With one game left to play in Aotearoa New Zealand, the FIFA Women’s World Cup is set to leave a lasting impression and legacy on the country with Kiwis getting behind the beautiful game like never before.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 has broken records both domestically and internationally.

By the time the tournament ends over 700,000 fans will have attended the 29 games in Aotearoa New Zealand, and over 1.9 million fans in total for the event across both countries, smashing the previous records and targets for the competition.

The record crowd for a football match in Aotearoa New Zealand has been broken three times during the tournament so far, firstly at the opening game which at 42,137 set a new record for a men’s or women’s New Zealand team game, and finally at 43,217 for Spain v Switzerland in the Round of 16.

Over 1 million Kiwis tuned in to watch the opening game, the biggest TV audience for a football match shown in New Zealand in 20 years, with the tournament reaching over 2.1 million viewers to date across Prime and Sky Sport NZ. 

Nearly 165,000 fans have attended the FIFA Fan Festivals in the four host cities so far with thousands more still to watch the final games of the tournament.

“This tournament has seen a colossal change in the way football and particularly women’s football is seen in Aotearoa New Zealand” says Andrew Pragnell, CEO of New Zealand Football.

“From the historic opening game at Eden Park which saw the Football Ferns beat former champions Norway, to the dramatic quarter-finals this weekend which gripped the footballing world, this tournament has set a new standard for the FIFA Women’s World Cup going forward.

“I want to thank all of the Kiwis who got behind the event: the over 700,000 people attending games, the thousands of volunteers and support staff, the millions who watched on TV and especially our Football Ferns.

“When New Zealand Football and Football Australia won the hosting rights in the middle of 2020, and a Covid-19 induced lockdown, we knew we had a lot of work ahead of us. Three years later, with a lot of mahi and collaboration between FIFA, co-hosts Football Australia, Government, host cities and stadia, regional stakeholders, and ourselves, it has all been worth it.

“Football is already the biggest and the fastest growing organised team sport in the country and this tournament, as well as the numerous legacy programmes we have established, will supercharge it.

“Building on the success of the Cricket and Rugby World Cups played in 2022, the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 has shown that Aotearoa New Zealand can deliver world-class major events and has really put us on the map for global events moving forward. 

“This event has also underlined the strengthened partnership New Zealand Football have with Football Australia which bodes well for the future of football development in both countries.”

The final FIFA Women’s World Cup game played in Aotearoa New Zealand will be the semi-final between Spain and Sweden at Eden Park in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland tonight at 8pm.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 will come to an end this Sunday at 10pm (NZT) with the final at Stadium Australia.

Article added: Tuesday 15 August 2023