England’s Earps gets shirty over Nike’s lack of goalkeeper jerseys
July 21 – England goalkeeper Mary Earps says she is hurt and disappointed that fans cannot buy a replica of her shirt for the second tournament running.
Aus-NZ 2023
WWC2023 tickets are still on sale, but FIFA has ‘sold out’ of sponsorship packages
July 21 – With the Women’s World Cup now into its second day, the governing body is reporting that it has sold all its sponsorship packages.
Concacaf W strategy bears results as Montagliani sends message of support to his six 2023 nations
July 21 – Concacaf president Victor Montagliani, coming off the back of the successful conclusion of the Gold Cup, has turned his attention to his six member nations competing at the Women’s World Cup.
Kerr-less Aussies beat Ireland with a penalty before a record crowd in Sydney
July 20 – Rocked by the forced withdrawal of skipper Sam Kerr, the poster girl of the tournament, co-hosts Australia got off to a winning start in the women’s World Cup with a 1-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand deliver on an opening night of passion and resilience in Auckland
July 20 – On a historic night for Kiwi football, New Zealand got their World Cup party underway in style with a deserved 1-0 against a lacklustre Norway to claim a first-ever victory at the finals.
After a disjointed and fractious build-up, FIFA stumbles to WWC 2023 start line
By Samindra Kunti in Auckland
July 20 – Australians once described football as a game for Sheilas, Wogs and Poofters but from Thursday on they will co-host, alongside New Zealand, the sport’s premier women’s tournament with more finalists than ever vying for the global crown in a World Cup that FIFA boss Gianni Infantino believes will win over the sceptics, even if pay disputes and prize money inequality shroud the month-long football festival.
Auckland shooting casts shadow over opening day of Women’s World Cup
By Samindra Kunti in Auckland
July 20 – A shooting downtown New Zealand’s capital, killing two, on the morning of the opening game of the Women’s World Cup between the co-hosts New Zealand and Norway overshadowed the big kickoff.
USA favourites for a World Cup three-peat, but European and Aussie challengers have momentum
July 20 – The United States start as the bookies favourites to win a third consecutive Women’s World Cup to cement their dominance in the game in Megan Rapinoe’s farewell finals, but they face real competition from Europe as well as from host nation Australia.
FIFA finds room for last minute addition of Booking.com to WWC2023 sponsorship roster
July 20 – A day before the official kick off of the Women’s World Cup, FIFA has announced Booking.com as the 2023 tournament’s Official Online Travel Sponsor.
England women ‘pause’ unresolved World Cup bonus negotiations to focus on football
July 19 – England’s women players have decided to park controversial negotiations over World Cup bonuses but have made clear their disappointment with the national FA over an issue that could have developed into a huge distraction on the eve of the tournament.
Infantino and Samoura plead with Kiwis to buy into Women’s World Cup
July 19 – On the eve of the Women’s World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has called on New Zealanders to buy into the tournament and get their tickets for the 32-team finals. Slow ticket sales have raised the spectre of empty seats in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Dunedin.
Infantino warns that not all WWC2023 players will get their $30K prize money
July 19 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino has warned his organisation can’t guarantee that players will get their prize money at the Women’s World Cup.
First Nations and Maoris accuse FIFA of using them as a WWC PR stunt
By Samindra Kunti in Sydney
July 18 – Questions are being asked over FIFA’s commitment to First Nations and Maori soccer communities via the Women’s World Cup that kick off this week, with criticism that they are being used as a PR stunt without any real impact on their own football futures and wider acknowledgment of self-determination.
Women behaving badly: Ireland and Colombia abandon (un)friendly, Spanish apologise for disrespecting Haka
July 17 – A women’s World Cup warm-up game at the weekend between the Republic of Ireland and Colombia was called after 20 minutes because of “overly physical” challenges.
Aussie women hold FIFA to account over gender World Cup prize money gap
By Samindra Kunti in Sydney
July 17 – Australia’s women’s team have called FIFA out over the prize money gender gap with the men’s game, following their last friendly before the World Cup, where the Australians beat France 1-0.