- 12 candidate cities in Australia and New Zealand to take part in virtual workshops from 20 October to 4 November
Following the decision in June to award Australia and New Zealand the right to host the next FIFA Women’s World Cup™ in 2023, the process to select the Host Cities for the tournament took its first steps today with confirmation that virtual workshops between FIFA and the 12 candidate cities will take place from 20 October to 4 November.
The virtual workshops will provide a forum for the 12 candidate cities to learn more about the venue selection process from FIFA and the host member associations – Football Federation Australia and New Zealand Football. The cities will also present an update on their plans, which will be followed by an interactive Q&A session where operational aspects will be discussed.
The 12 candidate cities that will take part in the virtual workshops are:
- Australia: Adelaide, Brisbane, Launceston, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth, Sydney*
- New Zealand: Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Wellington
*Stadium Australia and Sydney Football Stadium
Speaking ahead of the virtual workshops, Colin Smith, FIFA Chief Tournaments & Events Officer, said:
“We look forward to the virtual workshops over the coming weeks as we take our first steps together with Australia and New Zealand towards the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. These workshops will provide a useful forum to learn more about the 12 candidate cities, such as their plans for stadia, training sites and other key operational areas.”
Following the conclusion of the virtual workshops and in line with FIFA’s policy to follow the recommendations and guidance from health authorities during the COVID-19 pandemic, visits to all candidate cities will be organised when it is safe to do so.
The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 will be the first FIFA World Cup – men’s or women’s – to be co-hosted by two confederations, as well as the first FIFA Women’s World Cup to feature 32 teams.