(Reuters) – This year’s Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand is on track to become the most attended standalone women’s sporting event ever with over one million tickets sold, FIFA said on Thursday.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino said the ninth edition of the Women’s World Cup, which starts on July 20, has sold 1,032,884 tickets, surpassing the previous tournament in France in 2019.
“The future is women, thanks to the fans for supporting what will be the greatest FIFA Women’s World Cup ever!,” Infantino said in a statement.
“The momentum is building in the host countries and across the globe, and I look forward to seeing you there to witness the stars of women’s football shine on the world stage.”
FIFA had already announced that Australia’s opening match against Ireland will change venue to the 83,500-capacity Stadium Australia, the tournament’s largest stadium, due to high public demand for tickets.
This will allow up to 100,000 fans to attend the World Cup’s opening games, with the match between co-hosts New Zealand and Norway taking place hours before in Auckland.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City, editing by Ed Osmond)
