Exclusive: There's "plenty of interest" for the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada, says Hardman

By David Gold at the SportAccord Convention in Québec City

May 23 – Don Hardman, the vice-president of venues for the Canada 2015 Women’s World Cup, told insideworldfootball here today that there was plenty of interest in the country for the tournament.

FIFA’s women’s showpiece will take place in 2015 between June and July, with Edmonton, Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver, Moncton and Winnipeg to host matches.

The selection of the cities earlier this year means the tournament will be the first major sports event in Canada to be held coast to coast across the vast country.

It will be a significant year for sport in Canada, with the Pan and Parapan American Games being hosted by Toronto.

While ice hockey enjoys more prominence, more people play football in Canada than any other sport.

There are 850,000 members playing the game, and Hardman said that he was confident they would beat the one million mark by the World Cup in 2015.

This, according to Hardman, explains how Canada can attract and generate significant interest in the World Cup and compete with last year’s record breaking competition in Germany.

“I think it is different,” he told insideworldfootball.

“Canada is certainly not a football first nation like Germany but we know we have the fans and the passionate fan base.

“I think the interest is there…the Under 20 Men’s World Cup in 2007 showed us there that the interest is there for international football.

“We hope to see new fans.”

The growth of the game in Canada has been underscored by increase in teams from the country now participating in the United States’ Major Soccer League to three this season with the introduction of a team from Montreal this year.

With 24 teams competing in the tournament for the first time, Hardman is confident they will break the overall attendance figures from Germany, but adds that it is a “challenge” to match the United States World Cup in 1999.

During that tournament the record attendance of 90,185 was reached for the final between the hosts and China.

Hardman says that it is the lack of cost to play the game which makes football so popular in Canada.

“I think it is the cost of entry, I think that is one of the defining characteristics to how we build new participants.

“It is a sport that is easily accessible to the entire community.

“The equipment requirements, facility requirements are not as significant as hockey and we have seen good growth.”

The relative success of the women’s team is also key, and along with the United States they have often outperformed the men on the international stage.

“Canadian and US sides have been successful in international football and women’s football,” Hardman said.

“The US and Canadian athletes have good profiles in the community and the country so I think all those contribute to making it accessible to fans.

“In Vancouver in January it was amazing to see the young girls in the audience staying late for the Games and connect with our national athletes who stayed 45 minutes late to sign autographs,” added Hardman, referring to the Olympic qualifiers for North America.

They were hosted at the brand new BC Place stadium (pictured above) in Vancouver, which will stage games in 2015.

Hardman added that he hoped some of those who watched the qualifiers and engage with the sport this year will even be playing for the team in 2015.

A successful Olympic Games in London this summer would be a boost ahead of the World Cup too.

“The Olympics in Canada across all sports are very well received,” Hardman said.

“To have one of our national teams competing in the Olympics will continue to build interest.

“Fingers crossed they can have a successful one this summer and continue to build awareness for their team.”

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