Football Australia (FA) revealed on Monday that ticket sales for the Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand have surpassed 1.5 million, establishing a new standard for any FIFA women’s event.
The organization shared data indicating that the first 12 matches of the tournament have attracted a total of 363,937 spectators, resulting in an average attendance of 30,326 per match.
This figure exceeds the average attendance of 21,756 at the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France and the historical average of 24,780 for the competition.
“The 72% increase in attendance compared to France 2019 over the first 12 matches further highlights the growing popularity of women’s football globally,” the statement read.
The first game in Australia, featuring Australia and the Republic of Ireland, broke a new record with 75,784 spectators. Australia alone accounted for over 1.1 million ticket sales, demonstrating the immense support and excitement for women’s football in the area.
In addition to the large number of people attending the stadium, the television broadcasts have also been successful. For instance, the match between New Zealand and Norway in the women’s World Cup was the most-watched game in New Zealand’s history. According to Sky New Zealand, over one million viewers tuned in to watch the opening match.
Similarly, in Australia, the game between Australia and the Republic of Ireland on the first day of the tournament had an average audience of 1.94 million viewers, which was almost three times the previous record and even higher than some viewership numbers for the 2022 men’s World Cup in Qatar.
“This tournament is making history and we are delighted as a host nation. We are seeing an increase in support for women’s football, not only in ticket sales but also in broadcast viewership, fan festival attendance and merchandising sales,” noted James Johnson, CEO of Football Australia.
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