August 21, (THEWILL) – The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 was a historic and groundbreaking event that showcased the best of women’s football and elevated the sport to new heights of popularity, recognition, and impact. The tournament, co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, featured, for the first time, 32 teams from around the world, competing in 64 matches across 10 venues in nine host cities.
The final match played at the iconic Stadium Australia in Sydney, saw Spain claim their first-ever World Cup title with a 1-0 victory over England, thanks to a first-half strike from Olga Carmona. Overall, the tournament was widely praised for its high quality of football, its diverse and passionate fan base, its extensive media coverage, and its positive social and economic effects.
Some of the highlights and achievements of the tournament include:
Attendance Records
The tournament set new records for attendance, viewership, and engagement. According to FIFA, the total attendance for the tournament was 1.6 million, with an average of 25,000 spectators per match. The final match alone attracted 83,500 fans, making it the largest crowd for a women’s football match in history. The global TV audience for the tournament reached 1.2 billion, with an average of 18.7 million viewers per match. The final match drew 43.2 million viewers worldwide, making it the most-watched women’s football match in history. The tournament also generated a huge buzz on social media platforms, with over 2 billion interactions and impressions across Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
Female Football Talent Growth
The World Cup exhibited the incredible talent and skill of female athletes in football, as well as their passion and dedication to the sport. The tournament featured 164 goals scored, the highest at any edition of the World Cup. The top scorer of the tournament was Hinata Miyazawa of Japan, who netted five goals in five matches. The best player of the tournament was Aitana Bonmatí of Spain, who won the Golden Ball award for her outstanding performances in midfield. The best goalkeeper of the tournament was Mary Earps of England, who won the Golden Glove award for her heroic saves and clean sheets. The best young player of the tournament was Salma Paralluelo of Spain, who won the Best Young Player award for her impressive displays as a forward.
Diversity and Inclusion
The tournament celebrated and promoted diversity and inclusion in football and society. The tournament featured teams from all six confederations, representing different cultures, backgrounds, and identities. The tournament also highlighted the importance of LGBT+ rights and representation in football, as several players openly expressed their pride and support for the community. The tournament also raised awareness and funds for various social causes and initiatives, such as gender equality, environmental sustainability, mental health, and education.
Unprecedented Prize Money
The World Cup boosted the professionalisation and development of women’s football around the world. The tournament offered unprecedented prize money for women’s football, with a total of $110 million distributed among the participating teams. The winning team received $10 million, while the runner-up received $7 million. The prize money was two times higher than the previous edition in 2019, reflecting FIFA’s commitment to invest in women’s football. For the players, prize money at every stage also increased: group stage – $30,000; round of 16 – $60,000; quarter-final – $90,000; fourth place – $165,000; third place – $180,000; second place – $195,000; winners – $270,000. The tournament also inspired more girls and women to play football and pursue their dreams in the sport. Even with all these positives, there is still a gender pay gap between male and female rewards and bonuses, which is debated over the turnover between the two genders.
Challenges and Controversies
The tournament faced some challenges and controversies that highlighted the need for further improvement and reform in women’s football. Some teams experienced internal disputes and conflicts with their national federations over issues such as working conditions, pay equity, coaching staff, and professionalism. Some examples include Spain’s player revolt against coach Jorge Vilda; Nigeria’s boycott threat over unpaid bonuses; Jamaica’s funding crisis; Canada’s coaching change; and France’s sexism scandal. These issues exposed the gaps and inequalities that still exist in women’s football and called for more dialogue and action from all stakeholders to address them.
The Women’s World Cup and the overall triumphs within women’s football allude to a promising trajectory for the sport. Anticipated growth, underpinned by amplified support, investment, and recognition, is expected to drive continued evolution. Addressing the gender pay gap is paramount, ensuring a just distribution of compensation and equal possibilities for female footballers.
The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 was a remarkable event that had a lasting impact on women’s football and beyond. It demonstrated the power and potential of women’s football to entertain, inspire, empower, and unite people across the world. It also set new standards and expectations for women’s football to grow and thrive in the future. FIFA President, Gianni Infantino, said: “This has been not only the best Women’s World Cup ever but also one of the most successful sporting events in history.”
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
