July 20 – On a historic night for Kiwi football, New Zealand got their World Cup party underway in style with a deserved 1-0 against a lacklustre Norway to claim a first-ever victory at the finals.
By Samindra Kunti in Auckland
July 20 – Australians once described football as a game for Sheilas, Wogs and Poofters but from Thursday on they will co-host, alongside New Zealand, the sport’s premier women’s tournament with more finalists than ever vying for the global crown in a World Cup that FIFA boss Gianni Infantino believes will win over the sceptics, even if pay disputes and prize money inequality shroud the month-long football festival.
By Samindra Kunti in Auckland
July 20 – A shooting downtown New Zealand’s capital, killing two, on the morning of the opening game of the Women’s World Cup between the co-hosts New Zealand and Norway overshadowed the big kickoff.
July 20 – The United States start as the bookies favourites to win a third consecutive Women’s World Cup to cement their dominance in the game in Megan Rapinoe’s farewell finals, but they face real competition from Europe as well as from host nation Australia.
July 20 – A day before the official kick off of the Women’s World Cup, FIFA has announced Booking.com as the 2023 tournament’s Official Online Travel Sponsor.
July 19 – England’s women players have decided to park controversial negotiations over World Cup bonuses but have made clear their disappointment with the national FA over an issue that could have developed into a huge distraction on the eve of the tournament.
July 19 – On the eve of the Women’s World Cup, FIFA president Gianni Infantino has called on New Zealanders to buy into the tournament and get their tickets for the 32-team finals. Slow ticket sales have raised the spectre of empty seats in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Dunedin.
July 19 – FIFA president Gianni Infantino has warned his organisation can’t guarantee that players will get their prize money at the Women’s World Cup.
By Samindra Kunti in Sydney
July 18 – Questions are being asked over FIFA’s commitment to First Nations and Maori soccer communities via the Women’s World Cup that kick off this week, with criticism that they are being used as a PR stunt without any real impact on their own football futures and wider acknowledgment of self-determination.
July 17 – A women’s World Cup warm-up game at the weekend between the Republic of Ireland and Colombia was called after 20 minutes because of “overly physical” challenges.
By Samindra Kunti in Sydney
July 17 – Australia’s women’s team have called FIFA out over the prize money gender gap with the men’s game, following their last friendly before the World Cup, where the Australians beat France 1-0.
July 13 – FIFA has been forced to take the drastic step of giving away 20,000 free tickets for Women’s World Cup games in four New Zealand cities amid concerns about the slow pace of sales.
July 13 – Former England international Karen Carney has called for the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship – the two top divisions of the domestic game – to become fully professional in order to bring about the necessary investment.
July 13 – FIFA has partnered with TikTok to deliver tailored content from Australia and New Zealand during the Women’s World Cup that kicks off July 20.
July 11 – On the back of a 2-0 friendly win against Wales, world champions the United States have arrived in New Zealand for this summer’s Women’s World Cup.