FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 official mascot Tazuni arrives by boat in Brisbane River before heading to Brisbane Stadium for a Corroboree, celebrating just days to go until the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023.
A giant Unity Jersey has also sailed down the Brisbane River, reflecting the diverse spirit of the game and solidarity between the 32 participating nations.Tazuni then made her way to Brisbane Stadium where she was greeted with a Corroboree performance by Traditional Owners and Custodians of Brisbane, the Turrbal Tribe
The scenes were captured via a team of 360-degree drones and are set to be broadcast to the rest of the world as Brisbane/Meaanjin prepares to host eight games during the tournament. Five of those will come during the group stage – including Australia’s second group stage match with Nigeria – while the play-off for third place will round off the arena’s three knockout fixtures.
European champions England will take to the pitch against Haiti to kick off the stadium’s tournament, before France and Brazil do battle in Group F on July 29. Nigeria will return to Brisbane/Meaanjin to face the Republic of Ireland on matchday three of Group B, and two-time winners Germany will take on Korea Republic in Group H.
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The winners of Group D will then take on the runners-up of Group B in the Round of 16 on August 7, with a quarter-final set to follow five days later. The two losing semi-finalists will battle it out for the bronze medal to bring down the curtain for this venue on August 19.
Meanwhile, accommodation demand surges in Sydney ahead of kickoff
The FIFA Women’s World Cup is kicking much-needed goals for the city’s hotels with a spike in bookings as the opening match kicks off at Stadium Australia this week.
Incoming NSW tourism boss Stacey McBride said the event, which expects to see more than 80,000 spectators pack into Stadium Australia for the Matildas’ opening match against Ireland, has already created an uptick in hotel bookings around Western Sydney.
“We are seeing a high number of bookings for accommodation providers located in the vicinity of Olympic Park and hotel capacity right across Sydney is nearing 70 percent, reflecting a noticeable surge in demand,” Ms McBride said today.
According to FIFA, more than a million tickets have been sold for matches scheduled across Australia and New Zealand, with the opening match in Sydney being moved from its original site at Sydney Football Stadium to Stadium Australia to allow more spectators to attend.
“The soaring popularity of women’s sport, and the Matildas in particular, is undeniable and it’s fantastic to see,” Ms McBride said.
“In addition to equalling the playing field in Australian sport, it means that first-class stadia in NSW and across Australia more often have the chance to host tens of thousands of fans from every corner of the globe to cheer on their teams – both in men’s and women’s sport.
“For accommodation providers, this translates to higher occupancy rates, while the local hospitality industry also sees an increase in both local and international visitor spend.
“When it comes to supporting Australian women’s sport it’s definitely a win-win for everyone.”
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