FIFA ranks Australia-NZ bid as best for 2023 Women’s World Cup

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The Australia-New Zealand bid to co-host the 2023 Women’s World Cup has been rated the best by FIFA, according to the governing body’s bid evaluation report.

FIFA awarded the Australasian bid 4.1 points from a maximum of five in the report, with contenders Japan scoring 3.9 and Colombia 2.8.

The joint bid was labelled “the most commercially favourable proposition” by FIFA, which will give Australian and New Zealand football fans a sense of belief that a World Cup on home soil may soon be a reality.

FFA Chairman Chris Nikou was pleased with the details of FIFA’s report.

“I am delighted that we have scored so strongly in FIFA’s Bid Evaluation Report and been described as offering ‘the most favourable commercial proposition’,” he said.

“We are confident that our combination of technical excellence, record breaking crowds, commercial certainty, a warm embrace from our 200 different cultures and genuine impact across the region where the legacies will be profound will prove a compelling offer to FIFA and its confederations.

“We are two nations from two confederations, united in proposing a historic and exciting step forward for world football.  It will be a tournament of firsts. The first ever co-confederation hosted FIFA World Cup, the first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup to be held in the Asia-Pacific region, and the first ever to be held in the southern hemisphere.”

NZF President Johanna Wood said:

“We hosted a very successful inspection visit (in February) and we are delighted by today’s FIFA Bid Evaluation Report which reinforces our belief that we would host a technically excellent FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.

“The report demonstrates many of our key strengths and we are very pleased to have received the highest overall average score of 4.1 out of 5. If successful, we will place the interests of the greatest female footballers in the world at the centre of everything we do, to deliver a FIFA Women’s World Cup the global football family can be proud of.

“With technical excellence, commercial certainty and a historic tournament of firsts, Australia-New Zealand offers FIFA a unique opportunity to move the dial for women’s football. We have proven this before and can be trusted to achieve this again.

“In addition, we are nations proud of our commitment to equality and fairness and would embody a FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 built on common humanity through football.”

The FIFA Council will decide the host of the 2023 Women’s World Cup on June 25.

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Canada Soccer to begin new National Training Centre project

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Image credit: ACHPF / Shutterstock.com

Backed by the Government of Canada with an investment worth nearly AUD 10 million ($9,826,000), the project aims to establish a world-class facility for athletes, coaches and communities.

Building the sport and community

The investment comes as part of the Build Communities Strong Fund (BCSF), an ambitious program of the Government of Canada which will provide AUD 51 billion ($51 billion) to infrastructure projects over 10 years.

However, the Canada Soccer Training Centre is one key project which will benefit from such substantial investment. But the project isn’t just for future players – it will help boost economic activity and create a facility built for excellence and growth.

“It is about creating a world-class sport facility where athletes can train and represent Canada at their best,” explained Secretary of State (Sport), Honourable Adam van Koeverden, via press release.

“From the playground to the podium, it is projects like this that provide athletes, coaches, local families and communities with vibrant, accessible spaces to fuel participation, connection, and a growing passion for sport.”

President of Canada Soccer, Peter Auguros, further expressed his gratitude for the investment and what it could bring future generations.

“This support reflects a shared belief in the power of sport to strengthen communities and develop the next generation of Canadian talent. We are proud to partner in building infrastructure that will benefit our athletes and help shape the future of the sport in Canada.”

 

Growth gains momentum

With the FIFA World Cup 2026 set to kick off in a few short weeks, Canada Soccer’s plan for a National Training Centre Project is symbolic of long-term vision.

The tournament is not a final flourish, but a stepping stone to accelerated growth.

And this is not a short-term setup.

As President of Concacaf and Vice-Preisdent of FIFA, Victori Montagliani explained, this is a project designed to survive for generations.

“The development of a National Training Centre in Canada represents an important legacy project for the country and it is always a positive sign when our members invest in infrastructure across the region.”

 

Final thoughts

The project, therefore, perfectly aligns a growing buzz for football across the region with intentional investment and ambition.

And although the action must eventually stop on the pitch, Canada Soccer are ensuring that growth continues long after the tournament’s final whistle.

Female Football Week kicks off across Northern NSW

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Female Football Week has officially begun across Northern NSW, with a program of gala days, networking events and awards ceremonies running until Sunday May 17, marking a ten-day celebration that organisers say reflects both the growth of women’s football in the region and the work still required to sustain it.

The national initiative, now a fixture on the football calendar, provides a dedicated period of visibility for female participants across all levels of the game from players, coaches, referees to volunteers, whose contributions have historically received less recognition than their male counterparts.

NNSWF Participation and Women’s Football Officer Serena Carter said the week offered something for everyone connected to women’s football in the region.

“Female Football Week provides a fantastic chance to highlight the dedication and skill of female players, coaches, referees and volunteers across the northern NSW community,” Carter said. “There’s something for everyone to enjoy, from grassroots participants to elite competitors.”

Women’s football in northern NSW spans remote and regional communities where clubs operate on limited resources, alongside more established metropolitan programs with clearer development pathways. Female Football Week creates a moment of shared recognition across that spectrum and acknowledges the role volunteers play, from running the canteen to progressing through the pathway.

Northern NSW Football has recorded some of its strongest participation numbers in women’s and girls’ football in recent seasons, a trend that has placed increasing pressure on clubs and facilities to keep pace. The week’s events offer clubs an opportunity to showcase their commitment to diversity and inclusion at a time when that commitment is being tested by growth.

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