By Samindra Kunti in Melbourne
August 8 – The United States headlined the last 16 of the Women’s World Cup, but for all the wrong reasons, with the field more open than ever now to crown a new world champion in a tournament that keeps breaking records but lacks exposure on free-to-air TV in both the co-hosts.
Hosts Australia to win? France, England, Spain, the Netherlands or the 2011 champions Japan?
With their quick and agile play, the Japanese eliminated Norway 3-1 in the second round to confirm their fine form from the group stages, thumping Zambia 5-0 and Spain 4-0, and backing up their title credentials. They march on to play Sweden, slayers of the defending champions.
In a tournament of upsets, the United States’ elimination didn’t rank as one. They endured a torrid group stage and, though improved against Sweden, departed the tournament via the backdoor following a dramatic penalty shoot-out.
If the post and a few inches had saved the Americans against Portugal at Eden Park, there was no such respite against the Scandinavians. Goal-line technology and a few millimeters prompted the US’ exit and their earliest departure ever, was an indictment of the women’s game stateside.
They had come into the tournament under pressure because of the three-peat dream, the pragmatic style of manager Vlatko Andonovski and an attitude that sometimes riled outsiders. The departure highlighted the need for the NWSL to establish proper pathways for homegrown players.
The Americans fell in Melbourne, the graveyard of the great, where Christine Sinclair’s Canada and Marta’s Brazil exited the tournament as well.
At the expense of the South Americans, Jamaica progressed to the last 16 for the first time, suggesting that the gap between the elite and the rest of the world had closed, but the last eight will largely see established nations in action, with the exception of Colombia, who, for the first time ever, will feature in the quarter-finals and remain the last team from the Americas standing. England stand in the way of a semi-final ticket.
The Lionesses themselves have been warned not to underestimate opponents. Talks of an easy pathway to the last four and final were proven deceptive when, reduced to ten players in the second half following a red card for Lauren James, the European champions struggled against Nigeria, who with some bright spells, deserved more than to crash out on penalties 4-2. The Super Eagles were one of three African sides to make the last sixteen, a great feat often despite their own federations. France, however, ended Africa’s challenge with a resounding 4-0 win against debutants Morocco.
With surprise results and healthy attendance across the venues in New Zealand and Australia, the current total figure has already taken the previous record held by the 2015 Women’s World Cup in Canada and surpassing FIFA’s initial ticket sales target, as well as half a million visitors at the fan festivals, a first for a Women’s World Cup.
FIFA has been keen to emphasize the success of the tournament already, with Gianni Infantino calling the tournament the “best ever” repeatedly on Instagram.
However, among traveling fans as well as local supporters and casual viewers in Australia and New Zealand, the difficulty of watching matches in the host nations has been a recurring theme with just a limited number of games on free-to-air TV.
In Australia, national team matches as well as the final must be broadcast for free by law, but it means that other matches have gone behind a paywall and require a subscription. It has led to frustration.
FIFA will earn $200-300 million from selling broadcast rights for the tournament, the first time the rights have been unbundled from the men’s competition. Infantino, threatening a blackout, lashed out repeatedly against broadcasters in key European markets who did not want to spend big.
With the broadcast sales in Australia and New Zealand, FIFA had a difficult balancing act: to weigh commercial interest against exposure of the tournament. Come 2027, broadcasters will presumably be keener on the tournament, but fans won’t tolerate paywalls in the host nation again.
The United States, Brazil, South Africa, and the trio of Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany are bidding for the next Women’s World Cup.
Quarter-finals:
Spain – Netherlands
Japan – Sweden
England – Colombia
Australia – France
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1714538000labto1714538000ofdlr1714538000owedi1714538000sni@i1714538000tnuk.1714538000ardni1714538000mas1714538000