FIFA World Cup draws closer, migrant labour concerns in Qatar persist

 

As the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar draws near, concerns continue to be raised over the country's labour practices.

In March, a number of countries playing in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers staged protests against the Qatari authorities over the death of over 6,500 migrant workers between 2010 and January 2021, a figure revealed in February 2021 by an investigation by The Guardian newspaper.

Germany and Norway were involved in the protests during the international qualifying matches, and they were joined by the Netherlands as noted on the tweet below:

The Netherlands have joined Norway in protesting Qatar's human rights record before their World Cup qualifiers  pic.twitter.com/TFXLxlyy7q

— Goal (@goal) March 27, 2021

In 2010, Qatar was awarded the hosting rights of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and as early as 2012, red flags were raised over the huge influx of migrant workers to the country which employs them through the controversial kafala system.

The kafala is a labour system that requires migrant unskilled laborers to have an in-country sponsor who’s nominally their employer and is responsible for their visa and legal status. The system applies to most construction and domestic workers in the Gulf region, including Qatar.

Under the kafala system, employers enjoy almost total power over the movement of the workers, including their ability to reside in Qatar, change jobs, and leave the country. Workers under kafala are often afraid to report abuses for fear of retaliation. The system has been criticized by human rights organizations as it creates easy opportunities for employers to exploit and abuse these workers.

A 2012 report by Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) funded by MacArthur Foundation said:

Qatar is planning to invest more than $250 billion to build 12 stadiums, 70,000 hotel rooms, and a network of road and rail links. The investment is expected to trigger rapid economic development in Qatar, a nation already enriched by oil and gas reserves, as well as the highest per capita income in the world. The human and business risks associated with Qatar’s hosting of the World Cup—the “Mega-Sporting Effect”—stem from the influx of an estimated 500,000 to 1 million foreign workers who will be called upon to build the infrastructure for the event. The Human Rights Watch (HRW) report 2012 warned that these migrant workers could face abuses related to recruitment, wages, working, and housing conditions in Qatar.

According to the 2012 report by Human Rights Watch referred above, Qatar has the highest ratio of migrants to citizens in the world, with only 225,000 citizens in a population of 1.7 million. That notwithstanding, the country perpetuates some of the most restrictive sponsorship laws in the Persian Gulf region and has witnessed several cases of exploitation and abuse at their workplaces. From the same report, there were accounts of forced labour and human trafficking.

In November 2013, FIFA appealed for “economic and political leaders to join the football community in contributing to ensure that the International Labour Organization's (ILO) core labour standards are introduced quickly, consistently and on a sustained basis in Qatar.”

The majority of the migrant workers in Qatar come from Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. An estimated 506,000 of these work in construction, currently geared towards hosting the 2022 World Cup. A report by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) released in 2014, titled “The Case against Qatar,” notes:

Frequent contacts with Qatar authorities since late 2011 have shown no political will or progress towards Qatar implementing labour-related commitments of the Qatar National Vision 2030 to reform kafala and ratify a further 14 ILO conventions.

There were a number of cases documented in the ITUC report which offered more proof of the incidents of harassment, discrimination, and safety of workers compromised

One of the cases is told by construction worker Jago (name anonymized for safety reasons), aged 34, from the Philippines:

I came to Doha through the recruitment agency Mayon International to earn enough money to send my children to school and to build my own house in the Philippines. I arrived in Qatar in October 2011 and immediately had to hand in my passport. I am highly qualified and trained in architectural drawing software AutoCAD and therefore expected to work in architectural design. My contract stipulated that I would be paid US$ 330 per month and that I would be provided with accommodation and a food allowance. On arrival in Qatar I found out that I would work as a construction worker in a residential construction for 60 hours per week and that I would be paid US$ 261 per month. In the beginning I received food but that stopped soon. When I take one day off from work, two days pay is deducted from my salary. This is also the case when I am sick. One of my concerns is safety at work. My employer does not provide any boots or other safety equipment, not even a uniform. I have been lucky so far not to have suffered an injury at work, but I have seen many colleagues who did. This is especially worrying me because my employer didn’t give me a medical card, and I can’t afford to go to hospital on my current salary. I am fed up with the situation and don’t see why I should suffer these conditions. I handed my resignation in, but my employer just ripped the letter up and threw it into the bin. He also told me I wouldn’t get my passport back.

