Australia and New Zealand selected as hosts of 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup (2)

SYDNEY, June 27 (People’s Daily Online) The 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup will be staged in Australia and New Zealand, following a vote taken by the FIFA Council during its meeting held via videoconference.

In the early hours of Friday, FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced that the joint bid submitted by Football Federation Australia and New Zealand Football received 22 of the 35 valid votes cast by the FIFA Council members, with the Colombian Football Association having obtained 13 votes.

The event, to take place between July and August 2023, will be the first edition to feature 32 teams and it will also be the first to be hosted by two countries and across two confederations (AFC and OFC).

The Sydney Opera House and Auckland's Sky Tower lit up to celebrate.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern released a joint statement on what they said was a landmark decision for women's sport.

"The 2023 event will be the largest, and no doubt the best, Women's World Cup that has ever been staged."

"This is a huge positive for the footballing and sporting industries on both sides of the Tasman as we recover and rebuild from COVID-19," the statement read.

The tournament will take place across 12 cities in Australia and New Zealand, while the opening match will be played at Eden Park in Auckland and the final in Sydney.