The Women’s World Cup 2023: A Tournament Like No Other – New Hosts, Expanded Teams, and Historic Pay Increases

This year’s Women’s World Cup, set to be hosted by Australia and New Zealand, is making headlines for its unique features. The tournament, which has seen the women’s game grow in popularity over the years, will be the first to be hosted by two federations. Matches will take place across 10 stadiums in nine cities, with Australia hosting 35 games and New Zealand hosting 29. The opening match will be held at Eden Park in Auckland, with the final taking place at Stadium Australia in Sydney. Both host countries have never won the tournament, which has been dominated by the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT). The southern hemisphere location may give the host teams an advantage, although the weather is expected to be cool and comfortable rather than the searing heat for which Australia is known. This year’s edition will also feature a record number of teams, with 32 nations competing for the title. The format of the tournament has been expanded to mirror that of the men’s World Cup, with the teams divided into eight groups of four. The top two from each group will advance to the knockout stages. With nearly 1.4 million tickets already sold, organizers are expecting the Women’s World Cup to be the most attended standalone women’s sporting event in history, surpassing the 2015 World Cup in Canada. The tournament will also see eight nations making their debut, including Haiti, Republic of Ireland, Morocco, Panama, Philippines, Portugal, Vietnam, and Zambia. While the growth of the tournament is seen as progress, concerns have been raised about potential one-sided matches. In the 2019 edition, the USWNT defeated Thailand 13-0, sparking a debate over the disparities between nations. However, the prize pot for this year’s tournament has increased to $110 million, nearly three times more than in 2019 and seven times more than in 2015. Additionally, FIFA has introduced a new payment model that will see every player at the Women’s World Cup receive compensation based on their team’s performance. This significant increase in funds aims to have a meaningful impact on the lives and careers of women footballers.