Festival of football to reignite love of soccer in Australia, New Zealand
Kick off for the FIFA Women’s World Cup is exactly one month away with more than two billion people – a quarter of the world’s population – expected to tune in for the festival of football.
NSW
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KICK OFF for the FIFA Women’s World Cup is exactly one month away with more than two billion people – a quarter of the world’s population – expected to tune in.
The four week festival of football will see 1.5 million fans watching 64 games live in nine cities across Australia and New Zealand pumping $568 million into the Australian economy alone.
‘’It’s a springboard for the sport,’’ Football Australia chief executive James Johnson said. ‘’Right now our brands for the Matildas and Socceroos are as high as they’ve ever been.’’
Mr Johnson said that popularity translates directly into how many people are playing soccer in the community.
Soccer registrations jumped by 10 per cent after the Aussie men in the Socceroos played valiantly against Argentina in the World Cup in Qatar.
“Hosting a World Cup is just going to amplify that,’’ he said.
Like all Aussie fans, Mr Johnson, a former national under 17 player, is looking at superstar striker Sam Kerr to unite the nation behind the Aussie women who combine to put the Matlidas among the best teams in the world.
‘’If Sam has a moment at the World Cup like Cathy Freeman did at the 2000 Olympics it is going to have a massive impact on girls playing soccer in the community,’’ he said.
Sport NSW chairman Chris Hall said football is already the biggest participation sport in NSW and the World Cup would help drive it to having as many girls playing as boys within a few years.
“There are girls who today don’t even play the game that will be inspired to pick up Football and go on to score goals in future World Cups. Such is the power of a FIFA World Cup on Australian soil,’’ he said.
Young APIA Leichhardt players Millie and Georgia Bivona have tickets to the first record-breaking sellout Matildas match against the Republic of Ireland at Stadium Australia on July 20.
‘’We have played soccer all our lives and it is a great way to spend time with my friends and learn new skills,’’ Georgia, 15, said.
Her sister Millie, 11, said she was excited to see her idol Sam Kerr in action. ‘’I love her because she scores so many goals,’’ Millie said. ‘’I would love to play for the Matildas one day.’’
Sydney will host 11 matches during the Cup including the final at Stadium Australia on August 20.
As part of the build up the Harbour Bridge will be closed to traffic on Sunday June 25 for a soccer celebration with fans and football legends walking, dancing and jogging over the bridge.
FIFA Chief Women’s Football Officer Sarai Bareman said the event on the bridge would celebrate the football culture and community that will be on show during the World Cup.
“With a month to go until the tournament we are on course to deliver the biggest and best FIFA Women’s World Cup in history,’’ she said.
“More than 1 million tickets have now been sold and the nine host cities and ten stadiums are ready to welcome the world to these shores for the first 32-team FIFA Women’s World Cup, the first to be co-hosted and the first to be held in the Southern Hemisphere,’’ she said.
‘’We are so ready to go Beyond Greatness.’’
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