Hosting Cup would lift game in NZ: White
Hosting the Fifa Women’s World Cup could have a game-changing impact on the sport in New Zealand and raise the profile of a national team that struggles for visibility due to a severe shortage of home games, says Football Ferns star Rosie White.
New Zealand is one of eight nations in the running to host the tournament in 2023, with NZ Football’s interim chief executive Andrew Pragnell saying it could be the last chance for the country to stage the 24-team event.
Having played at the Under-17 World Cup on home soil in 2008, White, a 98-cap international, was excited by the prospect of potentially hosting the senior tournament in New Zealand. She said it could have massive spinoffs for the women’s game and build on the momentum created by New Zealand’s historic third-place finish at last year’s Under-17 World Cup in Uruguay.
‘‘It could change everything for football in New Zealand. Women’s football has been on such a high in New Zealand with the 17s and having a huge event like that here would generate so much enthusiasm,’’ she said.
The Football Ferns have been starved of home games, playing just seven of their last 100 fixtures in New Zealand. Their controversial 3-1 loss against Japan last year, played in front of a record crowd of 7236, was their first home game since 2015 and their first in Wellington since 1991.
‘‘That last game against Japan in Wellington last year, although it was a horrible game, we had all these girls out to support us and the reason why we don’t have the best support in New Zealand is because we never play at home. The team’s not known to anyone and I don’t think anyone pays attention.’’
But that could all change if New Zealand was to host the World Cup, with 52 games scheduled throughout the month-long tournament. Not only would the Football Ferns play at least three of those games in front of likely record-shattering crowds, but it would become significantly easier for NZ Football to lure high-quality opposition in the leadup to the event.
The hosting rights for 2023 will be awarded by the 37-member Fifa Council who will conduct a public vote early in 2020.
NZ Football has until April 16 to submit its bid registration.