With Matildas’ matches in high demand, Australia’s journey to the Women’s World Cup semifinals, along with the newly expanded 32-team format, has resulted in remarkable attendance records for the tournament.
On Tuesday, the international governing body of soccer announced that a total of 1.77 million tickets have been purchased for the tournament, which is being co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand. The combined attendance for the first 60 matches has reached 1,734,028, with four more matches still to be played.
Setting a new attendance record for the 2023 edition, 75,784 spectators attended three games held at Sydney’s Stadium Australia. This notable achievement occurred despite the matches being held under restricted capacity conditions at the stadium, which was originally constructed for the 2000 Olympics.
According to FIFA, the average attendance at matches in the 10 stadiums reached 28,900, surpassing the average attendance at the 2019 edition in France by over 7,000 spectators. Additionally, this average was more than 4,000 higher than the historical average of the eight previous Women’s World Cups.
For this edition of the tournament, the number of teams was expanded from 24 to 32.
Australia made history by advancing to the semifinals for the first time, achieving a 7-6 victory in a penalty shootout against France in Brisbane last Saturday. The team is set to face the reigning European champion, England, on Wednesday in Sydney, with the chance to secure a spot in the final against either Sweden or Spain.
As the semifinal approaches, the entire country is poised for a near standstill.
Among the numerous teams that are making adjustments to their match or practice schedules to ensure they can watch the national women’s soccer team, the Australian men’s basketball team, currently gearing up for the upcoming FIBA World Cup later this month, stands out. Led by Patty Mills of the Atlanta Hawks, the Boomers have rescheduled their warm up game against Brazil, moving it a few hours earlier on Wednesday. This change allows both the team and their supporters to tune in for the broadcast of the Women’s World Cup semifinal.
Patty Mills expressed the widespread sentiment, noting, “The Matildas have truly captivated the entire nation during this World Cup. Just like the rest of the country, our Boomers team has been fully engaged in each game, watching it together as a cohesive unit.”
Conclusion
Australia’s Matildas’ journey to the Women’s World Cup semifinals, with an expanded format and impressive attendance records, showcases their prominence. Notably, 1.77 million tickets were sold for the co-hosted tournament. Despite capacity restrictions, 75,784 attended Sydney’s Stadium Australia.
FIFA reported an average of 28,900 attendees, surpassing previous editions. The Australian men’s basketball team, including Patty Mills, rescheduled a game to witness the Matildas’ success, echoing the nationwide captivation.
