Hindmarsh Stadium a danger to winning women’s World Cup matches for SA
Not putting up Adelaide Oval as a women’s World Cup venue could cost SA big, with a mammoth task now ahead to convince FIFA that Hindmarsh is fit for the job.
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The State Government has its work cut out to convince FIFA that Hindmarsh Stadium is a worthy venue for matches after the Australia/New Zealand bid won the FIFA 2023 women’s World Cup hosting rights.
Adelaide Oval’s 53,500 capacity, which is FIFA-compliant, was not put forward as a venue as part of the SA submission to host women’s World Cup games.
Hindmarsh Stadium was rated as the worst of the eight Australian venues in FFA’s joint bid book to FIFA.
The proposed 18,345 capacity is also the smallest, which would put the state’s chances of hosting the Matildas – if FIFA were to award any games to Hindmarsh – as minimal. Games featuring nations such as England or Italy, would attract massive crowds.
Hindmarsh Stadium failed to meet FIFA’s minimum capacity 20,000 seat requirements, which was set out in FIFA’s bid document.
Recreation, Sport and Racing Minister Corey Wingard said SA proposed hosting four group games and a knockout clash with temporary stands to bring capacity closer to FIFA expectations.
About $3.2 million had been set aside for a facilities upgrade in the bid document.
It’s understood the Labor Party was prepared to invest more than $30 million when it was in power.
But Mr Wingard stopped short of declaring Hindmarsh Stadium as a certainty to win any matches as the State Government initially wasn’t bidding for the World Cup.
“That was in the bid process that’s what we put forward to get the four games and the round of 16 lead-up, so we’ll be pushing for that. If we can get more, that’s what we’ll be keen to see,’’ Mr Wingard said.
“The draw hasn’t been done … so we’ll get all that done when the draw comes out.
“We’re right in the middle of this and we’ll be pushing for the best possible outcomes for SA.
“In the 2019 (France FIFA women’s) World Cup the average crowd was 22,000 so that made this stadium the ideal boutique stadium.
“We know we can fill in the seats and get close to 20,000.”
Mr Wingard said a new stadium had been considered to replace Hindmarsh Stadium but cost was a factor.
Australia’s FIFA women’s World Cup bid steering committee member Greg Griffin said the State Government’s bargaining power to host World Cup matches had diminished when it put a non-compliant Hindmarsh forward in the bid document.