adminMORE than 500 000 tickets have been sold for this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, leaving organisers with just under 1 million to go to reach a previously-stated target.
FIFA is hoping to break a record for the tournament. This year’s World Cup is a bigger tournament than previous editions, with 32 teams and 64 matches, compared to 24 teams and 52 matches previously.
The 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada set the current record, with 1,35 million tickets sold, an average of 26 028 per match. Ticket sales at the last Women’s World Cup, in France in 2019, reached 1,13 million, an average of 21 756 per match.
The final phase of ticket sales for the 2023 tournament is due to open in April, ahead of kick-off in Auckland on July 20.
FIFA said the 500 000 mark was passed last week. Last September, the world football governing body said 1 million tickets would be available during the first ticket sales period, which began in October.
FIFA said fans from more than 120 countries had so far bought tickets. The most sought-after tickets are for the final, on August 20 at Stadium Australia in Sydney.
There have been several rounds of sales so far. A pre-sale for customers of FIFA sponsor Visa took place from October 6-12 last year. The wider public were then able to buy tickets in a window from October 13-21. Both sales took place prior to the tournament draw on October 22. Two more rounds took place after the draw. Another Visa customer window ran from October 25-31, followed by a general public window opening on November 1.
Ticket prices start at $14 for adults and $10 for children. FIFA secretary general, Fatma Samoura, said: “Fans residing in the United States of America, England, Qatar, Germany, China PR, Canada, the Republic of Ireland and France are the top 10 purchasers of FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 tickets so far. This highlights the fantastic pull of the female game and the passion it evokes among the global football fandom, who want to be part of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and see the event reach #BeyondGreatness.” Beyond Greatness is the slogan created for the tournament.
A first-ever Women’s World Cup play-off competition, taking place from February 17-23 in New Zealand, will decide the last three qualifying teams for the tournament.
Ten teams are taking part in the play-off; Portugal, Cameroon, Thailand, Chile, Haiti, Senegal, Chinese Taipei, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay and Panama.
Ticket sales for the play-off began on Monday.
Already qualified are New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, Switzerland, Australia, Republic of Ireland, Nigeria, Canada, Spain, Costa Rica, Zambia, Japan, England, Denmark, China, the USA, Vietnam, the Netherlands, France, Jamaica, Brazil, Sweden, South Africa, Italy, Argentina, Germany, Morocco, Colombia and South Korea.
Morocco, Zambia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Ireland have qualified for the tournament for the first time. – Sports Business.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter