Australian World Cup bid: Sam Kerr adds star power to 11th hour push
Australia has pulled out all the stops in its final pitch to host the 2023 Women’s World Cup, with one of game’s biggest stars lending a hand to the campaign.
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Matildas star Sam Kerr is the not-so-secret weapon in Australia’s final pitch to host the 2023 Women’s World Cup, with just hours left until FIFA makes its final decision.
Kerr’s call to “inspire the next generation of girls by leading the way on the field and off it” comes in a video presentation that will be played to FIFA’s Council just minutes before it chooses between bids from Colombia and Australia/New Zealand early on Friday morning (AEST).
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The 10-minute film is utterly different in tone and content to the Paul Hogan-centric video whose boxing kangaroo was widely lampooned when Australia was humiliated in its efforts to bid for the 2022 men’s World Cup a decade ago.
Instead the slick video emphasises what a safe choice Australia and New Zealand’s joint bid would be – safe for the fans and players, and safe for FIFA’s finances.
Predicting ticket sales of more than 1.5 million and record commercial revenue for FIFA, the video highlights the multicultural credentials of would-be hosts that can point to 200 different cultures and 300 languages.
“The final presentation is literally our last chance to underline the credentials of a bid that promises to deliver the biggest and best Women‘s World Cup ever,” said FFA CEO James Johnson.
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— Football Federation Australia (@FFA) June 23, 2020
Prime Minister @ScottMorrisonMP of Australia and Prime Minister @jacindaardern of New Zealand have come together to support their nations’ historic joint bid to host the world’s largest women’s sporting event. #AsOne @FIFAWWC
“By the time it‘s played to the FIFA Council, we believe we will have demonstrated just how successful the 2023 World Cup would be on these shores.”
Scott Morrison and Jacinda Ardern both appear to underline their respective governments’ commitment to the bid, while Kerr describes the World Cup as “the pinnacle of our sport and truly what dreams are made of – the best teams in the world, the best players in the world participating on the biggest stage.”
Partially shot by FFA videographer Ben Coonan and put together by Sydney branding consultancy Wite Kite, the video was completed hours before it had to be submitted to FIFA earlier this month.
Via a secure live stream, Australian bid officials will watch the FIFA Council members watching their video, and that of Colombia, before the vote takes place soon after midnight on Thursday night (AEST).
FIFA has already pledged the vote will be open, after previous bid decisions have subsequently been tainted by evidence of corruption.