First international team officials arrive in Perth after FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 draw

Oct 25, 2022, 13:30 PM

Officials from 2 international teams are in Perth today to see first-hand the city's excellent facilities for the FIFA Women's World Cup (FIFAWWC) Australia and New Zealand 2023.

Officials from the People's Republic of China and Denmark have touched down in Perth following the FIFA official draw in Auckland on the weekend, which determined that 9 of the World Cup's 32 participating teams will compete in Perth as part of the 2023 tournament.  

The teams coming to Western Australia as part of the 5-match series include:

  • reigning Olympic champions Canada, whose star striker Christine Sinclair is the all-time leading international goal scorer for men or women
  • the Republic of China team — known as the Steel Roses — one of the powerhouses of world football
  • Denmark — returning to the World Cup after a 16-year absence
  • the Republic of Ireland
  • Jamaica
  • Morocco
  • Colombia.

The month-long FIFAWWC 2023 will be the biggest in history, kicking off across Australia and New Zealand on 20 July 2023.

The primary training ground for the FIFAWWC will be the $40 million State Football Centre, which is being jointly funded by the State Government and Australian Government. 

The centre will be a world-class sporting facility catering to all levels of the sport, from grassroots to high-performance development. 

It includes:

  • 2 floodlit pitches capable of high-performance and high-intensity use
  • 3 five-a-side pitches
  • supporting infrastructure — such as change rooms and a gym — as well as administration facilities for Football West.

The State Government is also investing $35 million to deliver upgrades to the Perth Rectangular Stadium, which will be the venue for all 5 matches.

These works include upgrades to the lighting, the pitch, the player amenities, the power supply, along with temporary infrastructure to accommodate the anticipated number of World Cup spectators — such as additional seating and facilities for players, media, and patrons.

The State Government is also contributing $200,000 to match the Australian Government's election pledge of $200,000 towards upgrades to West Perth's Dorrien Gardens sports ground, which has also been selected by FIFA as a training location.

The full list of Perth matches includes:

  • 22 July 2023 Denmark v People's Republic of China
  • 26 July 2023 Republic of Ireland v Canada
  • 29 July 2023 Jamaica v Group C play-off winner
  • 1 August 2023 Group B play-off winner v Denmark
  • 3 August 2023 Morocco v Colombia.