Brisbane’s Lang Park will host eight FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 matches, including a Matildas Group Stage match on 27 July 2023.
Tourism and Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 demonstrated Queensland’s major event credentials.
“The world’s biggest women’s sporting event is coming to Brisbane with a great line up of high-profile games in 2023,” Mr Hinchliffe said.
“FIFA’s decision to play eight Women’s World Cup matches in Brisbane is another opportunity to show the world Queensland’s major events capability.
“We know the FIFA Women’s World Cup will be a winner for Brisbane’s visitor economy, attracting thousands of Australian and overseas football fans.
“Seeing the Matilda’s on home soil will be an inspiration for Queensland’s young female footballers to play their best game for a shot at the world stage.
“The excitement is already building with participation in the MiniRoos girls’ program this year increasing by almost 31 per cent.”
Brisbane’s first match of the 64-game international tournament is locked in for Lang Park on 22 July 2023.
Five Group Stage games will be played in Brisbane from 22 July, plus a round-of-16 knock-out match, a quarter-final, and the third-place play-off in FIFA’s showcase event on 19 August 2023.
Auckland’s Eden Park hosts the opening match on 20 July 2023 with the final at Sydney’s Stadium Australia on 20 August 2023.
During the Group Stage, Australia and New Zealand will each host four groups of four teams, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the knock-out stage.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said hosting FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 matches would be an extraordinary opportunity to showcase Brisbane on the world’s football stage.
“The 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France smashed records, attracting a combined audience of more than one billion viewers from all corners of the world,” Cr Schrinner said.
“These matches will bring legions of football fans to our city who will support local businesses, like our hotels and restaurants, while they will also be an opportunity to beam images of Brisbane across the globe.
“This event again shows why we have assumed the mantle of Australia’s sporting capital and is part of the reason Brisbane just keeps getting better,” Cr Schrinner said.
Football Queensland President, Ben Richardson, said, “The biggest global event in women’s sport represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform our game and leave a lasting legacy for women, girls and all Queenslanders across the State.
“Football Queensland wholeheartedly believes that women and girls are the future of our game, so we’re delighted to welcome FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 matches to our State and are hopeful that this will inspire the next generation of aspiring young female footballers.”
The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 Draw will take place in late 2022 or early 2023, when Queenslanders will find out the teams playing in Brisbane.
At least nine different teams could play in the tournament’s Brisbane matches.
Queensland’s eight games are second only in Australia to Sydney’s 11 with Melbourne hosting six and Adelaide and Perth each staging five matches.
