New Zealand Football welcomes the New Zealand Government’s announcement yesterday of $19 million worth of funding for facility upgrades across Aotearoa New Zealand in the lead up to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.

Minister for Sport and Recreation Grant Robertson confirmed at Porirua Park that the Government is investing around $19 million to support upgrades at 30 of the 32 sporting facilities earmarked as for the tournament earlier this week by FIFA. These include stadia and training sites.

Depending on the requirements for the facilities for the tournament, upgrades include pitch, lighting and facility enhancements, and gender-neutral changing spaces. The venues and local councils are also contributing to the costs of these upgrades.

“Having a tournament of such global significance on our shores is at its most meaningful when it is benefitting our communities at such a local level,” says Paula Hansen, New Zealand Football General Manager for Women’s World Cup, Legacy and Inclusion.

“With investment in potential training sites throughout the motu, and in each of our football federations, not just in those where the games will be played, and not just for football clubs this is one way the whole of Aotearoa will benefit from the tournament. This level of investment in facilities that can be used by everyone in the community is a prime example of how leveraging high performance sport positively impacts local communities.

“Having genuinely inclusive facilities tells all members in our communities, of all genders, that they are welcome, and they are valued,” she says.

The Government’s investment includes $5 million through Sport New Zealand for gender neutral changing room upgrades at some of these venues.

“The FIFA Women’s World Cup is the largest women’s sporting event on the planet,” says Minister for Sport and Recreation Grant Robertson.

“These upgrades are critical to ensure the success of the tournament, but will also benefit local communities, football clubs and many different sporting codes that use these facilities, which is another great reason to invest in them.”

Read the Government announcement in full here

This announcement follows FIFA earlier this week announcing that for the first time in the FIFA Women’s World Cup’s history, teams will use dedicated Team Base Camps as a ‘home away from home’. The options are listed below. In addition to the TBCs, Venue Specific Team Hotel and Venue Specific Training Sites pairings aligned to the match venues have been confirmed.

There are 21 shortlisted TBC venues:

• Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland (Bay City Park, Fred Taylor Park, Keith Hay Park, Māngere Centre Park, McLennan Park, Michaels Ave Reserve, Olympic Park, Seddon Fields, Shepherds Park)
• Kirikiriroa/Hamilton (Korikori Park)
• Te Whanganui-A-Tara/Wellington (Porirua Park, two at New Zealand Campus of Innovation and Sport)
• Ōtepoti/Dunedin (Tahuna Park)
• Rotorua (Rotorua International Stadium)
• Ahururu/Napier (McLean Park)
• Te Papaioea /Palmerston North (Massey Sport Institute)
• Tauranga (Bay Oval)
• Ōtautahi/Christchurch (Christchurch Stadium, Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub, Avonhead Park)  

Of these, 16 will end up being selected and used by teams throughout the tournament.

There are two Venue Specific Training Sites pairings per host city, which will primarily be used for match preparation activities on the day before match days. The Venue Specific Training Sites in Aotearoa New Zealand are:

• Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland - North Harbour Stadium and Waitākere Stadium
• Kirikiriroa/Hamilton - Porritt Stadium and Gower Park
• Te Whanganui-A-Tara/Wellington - Newtown Park and Martin Luckie Park  
• Ōtepohi/Dunedin - University #6 and Caledonian Ground

Article added: Friday 23 September 2022. Team Base Camp Sites and Venue Specific Training Sites graphics courtesy of FIFA.com