The report also noted the fatal incidents that have occurred in previous major sporting activities, between the award of the event to the kick-off. In the World Cup in Russia, five workers were reported to have died, while in the World Cup in Brazil seven workers have reportedly died. So far, Qatar holds the highest fatalities at 6,500 even before the tournament kicks off. 

The causes of death have been workplace accidents, traffic accidents as well as natural deaths, and suicides. Working conditions and the extreme heat arising during the summertime are also some of the other causes of the high number of deaths in Qatar.

A February 2021 article appearing in The Guardian indicated that migrants from India had the highest number of deaths, with 2,711 dead, while Nepal had 1,641, Bangladesh had 1,018 with the figures indicative of the period 2010 to 2020.

Countries including Bangladesh and Pakistan rely on the migrant workers’ remittances for their fragile domestic economies. This means that migrants’ home nations will often do little to advocate workers’ rights abroad. A complex mix of recruitment agencies from the home country, to little or no consular protection and the kafala system custodians, make the working conditions untenable, The Guardian notes.

The Qatar Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy (SC) responsible for the delivery of infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup issued the following statement:

We have always been transparent about the health and safety of workers on projects directly related to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Since construction began in 2014, there have been three work-related fatalities and 35 non-work related deaths. The SC has investigated each case, learning lessons to avoid any repeat in the future. The SC has disclosed each incident through public statements and or Annual Workers’ Welfare Progress Reports.

In summary, it is worthy to note that it will take more than hosting the World Cup event to improve Qatar's labour conditions and solve migrant workers’ concerns. Dr. Sebastian Son, a researcher and expert on the Arab Gulf states at the Centre for Applied Research in Partnership with the Orient (CARPO) Institute in Bonn told Qantara.de, a project run Deutsche Welle:

It is going to take more than criticism of Qatar to break this vicious cycle. What is needed is a constructive and inclusive dialogue that pools together the efforts of international organisations such as the ILO, all the Gulf states, as well as civil society actors in labour-sending countries and Europe. In recent years, many Gulf states have demonstrated an increased willingness to enter into such an exchange, as evinced by the Abu Dhabi Dialogue (…).

Both the Gulf states and the international community must do more to acknowledge their responsibility – not just on their home turf, but also in the migrants’ countries of origin. A greater effort should also be made to integrate diaspora community representatives into such dialogue. After all, it is their rights that require transnational protection.

WORLD CUP : North Korea to skip World Cup qualifiers over COVID-19 concerns

 

North Korea has notified authorities that its team plans to skip next month's World Cup qualifiers hosted by South Korea due to COVID-19 fears, the South's football association said on Monday (May 3).

North Korea's football association (PRKFA) sent a letter on Friday to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) declaring that its team would not participate in the second round of qualifiers, Korea Football Association (KFA) spokesman Lee Jae-chul said.

The AFC is asking North Korea to reconsider the decision, he added.

Matches across Asia in the second round of qualifying for next year's World Cup in Qatar have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with all but three games due to be played in March postponed until June.

The AFC announced on Apr 12 that rather than having the typical home-and-away format, each group of five nations would play in one host country.

South Korea was named as host for H Group, which includes the two Koreas as well as Turkmenistan, Lebanon and Sri Lanka.

North and South Korea, still technically at war as their 1950-53 conflict ended in a truce rather than a peace treaty, last played each other in a 0-0 draw at a virtually empty stadium in Pyongyang in October, 2019. It was the first match between the teams on North Korean soil in 30 years.

It was not broadcast after the North refused to screen it live, and the KFA later filed a complaint with the AFC because fans and media were not allowed to attend.

North Korea's decision to skip the World Cup qualifiers came nearly a month after it announced it would not take part in the Tokyo Olympics due to coronavirus concerns.

World Cup : USA qualifies for three Olympic events at diving World Cup

 

The United States will participate in seven of the eight diving events at the Tokyo Olympics after qualifying for an additional three events – women’s individual 3m springboard, men’s synchronized 3m springboard and women’s synchronized 3m springboard – at the 2021 FINA Diving World Cup this weekend. The U.S. failed to qualify for the men’s synchronized 10m platform competition.

Sarah Bacon and Samantha Pickens earned USA Diving the maximum of two quota spots in the women’s springboard competition, finishing third and sixth, respectively, in the preliminary round to advance to the semifinal. All 18 semifinalists in each individual event earned Olympic quota spots for their respective nations.

