On July 20, Australia and New Zealand will commence the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, which is jointly organized by the two nations. This event follows a recent shooting incident near the Norwegian team hotel in Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand, resulting in three deaths and six injuries.
Authorities have confirmed that the shooter was one of the deceased, and they assure the public that the situation is now under control. New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins further reassured the nation, stating that there is no risk to national security.
According to the original schedule, New Zealand’s Football Ferns will start the tournament at Eden Park in Auckland by facing Norway on July 20 at 7 pm local time (12:30 PM India time). The match is expected to attract a significant crowd, potentially surpassing the record for the largest audience at an international soccer match in the host nation.
“Everyone quickly became alert when a helicopter hovered outside the hotel window and a large number of emergency vehicles arrived. Initially, we didn’t know what was happening, but eventually, updates were provided on TV and local media,” said Norway captain Maren Mjelde in an interview with newspaper Verdens Gang.
The Australia women’s national football team, known as the Matildas, will begin their campaign against the Republic of Ireland at 3:30 PM (India time) in front of a sellout crowd of around 70,000 fans at Stadium Australia in Sydney. This sets a record attendance for a women’s football match in the country.
Until 1970, women were prohibited from accessing official football facilities in England, the birthplace of the sport. Similar discriminatory practices also affected female players in various other nations, limiting their opportunities.
However, football has experienced a significant rise in prominence in recent times, with a substantial increase in the number of female players and spectators worldwide.
Tracey Taylor, a sports management professor at RMIT University in Melbourne, expects this upcoming tournament to bring about significant change in women’s sports participation in Australia. Grassroots football club members are hopeful about its transformative impact, stating that it will increase the sport’s position globally and raise awareness within the local community, as reported by Reuters.
(With Reuters inputs)