By Samindra Kunti in Melbourne
August 7 – The 2023 Women’s World Cup became the most attended in history on Sunday with Sweden’s victory over the United States taking the tournament total to 1,367,037.
Prior to the tournament, ticket uptake in co-host New Zealand had been slow, raising concerns over empty stands at group-stage matches, but those fears were dismissed during the tournament and the 27,706 fans at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium for the standout tie of the last 16 ensured that with 1,367,037 fans so far this tournament overtook Canada 2015 and the previous record of 1,353,506.
However, that tournament, won by the United States, featured just 24 teams.
The number also easily overtakes the 1,131,312 supporters who attended the 52 matches at the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France. The average attendance in Australia and New Zealand, discounting Monday’s matches, is 26,289.
The opening day of the tournament saw bumper crowds with 75,784 supporters flocking to Stadium Australia to watch the Matildas defeat debutants Ireland and Eden Park recording a record crowd of 42,137 for the tournament’s curtain raiser between the Football Ferns and Norway.
Americans flocked in their thousands to Auckland and other Kiwi host cities to back the US women’s national team. At recent finals, both men’s and women’s, Americans have purchased the most tickets and the team’s elimination will be felt in New Zealand in the knockout phase. Eden Park will stage one of two semi-finals.
Stadium Australia is set to host the final on August 20.