The U.S. had previously qualified six out of a possible six divers in the other three individual events at the 2019 World Diving Championships.

The synchro pairs of Andrew Capobianco/Mike Hixon and Bacon/Kassidy Cook finished fourth and fifth in their respective springboard competitions to earn the U.S. representation in those Olympic events.

“Tonight was really special for Mike and I,” Capobianco said after competing Sunday. “We haven’t necessarily had all the preparation that we wanted leading into this but we showed a lot of heart and fight, which makes us feel really confident moving forward.”

Cook sustained a shoulder injury earlier in the meet but powered through the synchro springboard final with Bacon to grab the quota spot. Her partner heaped praise on her afterward. “I’m just so proud of Kassidy for pushing through and continuing to fight through the pain and stand by my side in order to secure that quota spot,” Bacon said. “We kept good spirits through it all and really just tried to lift each other up and keep smiling the whole way. Once we knew we secured the Olympic quota spot, a flood of emotions came from the both of us."

Team USA’s representatives in the men’s synchronized 10m platform competition, David Dinsmore and Brandon Loschiavo could only manage an eighth-place performance, three places below South Korea for the final Olympic berth. The U.S. will miss out on the same competition in which David Boudia and Steele Johnson won silver at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Boudia has since transitioned to the springboard due to sustained head injuries on the higher, more physically taxing platform. The four-time Olympic medalist originally planned to compete at the World Cup but revealed earlier this month he was battling the COVID-19 virus

Although national diving federations rely on athletes to earn Olympic quota places for their country, that does not always mean the athlete (or pair) who earns a quota spot will fill it come the Olympics. The eight individual competitors and three pairs that will represent the U.S. at the Tokyo Games will be determined at the U.S. Olympic Diving Trials, June 6-13, on NBC, the Olympic Channel, and streaming on NBCOlympics.com.

The Diving World Cup continues through Thursday, May 6, with finals in the individual competitions. The event is taking place at the Tokyo Aquatics Center, the same venue that will host the Olympic swimming, diving and artistic swimming competitions this summer.

WORLD CUP : GWA Wingfoil World Cup Leucate 2021 - Overall

 

The sun was out bright and early on the last day here at Mondial du Vent, lighting the way to the playground for the final time. It's a beautiful clear morning here, with a cold 20kts Tramontana chill blowing through the air. The women's Surf-Freestyle heats were up first. 

The judges stuck to the Dingle elimination criteria, with 6-minute heats and 3-minute transitions in between.

In those six minutes the women had a maximum of 15 trick attempts, giving them multiple chances to ace their three best tricks that the judges will count.

The motivation is high here this morning, Flora Artzner (FRA) kicked the competition off with a high score of 15.79, what an amazing start to the day. The following heat between Multiple times Stand up Paddling champion Olivia Piana (FRA) and 22 year old Bowien van der Linden (NLD) certainly woke us up. It was toe clenching close, but Piana came in hot with a Frontside 3 giving her the extra spice she needed to score the win. You could tell this was not her first rodeo!

The ladies had the crew cheering from the shores here as they flew through the heats! As we continued the day the Tramontana continued to blow glassing the ocean's surface flat. Aside from the offshore gust you may experience during your heat, Leucate delivered the perfect conditions for the Surf-Freestyle.

It's a completely different story to watch this sport when the sun is out. A common description we have heard to describe the act of Wingfoiling is "Dancing." We finally understood this today. With the glare of the sun on their wings, the riders transforming into graceful birds dancing on the water. It's truly astonishing.

Olivia and Bowien's battle this morning was not the last performance of the day. They gracefully danced their way through their rounds, meeting again in the Finals where they took the stage for the final battle. Boy oh boy did they flap their wings. What a show.

The tension was high on the water. Olivia started strong with another incredible Frontside 3, spinning into a downwind 360 and flying up with a massive Air for a grand finale just half way through the heat. But looks like she spilled the spice too soon as she struggled to land those last three tricks. Both of these queens deserve a crown for the performance they put on.

However there is only one of them today, and it's placed nice and high here at Mondial du Vent. At some point we learn that consistency is key when reaching high, it's a long way up and one does not want to burn out before we get there. The 22 year old Bowien smoothly landed her way through her trick range, leaving the water with the crow. The stoke on the shores was contagious.

