By Daniel Edu

The 2023 Women’s World Cup, jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand, is set to become the most attended in the history of the tournament, according to FIFA, the world football governing body.

In just five days, ticket sales have already surpassed 1.5 million, setting a new benchmark for any FIFA Women’s World Cup event. The matches held by Tuesday morning saw an impressive attendance of almost 364,000 spectators, resulting in an average match attendance of 30,326.

This average attendance figure surpasses both the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France, which had an average of 21,756 attendees, and the historical tournament average of 24,780 for all FIFA Women’s World Cup matches.

The substantial 72 percent increase in attendance compared to the 2019 edition further highlights the growing global popularity of women’s football, as remarked by Football Australia. Australia alone has contributed over 1.1 million ticket sales to this record-breaking figure.

The tournament has also witnessed a surge in broadcast viewership. The New Zealand versus Norway game became the most-watched women’s World Cup match in New Zealand’s history, attracting over one million viewers according to Sky New Zealand. In Australia, the opening match between Australia and the Republic of Ireland achieved an average audience of 1.94 million viewers, nearly tripling the previous record and approaching viewership figures from the FIFA Men’s World Cup in Qatar.

Football Australia’s Chief Executive, James Johnson, expressed delight in witnessing history being made and acknowledged the overwhelming support for women’s football. Beyond ticket sales, there has been an increase in broadcast viewership, fan festival participation, and merchandise sales, showcasing the ever-growing enthusiasm for the women’s game.