WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Staggering statistics demonstrate FIFA Women’s World Cup growth
- Three African teams have reached the Round of 16 for the first time in the Women’s World Cup
- Nigeria became the first African nation to complete their group unbeaten.
- Morocco is the first African team to win two successive matches and keep clean sheets in successive matches.
The FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 is capturing the hearts and minds of football fans not only in the two co-host countries but across the globe.
At the end of the Group Stage, records have been broken in areas as diverse as ticket sales, broadcast figures and digital media data.
The tournament has also set new benchmarks for performances on the pitch, as well as creating new highs in hospitality and merchandise sales, as well as for the number of participating volunteers.
The tournament is truly going Beyond Greatness to, with sixteen captivating days and sixteen thrilling matches of the ninth edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup remaining.
On the field, countries from all continents are writing their own piece of history. For the first time, teams from all six Confederations won a match at the tournament.
New Zealand became the first team from Oceania to register a victory, while the Philippines, Zambia, Portugal, Jamaica, South Africa, and Morocco also got their first win. Africa’s representatives are breaking all kinds of records.
Three teams have reached the Round of 16. Nigeria became the first African nation to complete their group unbeaten. Morocco is the first African team to win two successive matches and keep clean sheets in successive matches. Fans from the co- host nations, as well as tens of thousands of travelling supporters have fully embraced the biggest women’s sports event on the planet, with an average of 25,476 fans attending the 48 first-round matches, a 29% increase from attendances at France 2019.
By Friday 4 August, over 1,715,000 tickets had been sold, comfortably surpassing pre-tournament ticket sales targets. In Aotearoa New Zealand, the record crowd for a football match in the country– women’s or men’s – was broken twice in 12 days, first in the opening match and subsequently eclipsed when 42,958 fans watched Portugal take on the United States of America.
In Australia, the tournament also set a record for a standalone women’s football match, when 75,784 fans attended Australia’s opener against Republic of Ireland.
At the previous FIFA Women’s World Cup in France, ten matches across the entire tournament attracted over 25,000 spectators. By comparison, this year’s Group Stage has already seen twenty-one matches surpass the 25,000 mark.
Hospitality sales meanwhile are tracking 27% above France 2019, and 534% above Canada 2015. As the tournament pauses for breath before the knock-out stage commences, broadcast figures from around the world have equally been overwhelmingly positive, with records broken across multiples countries on a near daily basis.
Some of the many highlights include the Matildas’ final group game against Canada reaching 4.71 million Australians to become channel Seven’s most watched programme this year. In Aotearoa New Zealand around 1.88 million, a third of the population, has been watching the tournament.
Colombia’s first group match tripled the highest television audience from the previous FIFA Women’s World Cup (2.84 million) and even eclipses all audiences from the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, except for the Final. China PR produced the highest audience for a single match anywhere in the world with 53.9 million viewers watching their team take on England.
In the United States, more fans watched their team play against Netherlands, than any other previous group stage match in history (6.43m).
The skyrocketing television audiences have been replicated on FIFA’s digital platforms. Traffic in the first 15 days has already surpassed the entirety of the 2019 tournament, welcoming 22 million unique users, with an average of 2.4 million users visiting FIFA Women’s World Cup channels daily.
FIFA committed to providing the 32 participating member associations with the same level of support as the men’s teams received at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar. So far, 410 training sessions – 88 at the Venue Specific Training Sites and 322 at the Team Base Camp Training Sites – have been facilitated, another first for this tournament.
#image_title
For those sessions, over 2,000 cones were provided to teams in Australia and 1,600 in Aotearoa New Zealand, as well as 1,536 adidas footballs for training purposes, 1,280 Official Match Balls and 6,748 bibs for teams and match operations.
In the FIFA Fan Festivals, another ‘first’ was achieved, with sites created in each of the nine host cities. To date, over 400,000 fans watched the matches, with Sydney/Gadigal recording the single day record of 17,756 fans.
The tournament across multiple sites has been supported by 5,000 volunteers who have brought the greatest ever FIFA Women’s World Cup™ to life, doubling the number of volunteers in 2019. The overwhelming majority of volunteers are from the two co-host countries, while around 5% of volunteers travelled from sixty-eight different nations, representing all six FIFA Confederations.
Spain striker Esther Gonzalez scored twice in the first half as her side powered to a 5-0 win over Portugal at the Women’s Euros that was overshadowed by the deaths of Portugal international Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva in a car accident earlier on Thursday.
On an emotional night that began with a minute’s silence for the brothers, Portugal went behind almost immediately, Olga Carmona putting the ball over the top for Gonzalez to run on to and score in the second minute.
Mariona Caldentey did superbly to pull the ball across the box for Vicky Lopez to score the second goal five minutes later.
The Portuguese managed to steady the ship but they were rocked again four minutes before the break when Alexia Putellas took down another great pass from Caldentey on her chest before calmly cutting inside and firing home.
“I highlight our mindset, how we came out to play,” Putellas said. “We were really eager to get started but it’s only the first match.”
There was more misery to come for Portugal before halftime as Gonzalez netted her second goal two minutes later, scoring from close range after Claudia Pina’s cross came back off the far post.
The world champions were delighted to be able to bring in Aitana Bonmati from the bench following her recent brush with viral meningitis, and the playmaker wasted no time getting into the thick of things, setting up a chance for Cristina Martin-Prieto.
