympique Lyonnais, winner of the past three UEFA Women’s Champions League titles.

Lyon’s appeal also comes from its stadium, Parc Olympique Lyonnais, a 60,000-seater that opened in 2016. The Paris options, Henriques said, were either too big or too small for a final.

“We wanted to make sure the cities hosting the World Cup are really going to bring something to the women’s game,” Georges said.