FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023
The FIFA Women’s World Cup is the world’s biggest women’s sporting event, with Women’s National Football Teams from 172 countries around the world attempting to qualify for just 32 slots at the tournament.
The groundwork for an Australian bid began in 2015, and was publicly announced in 2017 with a $1m Australian Government funding commitment into a feasibility study to host.
In February 2018, the Australian Government pledged an additional $4m for the appointment of a bid team and preparation of a bid book, and the bid was formally launched on October 2018.
Almost two years later, December 2019 saw Australia partner with New Zealand on a joint bid, meaning the tournament would be the first FIFA Women’s World Cup to be hosted across two football confederations. At this time, the bid book was submitted to FIFA for evaluation, along with competitors Brazil, Colombia, and Japan.
Fast forward to June 2020, and in addition to both Brazil and Japan withdrawing from the running, FIFA’s technical evaluation report saw the joint Australia and New Zealand bid score highest.
At the end of the month, it was then decision time: a vote, to be cast by members of the FIFA Council - a 37 member decision-making body with representatives from football’s 6 confederations, to determine which bid would ultimately be successful.
In what was described by Australia’s national broadcaster as ‘the biggest moment [for the country] in sport since the Sydney Olympics’, on June 25 2020, Australia and New Zealand were successful in their bid to host the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023 - and you can see that moment in the video below.
Following a best ever performance from the Australian Women’s National Football Team, the Matildas, the tournament drove a number of key impacts - $1.32bn economic impact, 1.2m tickets sold, 86,654 international visitors, and $324m in decreased healthcare costs. There was a government legacy investment of $398m, and a further $200m fund made available for investment in infrastructure and programming for women and girls in sport.
The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 - from an idea, to a bid, to securing the hosting rights, to leveraging one of the biggest events to come to Australia - has been a consistent presence throughout the entirety of my time at Football Australia, and you can take a look at my involvement in the journey below!
FIFA Women’s World Cup Legacy ‘23
With Australia and New Zealand winning the hosting rights for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, focus then turned to ensuring a once in a lifetime opportunity would leave a meaningful legacy for football, the community and the nation.
I project managed the design and development of the foundational Legacy ‘23 plan, as well as the initial program design and modelling of a number of initiatives across the five pillars - High Performance, Participation, Leadership & Development, Facilities, and Tourism and International Engagement.
As part of this process, I was also involved in supporting the engagement with the Australian and State Governments around investment in the Legacy’ 23 plan. Work I personally drove secured $17.8m of Australian Government investment from three federal budget announcements (May ‘21, March ‘22, October ‘22).
The broader Legacy ‘23 plan has gone on to unlock $397 million for Australian football, with facilities upgrades at both the elite and community levels, additional games and camps for Australia’s Women’s Senior and Youth National Teams, supporting women’s football in the Pacific, and a number of new program offerings in community football.
It has also established new initiatives, such as Football Australia’s Club Changer program, which aims to support Australia’s 2000+ community football clubs in various different ways, such as engaging with government for funding, and building welcoming and supportive cultures for participants of all backgrounds and abilities.
At the conclusion of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, the Federal Government announced a $200m fund for women and girls sport (predominantly focused on facilities, with some funding available from programming). This fund was called the ‘Play Our Way’ program.
You can see an overview of Legacy ‘23 here - https://www.footballaustralia.com.au/legacy23-overview
You can read the post-tournament Legacy ‘23 evaluation report here - https://www.footballaustralia.com.au/sites/ffa/files/2024-02/Legacy%20Post%20Tournament%20Report_A4_FA_%4096ppi_FINAL_22FEB2024.pdf
You can read more about the Play Our Way fund here - https://www.health.gov.au/our-work/play-our-way-program
Government Partnerships
An undertaking as significant as the FIFA Women’s World Cup required significant engagement with Federal and State Governments throughout the bidding process, as well as in shaping and securing the tournament’s legacy.
Beyond this, I played a role ensuring the Australian Government was able to leverage the hosting of the tournament in an international context, as the football contact supporting the delivery of the Gender Equality Symposium, the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade’s involvement in the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Trophy Tour, and an event with the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Trophy in Australia’s capital that brought together the Embassies of all the participating countries.
The Australian Government’s Gender Equality Symposium brought together more than 200 leaders, advocates, academics and athletes from Australia and across the world. Guests reflected on the broad benefits to communities when women and girls receive the support to realise their full potential through sport. It was attended by Minister/Secretary level representatives from multiple countries, including Australia and the United States.
You can read more about the Symposium here - https://www.dfat.gov.au/people-people/gender-equality-symposium
The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Trophy Tour was the first time FIFA carved out activation rights for a country’s Embassies at all potential stops on the tour, and more than 15 Australian missions were involved in utilising tour stops for diplomatic outcomes.
Football Australia also organised a trophy stop in the nation’s capital and a non-tournament city, Canberra, which saw the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 make stops at Australia’s Parliament House, as well as a community site, and diplomatic corps event.
You can read more about the capital visit here - https://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news/fifa-womens-world-cup-visits-australias-capital
Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sport, the-then Premier of Queensland, and Australia's Minister for Women
Australia's Prime Minister, US Secretary for Defence, Australia's Deputy Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister
US Secretary of State delivering remarks
Australia's Foreign Minister and Assistant Foreign Minister with visiting foreign Ministers and resident Diplomats
Australia's Foreign Minister and Minister for the Pacific meeting with government delegates from Papua New Guinea
Australia's Foreign Minister with delegates from the Pacific
Me with the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade Gender Equality Symposium Taskforce Director, Trudy McGowan
Bidding Process
I supported the promotion of Australia’s bid internationally, and served as Football Australia’s liaison with the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade for the duration of the bidding process - https://www.sportexchange.gov.au/support/services