Flora Artzner (FRA) kept her game strong where she made her nation proud smoothly landing 6 of her tricks against the Brazilian water woman Marcella Witt (BRA). Flora arrived back on her nation's shore to claim 3rd place on the podium.

Bowien wasn't the only youth that showed up strong in the end. The youngest athlete on the GWA Wingfoil World Tour: Riccardo Zorzi (ITA) kicked off round 4 of the men's Surf-Freestyle with a silky smooth BS3.He managed to slice his way through all the way to the Losers finals, showing unbelievable consistency repeatedly scoring above 16 points each heat and he is just15 years old folks. Tim Taudien (GER) came Back looping in from the other angle. Looks like Tim wasn't expecting the young rider to perform like an Italian stallion, and missed him by one point!

The Climax of the Surf-Freestyle approached as the recognised boundary breakers Balz Muller (CHE) and Titouan Gallea (NCL) from opposite corners of the globe met once again to battle it out against themselves and Mother Nature.

As the green flag rose so did Titian! Blaz rotating heads shortly after with his backside rotation. What a show. The warmth was in the New Caledonians favour, as he pulled his rotations clean as a whistle. Balz was turning heads again with jaw dropping backsides never seen before! He pushed the limit going for a huge inverted, almost going double, but tip over toes for the Titouan.

The New Caledonian tweaked his way with a final rotation in the last 10 seconds of the heat to the top of the Mondial du Vent 2021, returning to the shore with a ripped wing and a raining king.

The competitors and crew circled the winners at the scoring board, sharing the stoke as they congratulated Titouan for taking the win.

The kings and queens met back at the podium to receive their well deserved crowns, wrapping up a long challenging competition with a bright bubbly ending here at Mondial Du Vent.

But with the sun still shining the action was not over, the second Surf-Race elimination round was yet to come!

Today the judges mirrored the Surf-Race course from the previous day to ensure a smooth end to the competition with this tricky discipline.

The riders sliced their foils down the course as like butter, racing their way to the finals.

Olivia Piana (FRA) Still hungry for a win flew up to first place, Flora Artzner (FRA) remaining on her tail and Bowien van der Linden (NLD) right behind that. It was a close call for the ladies.

Titouan must keep an extra battery in his quiver as his charge was not over from climbing his way to the top once and Balz certainly was not going to let his fellow competitor cross that line without him. Each of them on either side of the fast and furious Frenchman Camille Bouyer (FRA) sped their way to the finals, where Titouan power charged that extra pump claiming his second first place title here at Mondial du Vent. Balz doubling up on his impressive 2nd place win, and Bouyer thriving in 3rd.

It's quite interesting competing in this new sport with so much freedom when you come from a sport that's already been established for decades and has defined specific scores for tricks. "In Kiting I know when I do a Blindjudge that I am going to get a certain score based on my performance. But in Windfoiling you have no idea. Tricks have not been performed enough to have set scores!" - shared a professional Freestyle Kitesurfer Luca Pitot.

Defining moves that have never been pulled before is not an easy task. But to identify the best rider it's necessary to create limits for others to achieve and break.

It's a tricky line to navigate the simplification of this crazy concoction of possibilities without limiting it.

"Technicality right now is being formed as it should follow the tricks. If the rider focuses on height and technicality they will not be innovating. Once you nail the move then you add the technicality and height. But this being such a new sport all the moves aren't made yet." - confirms Fancesco Cappuzzo.

The horizon may be hazy, but the athletes continue innovating as they passionately show up, combining all the knowledge that the Athletes have acquired from their respective disciplines and bringing it to the battlefields of this sport.

Looks like the athletes really are absolutely winging it in the creation of Wingfoiling. But most borders have been crossed by those who are winging it.

That's a wrap for the GWA Wingfoil World Cup Leucate 2021 at Mondial du Vent! Many borders were crossed to get here, and boundaries were broken on the water. Everyone involved showing up at their 100 percent every step of the way.

We would like to thank our sponsors and partners who made the GWA Wingfoil World Cup Leucate happen! They trusted us, they supported us, they believed in us! Special thanks to the media, press and of course the organisers for hosting us here at Mondial du Vents 2021!

See you all on the next battlefield! Watch the space.

