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'Historic day': Australia and NZ win bid to host Women's World Cup

Australian Associated Press
·5-min read
Australian officials and players, pictured here reacting after the World Cup announcement.
Officials and players react as FIFA announce Australia as the hosts to the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. (Photo by Jenny Evans/Getty Images)

Australia and New Zealand have won a joint-bid to host the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, sending fans and footballers from both countries into raptures.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino believes Australia and New Zealand are the perfect hosts to deliver the greatest ever Women's World Cup.

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The Trans-Tasman bid received 22 of the 35 valid votes from the FIFA Council on Thursday to pip Colombia for the showpiece event which will take place between July and August in 2023.

It will take place across 12 cities in Australia and New Zealand, with the opening match to be played at Eden Park in Auckland and the final in Sydney.

“There will 32 countries unlike in France where we had 24 which means when you qualify for this event it is the biggest boost ever for women's football,” said Infantino.

“We welcome that and I am sure we will have the best World Cup ever, in Australia and New Zealand.”

The Australia and New Zealand bid outscored the Colombia bid emphatically in the evaluation report that was submitted to the council members.

It scored 4.1 out of five and bettered the South Americans, who scored 2.9, in every criteria - stadiums, team and referee facilities, accommodation, International Broadcast Centre (IBC), competition-related event sites and commercial.

Infantino said the report, which in the past has been no guarantee of a successful bid, was too good for him to not award his vote to - despite the nine-strong UEFA contingent voting in favour of Colombia.

“It was a difficult decision for me,” he said.

“I love Colombia and I am sure they would have been able to organise a fantastic tournament.

“But at the end of the day we have to look and analyse and look at the bids. FIFA in the past has been accused of not giving enough attention to the technical evaluation reports.

“But we have to show that these reports mean something or we are going to have to stop organising biddings.

“If that was not the case with the old FIFA well it won't be with the new FIFA and I am very proud of that.”

FIFA to inject $100 million into Australia

FIFA is expected to pay Australia and New Zealand about $100 million to host the World Cup, while Infantino also said FIFA would spend US$1 billion to develop Women’s Football in the years ahead.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and New Zealand counterpart Jacinda Ardern said it would be largest and best Women's World Cup ever.

“This is a huge positive for the footballing and sporting industries on both sides of the Tasman as we recover and rebuild from COVID-19,” they said in a joint statement.

“As sporting nations we have had a long history of producing some of the best female footballers in the world and this tournament will further inspire our next generation and provide the platform for them to compete on the world stage.”

Australia joined forces with New Zealand to submit a joint bid in December 2019.

Matches will be held in 12 cities with Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Newcastle, Launceston to be the Australian hosts.

Wellington, Christchurch, Hamilton, Dunedin will host the New Zealand fixtures alongside Auckland.

Gianni Infantino, pictured here announcing Australia and New Zealand as the winners.
Gianni Infantino announces that Australia/New Zealand are the winning hosts for the 2023 Women's World Cup. (Photo by Ben Moreau/FIFA via Getty Images)

Football Federation Australia chairman Chris Nikou said the successful bid was an enormous opportunity to grow football in the region.

“FIFA today has made not one, but two countries very happy,” said Nikou.

“We know there is a lot of work to be done. But our pledge to the FIFA family is that no stone will be left unturned to produce the best World Cup and grow the women's game globally and in the Asia-Pacific region.”

New Zealand Football Federation president Johanna Wood promised the two nations would work together to deliver a tournament to remember.

“We've always said with this bid, that it is as one and making history and creating opportunities,” she said.

“Chris mentioned when he spoke to council that this is a gift we have been given and we add to that by saying we have been given a treasure.

“We will look after the treasure and make women's football even more front and centre and we will do that as a team.”

There were incredible scenes across both countries as the decision was handed down, with social media exploding across the Tasman.

With Yahoo Sports staff