Football Federation Australia steps up campaign for 2023 Women’s World Cup with pitch to fans

Football Federation Australia is stepping up its campaign to host the 2023 Women’s World Cup, with a fresh pitch calling for fans to back the bid. Here’s how you can get involved.

Australia is stepping up its campaign to host the 2023 Women’s World Cup, with a fresh pitch calling for fans to back the bid.

Following the record-breaking French tournament, Football Federation Australia has today released its logo and slogan — “limitless”.

Nine countries, including Argentina, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea, have bid for the next competition, which could be expanded from 24 to 32 teams.

Matildas captain Sam Kerr in action during the 2019 Women’s World Cup. Picture: Craig Mercer/Getty Images

If successful, Australian states and territories would battle to become the host or could share matches across as many as eight cities.

The Herald Sun understands group and finals matches could be played at AAMI Park, Marvel Stadium and the MCG, which has a capacity of more than 100,000.

A new 15,000-seat, multimillion-dollar stadium being built in Tarneit would not be large enough to host group matches but could serve as a training base.

Matildas captain Sam Kerr said a home competition would amplify the “amazing” support received throughout the latest World Cup campaign.

“The chance to play on home soil in 2023 would be a dream come true,” she said.

“The support we received in France was overwhelming and to have that in Australia, on a bigger scale, would be unbelievable.”

A new 15,000-set stadium is being built in Tarneit. Picture: Supplied

France hosted this year’s championship, claimed overnight by the US, in a record-breaking tournament tipped to have been watched by more than 1 billion viewers worldwide.

More than 1.39 million Australians tuned in to watch the Matildas — recently declared Australia’s “most loved sports team” — on the competition’s opening weekend.

Australia’s logo and “limitless” bid theme centres on the nation’s colourful culture, “where the underdog can become the hero and greatness is achieved by anyone”.

Japan unveiled its logo and “Time to Fly” slogan last week, promising to elevate the Women’s World Cup to “an even higher level”.

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The cost of hosting the Women’s World Cup would depend on the cities and stadiums involved but would likely be upward of the $65 million spent on hosting the AFC Asian Cup in 2015.

But analysis has forecast that it would generate half a billion dollars in economic and social benefits over a decade.

It is understood that federal, state and territory governments have indicated they would financially back the bid.

FFA — Australian Official Bid Mark logo

FFA head of international relations Mark Falvo said the benefits could be spread to regions across Australia.

“We are putting forward as many cities as we possibly can with a blend of boutique venues as well as bigger stadiums,” he said of the Australian bid.

“This wouldn’t just be an event for major metro cities, it is also an opportunity for regional centres that could host training camps.

“We do need to have that ‘Team Australia’ mentality because it is a national event.”

Bid books are due to be submitted in Zurich in October, before site visits and evaluation reports are released early next year.

In a more “transparent” process, FIFA board members will then publicly vote for a host nation in March next year.

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FFA chief executive David Gallop said it was “a tough group of bidders but we are in with a good chance”.

“We’ve seen from the just completed World Cup that it is a bigger event than ever and Australia would do a wonderful job of hosting the tournament and showcasing women’s football,” he said.

“There would also be flow-on political, social and economic benefits and it would help us super charge our push for women’s participation rates and promote gender equality throughout the ranks of coaches, administrators and football people generally.”

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