The first match to take place in Australia of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 will be an even bigger celebration, with co-host country Australia now facing the Republic of Ireland at the tournament’s largest venue, Stadium Australia in Sydney/Gadigal.
Stadium Australia was due to host knockout matches only, but given the significant interest in tickets, FIFA has taken the decision to move Australia’s first match to Sydney’s largest Stadium.
The kick-off time and date of the Australia v. Republic of Ireland match will still be on Thursday, 20 July at 20:00(AEST). Earlier on that day, the opening ceremony and opening match between Aotearoa New Zealand and Norway will take place at Eden Park in Auckland/Tāmaki Makaurau, with kick-off scheduled for 19:00 (NZST).
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,” said FIFA Secretary General, Fatma Samoura.
“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.