Results:

GWA Wingfoil World Cup Leucate 2021 at Mondial du Vent | Surf-Freestyle podium:

Men:
1. Titouan Galea (NCL)
2. Balz Müller (CHE)
3. Riccardo Zorzi (ITA)

WOMEN:
1. Bowien van der Linden (NLD)
2. Olivia Piana (FRA)
3. Flora Artzner (FRA)

GWA Wingfoil World Cup Leucate 2021 at Mondial du Vent | Surf-Race podium:

Men:
1. Titouan Galea (NCL)
2. Balz Müller (CHE)
3. Camille Bouyer (FRA)

Women:
1. Olivia Piana (FRA)
2. Flora Artzner (FRA)
3. Bowien van der Linden (NLD)

All competitors gave an incredible performance, making part of history with each heat they showed up for. But the two overall athletes: Titouan Galea (NCL) and Olivia Piana (FRA) really stood out in both disciplines and got overall event winner titles.

WORLD CUP : Arsenal stars learn World Cup qualification opponents

 

Arsenal's Vivianne Miedema (second left) celebrates scoring their second goal against Tottenham with teammates during the FA Women's Super League match at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium - Credit: PA

The World Cup 2023 qualification draw was made ahead of the tournament being hosted in Australia and New Zealand.

Arsenal players gathered in anticipation to see who they would play on the road to the best competition in World Football, the FIFA Women's World Cup. 

England were drawn into Group D with Leah Williamson, Jordan Nobbs, Lotte Wubben-Moy and Beth Mead learning their opponents who are Austria, Northern Ireland, Luxembourg, Latvia and North Macedonia. 

It is also the beginning of Sarina Wiegman's first qualification campaign with the Lionesses as she takes charge in September. 

This means that Manuela Zinsberger and Viktoria Schnaderbeck who represent Austria will meet their Gunners teammates when England meet Austria in what is set to be an intriguing two matches in the group. 

England played Northern Ireland in a friendly back in February as Northern Ireland prepared for their historic Euro 2022 qualification, with England winning 6-0 in a game that Wubben-Moy made her international debut. 

Jill Roord, Danielle van de Donk and Vivianne Miedema will take on Iceland, the Czech Republic, Belarus and Cyprus with the Netherlands. 

The Dutch are very much favourites to win the group and they were runners up in the 2019 tournament in France as they lost out in the final to the USA. 

Katie McCabe's Republic of Ireland side have been drawn in Group A against Finland, Sweden, Slovakia and Georgia. 

Sweden are ranked fifth in the Fifa World rankings, Finland are 24th, and Ireland are 34th. Slovakia, meanwhile, are ranked 46th and Georgia are 126th. 

McCabe recently won her 50th cap for her country away to Belgium. 

Lisa Evans, Jennifer Beattie and Kim Little's Scotland side have been drawn in Group B alongside Spain, Ukraine, Hungary and the Faroe Island's. 

All four nations are familiar opponents for Scotland, most notably the top seed Spain, ranked 13 in the world, who they faced most recently at Euro 2017, winning 1-0 with a Caroline Weir strike.

Swiss trio Lia Wälti, Malin Gut and Noelle Maritz who helped their Switzerland qualify for Euro 2022 last month will play Italy, Romania, Croatia, Moldova, Lithuania in Group G. 

Romania, Croatia and Lithuania were opponents in Switzerland's group for Euro 2022 qualification and will once again battle it out for a place on the world stage. 

Leonie Maier's Germany side will face Portugal, Serbia, Israel, Turkey and Bulgaria on their road to to the tournament. 

Germany are very much the favourites to win the group as they go in search of their third Women's World Cup trophy. 

The nine group winners qualify directly for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

The nine group runners-up will then contest play-off matches in October 2022 to determine the two remaining direct spots, as well as the spot for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup play-off tournament.

FIFA World Cup Qatar : Cape Coast stadium gets CAF approval to host matches

 

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has given approval for Ghana to use the Cape Coast Stadium for the upcoming 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

This is after the Ghana Football Association (GFA) submitted a stadium report together with accompanying video evidence, pictures and further justification on video conferencing in line with the CAF Circular dated 1 April 2021.

The videoconferencing was concerning the homologation requirements and supervision of CAF stadiums for the qualifications which begin in June 2021.

"We would like to draw your attention to some of the comments and remarks in Annex A to be addressed in the coming period by your federation, in order to guarantee that the stadium is maintained in the list of CAF approved stadiums for Men’s Senior competitions," CAF said in a letter to the Ghana FA

"In case organizational and stadium technical infractions are verified during your upcoming international home matches, financial sanctions may incur on your federation as per the established CAF grid for lack of technical facilities in the stadium."

