With joined forces, Australia and New Zealand won the bid to host the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The news was confirmed on Thursday after voting by FIFA Council.
Initially, FIFA was supposed to choose from four bids: Australia and New Zealand, Colombia, Japan, and Brazil. However, ahead of the final vote, Japan and Brazil decided to withdraw themselves from consideration due to the “financial implications of the coronavirus pandemic.”
Reports suggested a tight contest between the two remaining candidates, but the final result was one-sided as Australia and New Zealand got 22 votes compared to Colombia’s 13.
It is believed that Australia-New Zealand had an edge due to the countries’ advanced infrastructure and more commercial opportunities.
FIFA Women’s World Cup started gaining more popularity in the recent decade, with 2019 edition in France setting numerous records. It is believed that more than 1.2 billion people tuned in to watch the event.
FIFA now expects that tournament in Australia and New Zealand will be an even bigger event in part due to the increased number of participants. The association previously confirmed that the 2023 Women’s World Cup will see 32 countries taking part instead of the usual 24.
