By Victor Kanayo
The first match of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup has been moved to another stadium with bigger capacity.
Australia is scheduled to face the Republic of Ireland on Thursday July 20 in group B opener.
That game will no longer be played at the 45, 000 capacity Sydney Football Stadium in Australia after ticket purchase soared.
This was disclosed in a statement by FIFA’s Secretary General, Fatma Samoura, via their website.
Part of the statement reads, “The change of venue for the first match in Australia was agreed due to a desire to ensure that as many fans as possible can attend the fixture, in line with FIFA’s commitment to organise a Women’s World Cup that goes Beyond Greatness.
“The decision follows a thorough assessment of the competition and operational implications, as well as a comprehensive consultation process and agreement with key stakeholders.
“FIFA’s mission is to organise the biggest and best Women’s World Cup in history this year, and fans, those who bring colour, passion, and atmosphere to Stadiums will be such an integral part of the tournament’s success.
“With this in mind, we have taken a decision that will enable over 100,000 fans to attend the opening matchday, providing more opportunities for supporters to engage with the FIFA Women’s World Cup as a month of football we will never forget gets underway.
“Fans who have already purchased tickets to Australia’s inaugural match will be notified by email that the match has been relocated and their tickets will remain valid at Stadium Australia.
“Additional single match passes for Australia against the Republic of Ireland will go on sale on Friday February 24 at FIFA.com/Tickets. Sales will commence at midday AEDT/02:00 CET.”
FIFA hope more than 100,000 fans will attend the event’s opening day overall.
The other host nation, New Zealand, face former World Cup winners Norway earlier the same day at the 50,000 capacity Eden Park in Auckland, which will host the opening ceremony prior to the game.