The CAF communication to the General secretary of the GFA also acknowledged Ghana’s contribution to the development of football.

"We appreciate your contribution in helping us raise the level of African football with improved facilities as we continue to gain exposure to a global audience."

Ghana will begin their World Cup qualification campaign at home to Ethiopia at the Cape Coast stadium in June 2021 before playing Zimbabwe and South Africa.

World Cup 2023 : FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Host Cities and Stadiums announced

 

• 9 Host Cities and 10 stadiums across Australia and New Zealand to welcome the world’s best players and football fans in 2023
• Opening Match to take place in Auckland and Sydney to host Final
• Australia and New Zealand to host one semi-final each

 

The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ took an important and exciting step today with the announcement of the 9 Host Cities and 10 stadiums in Australia and New Zealand that will host matches during the tournament. 

With just over two years to go until some of the best players in the world take to the field in Australia and New Zealand, the Host City announcement represents a major milestone for many football fans and players around the world, as well as in the preparations for the next FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023 – which will be the first-ever co-hosted FIFA Women’s World Cup and the first edition to feature 32 teams. 

The Host Cities and stadiums for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 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 

In addition to revealing the Host Cities and stadiums, FIFA has also announced today that Eden Park in Auckland will host the opening match of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 with Stadium Australia in Sydney selected to host the Final. 

Both Australia and New Zealand will also host one semi-final each with the full match schedule for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 to be announced later this year. 

Speaking on the selection of the Host Cities for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, Gianni Infantino, FIFA President, said: 

“The appointment of the 9 Host Cities represents a major milestone for the next FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, as well as for players and football fans across Australia, New Zealand and around the world. 

“Building on the incredible success of France 2019 both on and off the pitch, the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 and 9 Host Cities across Australia and New Zealand will not only showcase the world’s very best players, but will also provide a powerful platform to unite and inspire people, transform lives and create a lasting legacy for women’s football in Australia and New Zealand and around the world.”

Chris Nikou, Football Australia President, said: 

“The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ will be the biggest sporting event on Australian soil since the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, showcasing Australia and New Zealand to a global audience of over one billion people. 

“Today’s announcement of the Host Cities and match venues for the tournament is a major milestone in the build-up to the next FIFA Women’s World Cup™ - a tournament that will unite nations, inspire generations, and provide our diverse and multicultural game with the perfect platform to grow over the coming years.” 

Johanna Wood, President of New Zealand Football, said:

“It is a privilege to co-host the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023 with Australia and we look forward to welcoming the world’s best athletes and their supporters to Aotearoa New Zealand.”

“We have and will continue to work with our partners to deliver the biggest, most exciting and best tournament to date. The legacy of FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 starts now and will go on to leave a lasting impression on women’s sport across both countries and the wider Asia-Pacific region.”

The selection of the Host Cities and stadiums follows a thorough and comprehensive process over the last 8-months conducted by FIFA, together with the two host associations, which included a series of virtual workshops and one-to-one workshops with all candidate host cities and stadiums, as well as an in-depth analysis of the Host City and stadium infrastructure and facilities, training sites and accommodation.

 

Chris Nikou, Football Australia President, said: 

“The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ will be the biggest sporting event on Australian soil since the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, showcasing Australia and New Zealand to a global audience of over one billion people. 

“Today’s announcement of the Host Cities and match venues for the tournament is a major milestone in the build-up to the next FIFA Women’s World Cup™ - a tournament that will unite nations, inspire generations, and provide our diverse and multicultural game with the perfect platform to grow over the coming years.” 

Johanna Wood, President of New Zealand Football, said:

“It is a privilege to co-host the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2023 with Australia and we look forward to welcoming the world’s best athletes and their supporters to Aotearoa New Zealand.”

“We have and will continue to work with our partners to deliver the biggest, most exciting and best tournament to date. The legacy of FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 starts now and will go on to leave a lasting impression on women’s sport across both countries and the wider Asia-Pacific region.”

The selection of the Host Cities and stadiums follows a thorough and comprehensive process over the last 8-months conducted by FIFA, together with the two host associations, which included a series of virtual workshops and one-to-one workshops with all candidate host cities and stadiums, as well as an in-depth analysis of the Host City and stadium infrastructure and facilities, training sites and accommodation.