From sexism to pay disparity and lack of air time, women in sport have long faced a barrage of challenges that male athletes don't have to contend with. But this year, the spotlight will rightfully shine on women in soccer as Australia and New Zealand host the ninth FIFA Women's World Cup.
There will be 32 countries competing over the span of four weeks in July and August, with many Aussies no doubt cheering on our national team, the Matildas, as they strive to kick some big goals on home soil and across the pond.
When is the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023?
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The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup will take place from Thursday, July 20 to Sunday, August 20, 2023.
Where is the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023?
The 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup matches will take place across nine host cities and 10 stadiums in Australia and New Zealand. Auckland will host the opening match at Eden Park, while Sydney will host the closing match at Stadium Australia (aka Accor Stadium). The overall host cities and stadiums are:
Adelaide – Hindmarsh Stadium
Auckland / Tāmaki Makaurau – Eden Park
Brisbane – Brisbane Stadium
Dunedin / Ōtepoti – Dunedin Stadium
Hamilton / Kirikiriroa – Waikato Stadium
Melbourne – Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
Perth – Perth Rectangular Stadium
Sydney – Stadium Australia and Sydney Football Stadium
Wellington / Te Whanganui-a-Tara – Wellington Stadium
How do I watch the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023
If you're interested in attending a match in person, general admission tickets and hospitality packages are available to purchase here.
Aussies hoping to cheer on the Matildas from home will definitely be able to view 15 key matches – including the opening match, quarterfinals, semi-finals, the final and every Matildas game – that will be broadcast live on Channel 7 and 7plus. Sports commentators Mel McLaughlin and Bruce McAvaney will lead the network's coverage.
Which groups are playing?
There are eight groups playing at the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023.
Group A
New Zealand, Norway, Philippines, Switzerland
Group B
Australia, Republic of Ireland, Nigeria, Canada
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Group C
Spain, Costa Rica, Zambia, Japan
Group D
England, Haiti, Denmark, China PR
Group E
USA, Vietnam, Netherlands, Portugal
Group F
France, Jamaica, Brazil, Panama
Group G
Sweden, South Africa, Italy, Argentina
Group H
Germany, Morocco, Colombia, Korea Republic
What is the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 prize money?
The FIFA Women's World Cup prize money package has tripled this year, with the aim for an equal reward amount across men's and women's soccer by 2027.
The prize money is AU $165 million (US $110 million), which is part of a total AU $226 million (US $152 million) package covering prize money, team preparation and payments to players' clubs.
This is three times more than what was on offer at the last FIFA Women's World Cup in 2019, and 10 times more than in 2015. However, it's still significantly less than the AU $656 million (US $440 million) prize money at the men's Qatar tournament in 2022.
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