“Aitana is a very important player for us. We are delighted that she is back and has overcome her illness. It is a joy,” Putellas said.
Portugal showed more composure in the second half but they were no match for Spain’s power, precision and technique and, though they held Spain at bay for most of the second half, Martin-Prieto scored with a superb late header to complete the rout.
“We conceded early goals and the team became anxious and unsettled,” said Portugal forward Diana Silva. “We couldn’t get hold of the ball and then it’s harder to chase the result. We were much better in the second half, more united. We didn’t allow Spain so much space to get in.
“We believe until the end, our goal is to earn points until the end and everything is still up for grabs.”
Silva and her teammates remained on the pitch after the final whistle, posing in front of their fans with a huge black banner in memory of Jota.
Spain’s victory was their biggest in a European Championship, surpassing their 4-1 win over Finland in 2022, and was the ideal start for what the tournament favourites hope will be their first Women’s Euro title.
With Italy having defeated Belgium 1-0 earlier in the evening, Spain top the group with the Italians second. Spain take on the Belgians in their next game, while Portugal face Italy.
-Reuters
The draw for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup Morocco 2025 was held on Wednesday in Rabat. It set the tone for a highly anticipated edition of the tournament.
The event will feature competitive groups. There will be a dazzling, historic opening match between the host nation and Brazil.
Hosts Morocco, Cameroon, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, and Zambia will fly the African flag. This will occur during the 3-week tournament taking place between 17 October – 8 November.
As hosts of this eighth edition, Morocco have not been dealt an easy hand. Drawn into Group A alongside Brazil, Italy, and Costa Rica
The opening match is scheduled to take place in Rabat. It will see Morocco go head-to-head with a Brazilian side renowned for its strength at youth level.
This high-profile fixture will be an important benchmark for Morocco. They can gauge how far they’ve come in their footballing development.
Cameroon to Tackle a Formidable Group B
Group B presents a stern test for Cameroon. They will face North Korea, Mexico, and the Netherlands.
This group showcases a compelling mix of footballing philosophies and playing styles. The Lionesses will need to combine tactical discipline with physical strength to compete effectively.
Cameroon have never advanced beyond the quarterfinals in this competition. Their U-17 side will be hoping to break new ground.
Their recent success on the regional stage, particularly within the UNIFFAC zone, offers a solid foundation for optimism.
Nigeria Aim to Maintain Their Legacy
As one of the most successful African nations at youth level, Nigeria arrive with a proud legacy to uphold.
Drawn into Group D, the Super Flamingos will take on France, Canada, and Samoa. It’s a challenging group, but well within reach for a team known for its athletic prowess and technical quality.
The Nigerian class of 2025 is attracting a lot of attention. With the right momentum, they have the potential to reach the quarterfinals or even further. Their encounter with France could very well be the pivotal fixture of the group.
Debut Challenge for Côte d’Ivoire
Côte d’Ivoire will make their tournament debut in Group E, where they’ll face Spain, Colombia, and South Korea. The Ivorians will need to demonstrate character and determination to compete at this level.
Their match against Spain, the runners-up in the previous edition, will be a formidable test. However, it’s not insurmountable. Should the Little Elephants manage to hold off the Spanish onslaught, an upset could be on the cards. Their attacking line known for its speed and unpredictability could be their biggest asset.
Zambia Ready to Make a Statement in Group F
In Group F, Zambia is set to face Japan, New Zealand, and Paraguay. Though less experienced than their opponents, the U-17 Copper Princesses arrive with a clear goal: to surpass the performance of previous African teams at this stage of the tournament.
It’s a demanding draw, particularly against a Japanese side famed for its collective organisation and fluidity.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Finland women’s national team manager has apologised for mistakenly calling up a long-retired 51-year-old for this week’s game against Serbia.
When submitting the lineup, manager Outi Saarinen mistakenly entered former player Stina Ruuskanen instead of 23-year-old Djurgarden defender Nanne Ruuskanen.
The error was not discovered until past deadline.
Ruuskanen, who received her call-up 29 years after playing two senior internationals for Finland, took the mix-up in good humour.
“I’m definitely ready if the call comes! Just yesterday I was playing in a hobby league match … so my game feel is good,” she told the Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat.
The younger Ruuskanen, who is no relation, was unable to take part in the Nations League match, a 1-1 draw in Helsinki on Tuesday.
“Nanne was, of course, disappointed but took the news very well considering the circumstances,” Saarinen said in a statement from the Finnish Football Association.
“I am very sorry for the mistake.”
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
- OBITUARY3 days ago
BREAKING: Nigerian Goalkeeping Legend Peter Rufai is dead
- Nigerian Football2 days ago
Football Agent John Shittu Demands Retraction and ₦250 Million Damages from Samson Siasia Over Bribery Allegation
- FEDERATION CUP1 week ago
Kwara United Clinch Historic First Title as President Federation Cup Final Goes to Penalties for the 18th time
- FEDERATION CUP1 week ago
Rivers Angels Crowned 2025 Female Federation Cup Champions After Penalty Shootout Thriller
- OBITUARY3 days ago
Peter Rufai looked lean when I last saw him, says mourning NFF President, Gusau
- WAFCON1 day ago
Nigeria, Tunisia Set for High-Stakes WAFCON 2024 Clash in Casablanca
- OBITUARY2 days ago
Family issues statement on Peter Rufai
- IMMEMORIAL2 days ago
Peter Rufai’s Death Adds to Long List of July Tragedies in Nigerian Football