AUCKLAND, 14 DECEMBER 2019 (STUFF NZ) – New Zealand is joining forces with Australia to try to bring the Fifa Women’s World Cup to this part of the world in 2023.
Reports of an agreement on a trans-Tasman bid had been mounting in recent weeks, but Football Federation Australia and NZ Football only made it official on Friday, the deadline for bid books to be submitted to the global governing body.
The bid, with the tagline “As One”, has backing from both governments, with New Zealand’s sport and recreation minister, Grant Robertson, saying he was excited by the prospect of New Zealand co-hosting the event.
“New Zealand and Australia are both countries that champion and celebrate women’s sport, and it has been no surprise to see the football community, stadia, host cities and states across our two countries embrace this bid.
“We know New Zealand and Australia can work as a team to deliver something unique and world class, while also creating a legacy for women and for football in our countries and across Asia and Oceania.”
The next step in the bidding process will take place early next year, when Fifa conducts inspections of each interested nation, with evaluation reports from those visits to be published in April.
A final decision is expected in May next year, after the 37 members of the Fifa council conduct a public vote. NZ Football president Johanna Wood is a member of that council.
The other nations that had been interested in submitting bids were Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Japan, and South Korea, whether by itself or in partnership with North Korea.
New Zealand Football had long expressed interest in hosting a Women’s World Cup and put its name forward when Fifa began the bidding process for 2023 in April this year.
Buoyed by the success of June’s event in France, which was won by the United States, Fifa moved to expand the tournament from 24 teams to 32, casting doubt on New Zealand’s ability to host the tournament on its own.
